CIMAP October 2012 Newsletter

ASSESSMENT TALK October 2012 The Chartered Institute for the Management of Assessment Practice (CIMAP) Board Members: Chairperson: D.E Damons MSc; (FCIEA U.K) Vice-‐Chairperson: Prof. M. Mehl, Prof. D S. Matjila; Dr. W. Guest-‐Mouton; Dr. K. Deller; Mr. P. Mathebula (BEd Hons) Mr. T. Tshabalala; Dr. W. Goosen, (FCIEA U.K); Mrs. R. Pillay (M.Ed.); Dr. M. Serfontein, (FCIEA U.K); Dr. L. Meyer, (FCIEA U.K); HEADOFFICE CIMAP Suite 16 Newsleêr Editor: Regional Conveners: Republic Rd Bordeaux H. D. Edwards EC L. Findlay Limpopo T. Tshabalala Randburg -‐ 2125 GA H. Van Twisk KZN J. Topping CPT S. Louw FreeState S. Lala T -‐ 011 329 9000 Ethics H. D. Edwards F -‐ 086 218 4466 W -‐ www.cimap.co.za REGION KZN 1st Floor Cowey House Morningside Durban -‐ 4001 M -‐ admin@cimap.co.za REGION WC CIMAP Suite West Block Tannery Park 23 Belmont Road Rondebosch -‐ 7700 Message from the CIMAP Board Dear CIMAP Members, assessor awards. This is a great honour for other benefits that accrue to members of a As the year starts to wind down and head CIMAP and it is a testament to every professional body like CIMAP. These include: towards its close we welcome all the new member that has put their hand up (and into E n h a n c i n g y o u r n e t w o r k – a members who have joined us this month! It t h e i r p o c k e t ! ) a n d j o i n e d u s t o professional body is a synergistic is heartening to see the support that CIMAP professionalise the industry for the good of group and being in the company of is gaining, as the swelling numbers allow us the entire skills development agenda. like-‐minded people is better than an even larger voice in these turbulent While some employers and assessment being on your own. Operating as an times. CIMAP is aware, from studying its providers are setting CIMAP membership as independent assessor can be lonely membership database, that many members a prerequisite for recruitment, many CIMAP and being a member of CIMAP will are independent assessors or small providers members have joined voluntarily, and their give you access to people with whom and we know that the economy and agreeing to abide by a set of rules and code you can network; approaching ‘silly season’ often have a of ethics is a wholly self-‐started initiative. Finding a mentor who can assist you to dampening effect on the revenues of these stakeholders so we appreciate greatly the INSIDE THIS ISSUE get through a difficult project or enhance your assessing/moderating decision you have made to become a Labour market challenges -‐ 4 FAQ skills and practice -‐ of course, you can m e m b e r o f C I M A P a n d p a y y o u r Professional Bodies -‐ 5 also become a mentor to a new membership fees. A rethink on qualifications -‐ 8 assessor or moderator, which can Our efforts as a professional body, and as a Recognition of Prior Learning -‐ become immensely fulfilling – and can representative of assessors, is steadily e a r n y o u v a l u a b l e C o n t i n u i n g ETD events -‐ 10 gaining momentum. Recently, the ETDP Professional Development (CPD) SETA approached us to consider taking on At CIMAP we see this as a genuine desire to points; Cont. the role of Assessment Quality Partner self-‐regulation and improvement of (AQP) for its national, QCTO-‐registered, assessment quality and ethics. But there are 1 www.cimap.co.za ⇢

MESSAGE FROM THE CIMAP CHANGES TO FET COLLEGE CIMAP ASSESSMENT TALK OCTOBER 2012 BOARD CONT. REGISTRATION CONT. Enhancing your knowledge – CIMAP members are QCTO or the body to which the QCTO has delegated such encouraged to share information and often CIMAP secures a function in order to be accredited as skills development information from the national educational structures first providers. and is able to disseminate this through its membership Private skills development providers, who are currently, base. In an environment where ‘knowledge is power’ this registered with DHET and Further Education and has proved incredibly valuable to members and allowed Training (FET) Colleges for qualifications and/or part-‐ them to stay ahead of their competitors who are not qualifications on levels 2 – 4 of the OQF and that wish to CIMAP members; continue with their current offerings, need not apply for Showing a prospective client (or employer) that you are re-‐registration with DHET when their registration serious about your role as an assessor by listing your period ends. CIMAP professional designation and membership status However, after the registration period ends and they still wish to on your CV, email signature and other credentials. It continue offering these or additional qualifications and/or part-‐ shows that you have committed to stay up-‐to-‐date with qualifications on levels 2 – 4 on the OQF, they are required to your profession voluntarily (through CPD) and that you apply for accreditation to the QCTO or the body which the have committed to a set of ethical standards. This puts QCTO has delegated such a function. you ahead in the recruitment game; Private skills development providers, who are currently Avoiding the need to re-‐invent the wheel each time you registered with the DHET and wish to extend their have a need – while CIMAP members may see themselves scope of provision to offer additional qualifications or as competitors there is already a great deal of sharing part-‐qualifications on levels 2 – 2 of the OQF, must apply going on throughout the network. At the moment it is for accreditation to the QCTO or the body to which the mostly limited to information but ideally it will expand to QCTO has delegated such function the sharing of projects, assessment documents and templates over time. It should however be noted that if the providers above are also offering qualifications and/or part-‐qualifications that are on the At CIMAP we are aware that ‘no person is an island’ and by Higher Education Qualifications sub-‐framework and/or the sub-‐ coming together and putting our ‘islands’ together we can build framework of UMALUSI, they MUST be registered with DHET as a ‘land mass’ of knowledge and professional integrity in the Private Higher Education Institutions and/or as Private FET domain of assessment practice. Colleges. The board of CIMAP salutes all new and established members Amendments of Council of Registration and we welcome your suggestions and participation. Relating to the amendments, note that should you want to Yours in assessment excellence! amend/change any aspect of your registration as a private FET College (i.e. qualifications, sites of delivery, legal name), you will CHANGES TO FET COLLEGE be de-‐registered as a private FET College upon provision of proof of accreditation by the QCTO as a skills development REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS BY provider. The de-‐registration will not affect the credibility and DHET the recognition the institution enjoyed as a registered private FET college in any negative way as long as it is accredited by the The Department of Higher Education and Training has changed QCTO or any agency delegated such a function by the QCTO. the registration requirements for FET Colleges. FET Colleges will Please note that all the above does not relate to any registered no longer be required to register with the Department if they private FET College that offers qualifications or programmes only offer qualifications that fall under the jurisdiction of the that fall on Levels 2 – 4 of the sub-‐framework of Umalusi (i.e. the QCTO or the body nominated by the QCTO i.e. a SETAs. General and Further Education and Training Qualifications A joint communiqué has subsequently been issued by SAQA, Framework (GENFETQF). Such a college must remain registered INTEGRITY ;; DISCIPLINE ;; CREDIBILITY DHET and the three Quality Councils providing guidelines on the in terms of the FET Colleges Act and related Regulations and has registration and accreditation of skills development providers in to remain such registration. the terms of the Skills Development Act, 1998. These guidelines Should you have any query regarding the matter, you may will be forced until they are replaced by long term requirements. contact DHET on 012 312 5567. The communiqué (Join Communiqué 1 of 2012) is available on the website of the Department of Higher Education and Training and SAQA. The following information was supplied by DHET in a CIMAP communique to accredited providers registered with DHET: IS PROUDLY Skills development providers must note the following aspects ASSOCIATED WITH and consider the implementation thereof in terms of the SABPP; PRISA & SA PAYROLL registration as a private FET College. ASSOCIATION Private skills development providers, who are not yet registered with DHET and that wish to offer only qualifications and/or part-‐qualifications on level 1 -‐ 10 of the Occupational Qualifications framework (OQF), will not be registered with DHET. They must only apply with the 2 www.cimap.co.za ⇢

CIMAP ASSESSMENT TALK OCTOBER 2012 MANAGING ETD PROCESSES IN YOUR ORGANISATION BY IMPLEMENTING A QUALITY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM Month-‐by-‐month hundreds of aspiring Learning tMaterial o mandatory vSarious egistration process can be Developer -‐ competencies that attained; here is n ETA r Training Providers apply to any one or more of the Coach/Mentor -‐ various competencies that can be attained; there SETAs -‐ hoping for a speedy acceptance of their application for is no mandatory SETA registration process accreditation. Project Manager (Learnerships) -‐ various competencies that can Everybody wants a bite of the fruit from the tree of learning. be attained; there is no mandatory SETA registration process Q -‐ Is it possible to expedite a bureaucratic process? The next (but probably most important) step is to create a Quality Q -‐ Is the local ETD landscape known for its ability to process Management System (QMS) that will form the foundation of the anything quickly? entire ETD process in your organisation. A moot point -‐ one that always generates healthy and vigorous The QMS will contain all the policies to drive successful discourse. That notwithstanding -‐ one must look at every step of implementation and the SETA will want to see not only that the the process before one finds fault with an ETQA or with a SETA. It policies are in place but that you implement and regularly review is a sad fact of life that there is not one seamless (logical) process the policies and associated procedures. across the board -‐ each SETA has its own processes, steps and The overarching policies include but are not limited to: -‐ ! requirements; requirements which have been known to create irritation, distrust and in some cases disgust but rarely delight. Learning Programme Design & Development procedure Learner entry, guidance and support Let us examine the requirements although in reality there is only one overriding criterion. All you have to do is to convince the Marketing strategy SETA that you are not going to emigrate tomorrow and leave your Human Resource Policy Learners in the lurch; convince the SETA that you have a solid Financial Management foundation in your business that conforms to every law and Act known to man and you are A for Away. Surely that is easy -‐ my Audit & Review system business is solid -‐ is yours? Health & Safety in training One would think so yet increasingly Providers are exposed for Management Reviews running a dubious business where business practice is based on Assessment and Moderation making a quick buck -‐ NOT on Learner support and certification. Training Committee, Reporting and Predicting However, this article does not seek to address a lack of values; Appeals and Complaints neither does seek to expose those Providers who are here today Management of physical resources and gone tomorrow. So what should a Provider do to expedite the process of becoming accredited? Let’s deconstruct the process by asking these questions. Q -‐ Is your business a registered legal entity (with CIPC)? Q -‐ Is your business financially stable? Q -‐ Do you have a valid and current tax clearance certificate? Q -‐ Have you earmarked Registered Constituent Assessors who have evaluative expertise in the subject matter you offer? Names of policies may differ across the SETAs yet the principles of Q -‐ Have you appointed a registered Internal Moderator for the ETD co-‐ordination and administration remain the same. Your courses you wish to offer? organisation may already have some of these policies where they Q -‐ Is your material properly aligned and has the material been serve the business -‐ the caveat is that they must refer specifically declared fit for purpose by your Internal Moderator? to ETD, with proof of sustainable implementation. INTEGRITY ;; DISCIPLINE ;; CREDIBILITY Make sure that all the ETD Practitioners serving the business are EXAMPLE -‐ If you already have a Management Review System in suitably competent and registered with the relevant SETA where place in your business then make sure it includes review of ETD registration is required. Us this list as your guideline. implementation. Trainer -‐ should be a subject matter specialist in the topic being EXAMPLE -‐ If you already have an OHS policy in place then make trained; should ideally have attained competence in (minimum) sure it covers Health and Safety as it relates to learning and US117871; no requirement to register with any SETA/ETQA development, i.e. building floor plan in each training room, clearly marked emergency exits, visible fire extinguishers, first aid kit Assessor -‐ must be competent in US115753 (minimum); must be with Office Manager, proper and safe conduit for cables, registered with the SETA that is representative of the Assessors evacuation plan on the wall in the reception area and so forth. evaluative expertise Is this an insurmountable task? No. The process is governed by Moderator -‐ must be competent in US115759 (minimum); must law so presumably you run a business based on sound ethical be registered with the SETA that is representative of the principles. You may not be ready to embark on your quest for Moderators evaluative expertise accreditation if you do not already have these or similar policies in SDF (Skills Development Facilitator) -‐ various competencies that place in your organisation. can be attained; for the SDF to upload WSPs and ATRs the SDF Heidi D Edwards (PCIMAP) pays her dues to CIMAP & must register with the SETA that represents the clients field of business (based on SETA and SIC codes) the Ethics Institute of South Africa 3 www.cimap.co.za ⇢

CIMAP ASSESSMENT TALK OCTOBER 2012 SOUTH AFRICAN LABOUR MARKET CHALLENGES PRESENTATION BY HERMAN MASHABA, CHAIRMAN to make their own choices on a matter that is so critical to their OF THE FREE MARKET FOUNDATION AT SACCI ANNUAL survival and the well-‐being of their families. The lawyers must work out how to change the labour laws so that the human rights CONVENTION ON 5 OCTOBER 2012 of the unemployed, to work, instead of being barred from No one can deny, or hide the fact, that South Africa’s working, can be restored to them. unemployment has reached crisis proportions. I address my concerns over the crisis, not as an economist, or as a labour expert, Another issue that sticks out like a sore thumb is the lack of but as a simple South African businessman who has been an entrepreneurship and small business ownership in our country. It employer for the past 27 years, by just applying common sense to seems to me that we have gone backwards since 1994. There the situation. I fully understand how the bitter experiences of black appears to be less initiative and less risk-‐taking by small firms than South Africans during the days of the evil Apartheid system led to there was prior to 1994. How can this be when we are now free of the adoption of the labour laws we now have. During the darkest the burden of Apartheid? In other countries, especially in the EU, days of Apartheid, black South Africans could not sell their labour small firms employ the majority of the people. This should be the to the highest bidder and had to endure many forms of same in South Africa. oppression, such as having: One of the problems for small firms is the centralised bargaining No labour representation system and the ability of Bargaining Councils to impose their decisions on all firms in an industry. The system has had negative No rights whatsoever for black employees consequences for small firms and their employees. For instance, Race-‐based labour legislation despite the protests of the factory workers, who wanted their Pass laws that prevented us from moving to where we employers to be left alone, small Newcastle clothing factories had could get better jobs to close down because they could not afford to pay the minimum wage set by the Bargaining Council. The result was that the Accommodation far from places of work workers lost their jobs. Instead of getting less than the minimum Limits on the promotion of black employees to more wage they got no wage. The minimum wage, which is in theory senior positions, and intended to protect workers from exploitation by employers, Transport problems that are still with us today actually exploits the unemployed. It prevents them from getting jobs that pay them “something”, which is better than nothing. Given this history, it was to be expected that after 1994 the labour laws would swing in the other direction, giving greater rights to Stimulating small firms does not require subsidies. workers and less rights to employers. The intention was to make What is absolutely essential is to reduce the burdens on them. sure that the Apartheid-‐style exploitation of black workers would Such as regulation, labour compliance, bureaucracy, and tax never happen again. But this approach is not working out as was burdens. Set them free to supply goods and services to their intended. It does not take into account the realities of economics customers and take away the unnecessary hassles and costs. Let and of doing business. We now have the unfortunate situation that them concentrate on their businesses. Small firms have the the labour laws that were intended to make life better for the potential, not only to increase economic growth, but to provide poorest South Africans are making their lives worse. Instead of the jobs we so badly need to reduce our mass unemployment. having secure jobs, with decent wages, 7.5 million members of the What is more, small firms are the ones that train the young and potential workforce have no jobs at all, which is a disaster. The teach them skills, employ the otherwise unemployable, and bind situation is dangerous for peace and security in the country. together the entire economy. Instead of giving them subsidies, An imbalance has now been created in the other direction. The government should exempt them from the most onerous laws. labour laws have gone too far. Certain aspects of the laws need to The ones that are actually intended to regulate big business. Lift be reconsidered. Urgently! the burdens and small firms will flourish. Another problem, which is compromising the future of South Africa’s young people, is a lack of proper basic education. They The laws and regulations that have pass through the schooling system and emerge without basic become a barrier to employment must be literacy and numeracy. Tragically, a large percentage of our young removed. people, instead of facing an optimistic future full of promise, face a INTEGRITY ;; DISCIPLINE ;; CREDIBILITY bleak future of unemployment and poverty. Lack of money for education is not the problem. Taxpayers are providing R207 billion They are obviously wrong, just as the Apartheid laws were wrong. (20% of the total budget) for spending on education in 2012/13. A Now, 18 years into our democracy, we need to get the country to Stellenbosch University researcher recently reported that South accept that two wrongs never result in a right. Equality before the Africa has a dual schooling system, “a dysfunctional system which law, as required by the Constitution, has to be applied in the labour operates at the bottom end of African countries, and a functional field. The law must give the unemployed as much of a right to get system which operates at the bottom end of developed countries.” a job as the employed have to keep their jobs. So schooling is another crisis, and management of schools and quality of teaching appear to be the source of the problem. As I have said before, I am not a labour expert. I am also not a lawyer, but it is surely possible to give unemployed people access Cont. L[e] R to jobs without endangering the job security of the people who have jobs. We are told that a two tier labour market is unhealthy. But we have the worst possible two tier market. Our first tier consists of people who have jobs and earn wages. Our second tier consists of people who have no jobs and earn no wages. I am convinced that the jobless people in the second tier would be very happy to accept less job security, lower wages, and safe but not wonderful working conditions, rather than be permanently unemployed. Their human rights demand that they have the right A n 4 www.cimap.co.za ⇢

CIMAP ASSESSMENT TALK OCTOBER 2012 The issues I have discussed have consequences for the country The following are some of the things that I suggest South Africa and its economy. The results show up clearly in international should be doing to eliminate mass unemployment and improve research that compares the policies and actions of governments in the lives of all our people: various countries. The Economic Freedom of the World 2012 Report Remove the fear of taking on staff (co-‐published by the FMF), ranks South Africa 85th (out of 144 countries measured) on its level of economic freedom, down from Re m o v e m i n i m u m w a g e s t h a t m a ke p e o p l e 41st in 2000. South Africa has dropped 44 places in a decade. unemployable Sliding down the scale has negative economic implications. The Fix education freer economies perform better than the less free economies and Adopt pro-‐growth policies do better on all measures, including the incomes of their poorest citizens. The countries at the top of the economic freedom Apply the rule of law rankings are Hong Kong, Singapore, New Zealand, Switzerland, Move South Africa to the top 20 ranking in economic Australia, Canada, Bahrain, Mauritius, Finland and Chile. The five freedom countries at the bottom of the rankings are Angola, Republic of Make South Africa the fastest growing economy in the Congo, Zimbabwe, Myanmar and Venezuela. The US, which was world always near the top of the rankings, has plunged to 18th position, behind countries such as Estonia and Qatar, showing that reduced I truly hope and pray, for the future of our country and our economic freedom can even bring down the mightiest economies. children, that all our leadership, political, business and civil society formations, realise and arrest this danger before it is too late. The cornerstones of economic freedom are: We have no reason or justification whatsoever to say to them that Personal choice we saw what was happening and did nothing. Voluntary exchange Time is not on our side Freedom to compete, and And I thank you. Security of privately owned property South Africa’s Ratings in the Economic Freedom Report (out of PROFESSIONAL BODIES FAQ 10) on Labour and Business are: www.saqa.org.za/show.asp?id=2786 -‐ 12 October 2012 at 16:37 Hiring regulations and minimum wage (4.43) Question 1 Hiring and firing regulations (2.46) Will all professional bodies, which include professional Centralised collective bargaining (3.39) associations/institutes, be required to apply to SAQA for Bureaucracy costs (2.88) recognition on the NQF? Other reports also reflect poor results for South Africa on the Answer matters I have raised. South Africa’s rankings, for instance, in the If a professional body or a professional association wishes to be 2012 Global Competitiveness Report show the following results involved in the education and training environment and wishes to (out of 144 countries measured): co-‐operate with the relevant Quality Council (QC) in terms of In measuring Labour market Efficiency – qualification development and quality assurance it must apply to SAQA for recognition. The three QCs are: Co-‐operation in labour employer relations (144) – stone last The Council on Higher Education (CHE) for the Higher Education sub-‐framework Flexibility of wage determinations (140) – fourth from the bottom Umalusi for the General and Further Education and Training sub-‐ framework Hiring and Firing Practices (143) – second from the bottom The Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO) for the Trades and Occupations sub-‐framework. Pay and productivity (134) – 10th from the bottom Question 2 In Measuring the Quality of South Africa’s Institutions – What are the implications for a professional body that does not Business costs of crime and violence (134) -‐10th from the what to be recognised?INTEGRITY ;; DISCIPLINE ;; CREDIBILITY bottom Answer Burden of government regulation (123) – 21st from the The professional body may continue to function as before, bottom however the extent of its involvement in the formal education and South Africa’s economic policies need to change if we want to see learning environment will be limited. the economy grow, reduce unemployment, reduce poverty, Question 3 reduce crime and violence, and improve the quality of life of all Can a professional body register members on learnerships? the country’s people. Some people are proposing that there should be more government spending, the hiring of more Answer government officials, and a bigger role for government in the Professional bodies may register its members and employees on economy. These proposals would all come at the cost of the learnerships as long as the professional body is not the accredited private sector of the economy and lower economic growth. My provider of the qualification coupled to the learnership. view is that the accent should be on a freer economy and more reliance on the private sector. All the evidence shows that free economies do better, in all respects, than centrally controlled ADVERTISING IN THE CIMAP economies. I must admit that when we were working to get rid of Apartheid I thought it was freedom we wanted. Not freedom from NEWSLETTER want, but freedom to do our peaceful business without constant Contact khanyi@cimap.co.za to showcase your interference that borders on oppression. ETD services in our newsletter 5 www.cimap.co.za ⇢

CIMAP ASSESSMENT TALK OCTOBER 2012 Question 4 Answer Why may a professional body not be an accredited training A professional designation can be linked to multiple underlying provider? qualifications. It is the responsibility of the professional body to Answer determine which NQF registered qualification(s) are suitable to be regarded as underlying qualification(s) for the designation. Potential problems may arise when professional bodies have to quality assure their own offering to learners and assess the learner. Question 13 An additional area of conflict could arise when a professional body, What is the role of the Quality Councils (QCs) in recognising which is also an accredited provider, is required to accredit other professional bodies on the NQF? providers for the qualifications it already offers. Answer Question 5 SAQA is the only body that recognises professional bodies and In light of the fact that professional bodies may not be accredited as registers professional designations. If a professional body wishes to education and training providers, will professional bodies be able to contribute to qualification development and quality assurance it continue offering training as part of their members’ continual must co-‐operate with the relevant QC. The relevant QC will be professional development (CPD)? determined by the type and level of the qualification. Answer Question 14 Professional bodies will be allowed to offer training as part of their Will the Organising Framework of Occupations (OFO) be used to CPD offerings to members. However, where such training leads to a determine titles of professional designations? registered qualification or part qualification the training must be Answer conducted by an accredited provider. It is the professional body that will determine the titles of Question 6 designations. However, the titles of underlying qualifications for How will SAQA manage the recognition of more than one body or professional designations in the Trades and Occupations sub-‐ association in a sector? framework may be aligned to the OFO. Answer Question 15 SAQA will encourage co-‐operation and collaboration between the Can a person hold more than one professional designation and will different bodies or associations across a sector. If no resolution can all of these be recorded on the NLRD? be found in this manner, SAQA will consider each application on its Answer own merit. A person can hold any number of professional designations, each Question 7 awarded by a different professional body. The NLRD will be able to Can a designation be used by more than one professional body? record more than one designation per person. Answer Question 16 No, the policy requires that the same professional designations Different professional bodies are at different stages of cannot be registered by more than one recognised professional development. Will SAQA be able to assist either aspiring or newly body in South Africa. created professional bodies in terms of establishing themselves and Question 8 adhering to the criteria of recognition? Must the underlying qualification to a professional designation be Answer an NQF registered qualification? SAQA will be able to give advice to aspiring or newly created Answer professional bodies. Yes, the underlying qualification to a designation must be an NQF Question 17 registered qualification. What will the costs to the professional body be in terms of applying Question 9 to be recognised as a professional body and registering professional designations on the NQF? Can the registration of a professional designation take place in the absence of an underlying qualification/s? Answer Answer SAQA will not charge professional bodies for the recognition of professional bodies or registration of professional designations on INTEGRITY ;; DISCIPLINE ;; CREDIBILITY No, there must be a registered underlying qualification/s in order the NQF. However, SAQA reserves the right to recover costs in for a designation to be registered on the NQF. instances where unnecessary and wasteful costs are incurred. Question 10 Question 18 Can a part-‐qualification or/and NQF aligned skills programme be Can a professional body that regulates an industry apply for regarded as an underlying qualification? recognition as a professional body on the NQF? Answer Answer The term qualification includes part-‐qualifications. This therefore implies that the underlying qualification of a designation can be A professional body which regulates an industry and which wishes linked to a part-‐qualification registered on the NQF. to be involved in the education and training environment can apply for recognition as long as it adheres to the criteria. It will, however, Question 11 be critical to demarcate the different roles the professional body Will a professional designation be registered at an NQF Level? will play, so that members and other organisations understand the Answer different roles, who performs each role, and what the parameters of A professional designation will not be registered at a specific NQF the locus of control is for each function. Cont. level. However, the underlying qualifications of all professional designations will be registered at a specific NQF level. Question 12 WELCOME Cont. Can a professional designation be linked to more than one to all our new members! underlying qualification? 6 www.cimap.co.za ⇢

CIMAP ASSESSMENT TALK OCTOBER 2012 Question 19 validation utility, will be provided free of charge to professional Will internationally recognised professional designations be bodies by SAQA and workshops will be offered on how to registered on the NQF by SAQA? implement the load specifications. Answer Question 26 If an internationally recognised professional designation adheres Will SAQA be verifying for third parties the data related to to the policy and criteria it can be registered on the NQF by professional bodies and professional designations? SAQA. Answer Question 20 No, the responsibility to verify the awarding of a designation to Will international qualifications which are not registered on the its members remains the responsibility of the professional body. NQF be recognised as underlying qualifications for professional Question 27 designations? What will happen to professional designations which have Answer already been registered on the NQF as qualifications? The underlying qualification for a professional designation must Answer be an NQF registered qualification. Professional bodies using SAQA will interact with the professional body in instances where international qualifications must therefore take the necessary professional designations have already been registered as steps to ensure that these qualifications are registered on the qualifications on the NQF to correct the problem. NQF. Question 28 Question 21 How will SAQA manage the process if public comment in regard To what degree will good corporate governance be measured to applications for recognition is received from third parties? when considering an application by a professional body for recognition on the NQF? Answer Answer SAQA will interact with the applying body and, if necessary, the relevant sector as a whole, should comments be received during SAQA will, during the evaluation of an application for the public comment phase. The SAQA Board will however make recognition, assess, amongst other things, the governance the final decision and an appeal process will be put into place. structure, the management structure and the sustainability of the professional body. Question 29 Question 22 What will happen when a registered qualification which is coupled to a professional designation is changed? What will happen to a registered professional designation once a recognised professional body is either de-‐recognised or ceases to Answer exist? SAQA will put measures in place to notify professional bodies of Answer changes which providers may make to underlying registered qualifications. The designation/s of a professional body which loses its recognition status will be de-‐registered. The records of the Question 30 holders of the designation will reflect a de-‐registration date and What is the difference between statutory and non-‐statutory no new records will be added against the specific designation. professional bodies? Records of holders of de-‐registered designations will not be Answer removed from the NLRD. The primary difference between the two is that statutory bodies Question 23 are mandated by legislation. However, in terms of recognition Will an applicant to a designation be able to apply for recognition under the NQF Act, both statutory and non-‐statutory bodies may of prior learning (RPL) to achieve the underlying qualification? apply to SAQA. Answer Question 31 An applicant can achieve the underlying qualification through What are the timeframes for the recognition and registration RPL. However, the RPL of the underlying qualification/s must be process?INTEGRITY ;; DISCIPLINE ;; CREDIBILITY managed by an accredited provider. Answer Question 24 The pilot process takes place between August 2011 and March 2012. The pilot process will inform the further developments of Will Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs) play a role the recognition and registration processes. Applications for in recognising professional bodies and registering professional recognition by professional bodies not involved with the pilot designations? project will commence from April 2012. Answer Question 32 SAQA is the only organisation that can recognise professional Will there be a continuous monitoring system of the professional bodies and register professional designations for the purposes of bodies once recognition and registration has taken place? the NQF Act. SETAs may however opt to support its members Answer where appropriate. Regular data uploads to the NLRD will be required and monitored Question 25 by SAQA. Complaints will also be investigated by SAQA. Further, How will the data uploads to the NLRD take place? professional bodies will be expected to keep SAQA informed of Answer changes to the professional body or its registered designations. Professional bodies will be required to regularly upload data The aim of education is the knowledge not of facts, but of values. against the “Specifications for Professional Bodies’ Load Files for the National Learners’ Records Database”. EduDex, a data Dean William R Inge 7 www.cimap.co.za ⇢

CIMAP ASSESSMENT TALK OCTOBER 2012 SKILLS AND VOCATIONAL TRAINING NEED RETHINK ON QUALIFICATIONS 31 AUG 2012 14:54 -‐ STEPHANIE ALLAIS -‐ http://mg.co.za/article/2012-‐08-‐31-‐ Late in 2008, Acts were passed to make substantial changes to the The launch of this council -‐creates the basis for separate trades first post-‐1994 national qualifications framework. It was split into and occupational qualifications. What is not yet clear from the three linked frameworks, each with its own quality council: initial documents that are publicly available is the qualification and Umalusi, the Higher Education Quality Council and the Quality quality assurance model the council will implement. It remains to Council for Trades and Occupations. be seen whether a substantially new policy direction will emerge, This signified a dramatic policy shift and the introduction of the or whether the new council, laden with associated experts and second national qualifications framework. One effect was to consultants in setting standards and assuring quality, will drive a reduce substantially the role of the South African Qualifications reformed version of the same flawed model. Authority to co-‐ordinate developments between the three A model seems to be emerging in which the state agency (in this councils. case, the council) has legislative and oversight responsibility, but The authoritys power to set standards was handed to the three will contract out many functions to accredited entities outside the councils, which all seem set on operating in ways that are not only state. In the absence of strong capacity to manage and evaluate substantially different from the authoritys outcomes-‐based these contracts, the risk is that a heavy focus on accreditation will qualifications, but also different from each other. be maintained without increasing the operational responsiveness and effectiveness of the system. Umalusi, in general and in further education and training, works predominantly with qualifications that are broadly specified in Vocational education and skills training terms of numbers and types of subjects and have a curriculum. It Schools have not been affected by the qualifications and quality monitors the work of assessment bodies, which set and administer assurance problems, although the repeated attempts to develop external examinations. It sees "standards" as a combined result of quality assurance and inspection systems for schools have had the quality of the curriculum, the quality and standards of the their own share of problems, as has the curriculum. In higher examinations used to test pupils on the curriculum and the quality education, quality assurance has been contested and criticised, but of the educational institutions offering the curriculum. it did not get caught in the complicated systems of the first qualifications framework. Under the Higher Education Quality Council, universities continue to issue their own qualifications and design their own curriculums, Furthermore, with few exceptions, none of the sectors used the possibly against broad qualifications framework. It was split into new qualifications generated by standards bodies. However, for three linked frameworks, each with its own quality council: learnerships and other forms of workplace-‐based training, the new Umalusi, the Higher Education Quality Council and the Quality outcomes-‐based qualifications registered by the qualifications Council for Trades and Occupations. framework were the only qualifications officially available. This signified a dramatic policy shift and the introduction of the Private and community-‐based providers, including organisations second national qualifications framework. One effect was to that wanted to do youth development work, were forced to deal reduce substantially the role of the South African Qualifications with the framework. Further education and training (FET) colleges Authority to co-‐ordinate developments between the three had the worst of it, because they not only worked within the councils. department of education systems and its qualifications and examinations but also, in as far as they offered learnerships and The authoritys power to set standards was handed to the three skills programmes, were obliged to deal with sector education and councils, which all seem set on operating in ways that are not only training authorities (Setas) and the prescribed accreditation and substantially different from the authoritys outcomes-‐based decentralised assessment processes. qualifications, but also different from each other. The end result was an elaborate system of qualifications Umalusi, in general and in further education and training, works development and quality assurance based on the development of predominantly with qualifications that are broadly specified in outcomes-‐based qualifications and unit standards, and the terms of numbers and types of subjects and have a curriculum. It accreditation of providers rated against outcomes-‐based monitors the work of assessment bodies, which set and administer qualifications and unit standards.INTEGRITY ;; DISCIPLINE ;; CREDIBILITY external examinations. It sees "standards" as a combined result of the quality of the curriculum, the quality and standards of the But this immensely complex system operated only for the small, examinations used to test pupils on the curriculum and the quality disparate and mainly weak system of provision for workplace-‐ of the educational institutions offering the curriculum. based training, occupational training, continuing professional development, community development and adult education. Under the Higher Education Quality Council, universities continue Instead of a public policy focused on building a coherent system to issue their own qualifications and design their own curriculums, that strengthened the capacity of state providers and supported possibly against broad competency statements. They are subject the capacity of private and community-‐based providers, the policy to emerging and still contested quality assurance procedures, but focus was on regulating weak provision through a complex web of retain their autonomy. quality assurance mechanisms. Both Umalusi and the Higher Education Quality Council are not In these sectors of the education and training system where new. They were built on existing institutions that had reputations, provision is diverse, ranging from the public FET colleges to large established relationships, modes of operation and systems. In private distance education providers and individuals offering other words, in respect of these two bodies, the new qualifications packages to workplaces or enterprise-‐specific training centres, it is framework seems to have moved more to a model that describes much harder to locate anything like a "community" or what exists, instead of one that tries to propose what should exist. "professional group". Consequently, the standards as written down A Quality Council for Trades and Occupations was initially created came to have much larger force and much more weight was under the minister of labour. But after changes in the Cabinet in accorded to them. 2009 the council was moved to the newly created department of Cont. higher education and training. 8 www.cimap.co.za ⇢

CIMAP ASSESSMENT TALK OCTOBER 2012 This diverse and heterogeneous group of It is not over yet Even so, improving the nature and quality organisations obviously has never had a It is possible that we will see more changes of vocational education, skills training, single qualifications system. The trade-‐test to the latest framework, creating version community development and adult system could perhaps be seen as the 2.1, or even more substantial changes that education programmes will improve the strongest centre of gravity, but this could produce a third framework. In the situation of the young people who are not accounts for only a fraction of all vocational green paper released in January, the higher in education, training or work. But this will education. -‐education and training department be difficult to do without substantially This possibly made providers of these areas provides options for changes, some of changing the qualifications and quality of education and training particularly w h i c h w o u l d e n t a i l s u b s t a n t i a l assurance model that has been used in vulnerable to the problems of the first simplification of the model. these parts of the education system. qualifications framework, particularly when There is a strong suggestion in the green funding was substantially linked to the paper that the unit standards-‐based model Stephanie Allais is a senior researcher in adoption of the new qualifications and, in should be abandoned entirely and, what is the education policy unit of the many instances, was also linked to very welcome, a pronouncement that no University of the Witwatersrand, leading accreditation by one of the new quality provider should be forced to use unit the development of research into assurance bodies, which was often also standards. There are also proposals to education and the labour market. This is based on the use of the new qualifications. tighten the quality assurance of national an edited extract from her chapter in Funding in this field includes collecting qualifications by centralising assessments Shaping the Future of South Africas workplace levies, getting funding through and loosening the quality assurance of Youth: Rethinking Post-‐school Education official government channels such as the education and training that does not and Skills Training in South Africa, edited National Skills Fund or from the Setas. It necessarily lead to a qualification, enabling by Helene Perold, Nico Cloete and Joy also includes getting funding from providers to offer programmes without Papier and published by African Minds for independent donors and sometimes having to be accredited and without the Centre for Higher Education international donors, who wanted to registered assessors and moderators. Transformation, the Southern African comply with what was perceived to be the One of the ways to improve the framework Labour and Development Research Unit official qualifications and quality assurance is to do away with its levels and create a and the Further Education and Training system. clear relationship between the main Institute There are many other unresolved issues national qualifications — in other words, and ongoing problems. A point of which qualification can lead to which other contention is the separation of vocational qualification. education, largely under Umalusi, and If these changes are accepted, it will be far occupational education, under the trades easier for community-‐based organisations and occupation council. Another potential to develop responsive programmes, p r o b l e m i s t h a t i f v e r y d i ff e r e n t including training programmes, for young qualifications and quality assurance models people. are developed for the three frameworks, But there are powerful stakeholders who the gulf between occupational and other have vested interests in the current qualifications may increase and the dream systems and it remains to be seen how of an integrated system will be more CLIMBING THE PORTFOLIO LADDER ..... much change the department will be able elusive than ever. to achieve. TO CERTIFICATION Another important issue that must be addressed is which education, training and The green paper also suggests a substantial CIMAP MEMBERSHIP expansion of FET colleges and the building development programmes need to lead to of new institutions for adult education, ADMINISTRATOR qualifications. One of the reasons for the both of which would dramatically increase introduction of the national qualifications the educational options available to out-‐of-‐ framework was to foster the recognition of school and unemployed youths. But the INTEGRITY ;; DISCIPLINE ;; CREDIBILITY prior learning, and the framework was paper is weak on practicalities and it designed to encompass all learning in all remains to be seen how this is going to be sectors and at all levels. put into action. M a n y p r o g r a m m e s t h a t r e q u i r e Even if problems with quality assurance and considerable flexibility to address the qualifications policy are resolved, many specific needs of employers or communities problems will remain for young people who have been forced into a straitjacket through are not in employment, education or the unit standard system. This makes the training. Policymakers hope that vocational work of providers more difficult and also education reform can solve unemployment makes it less likely that they will meet the and many other socioeconomic problems, needs of their clients and communities. but education cannot compensate for khanyi@cimap.co.za The priority should be to open up the society or address all its needs. Mrs Khanyisile Nkosi quality assurance and qualifications Employers in industry also often have system, recognising that not all learning unrealistic expectations, particularly in and education has to lead to qualifications t e r m s o f e x p e c t i n g e d u c a t i o n a l ARCHIVED or part-‐qualifications. This should be programmes to produce workplace-‐ready accompanied by strengthening the external graduates with good communication, NEWSLETTERS Our Administrator (Khanyi) can provide assessment and centralised curriculum reading and writing skills, who are able to previous editions of our newsletter if you did systems for programmes leading to work in teams, take the initiative, lead and not receive it -‐ send an email to national qualifications. follow through and have high levels of ‘khanyi@cimap.co.za’ with your request. technical expertise. 9 www.cimap.co.za ⇢

SMME NOTICEBOARD CIMAP ASSESSMENT TALK OCTOBER 2012 News and events of interest to Praceeoners and CIMAP Members 7th ANNUAL CONVENTION & LEARNING EXPO SAIPA KZN MINI CONVENTION 19 -‐ 22 June 2013 9 -‐ 10 November 2012 www.educationweek.co.za www.saipa.co.za CHARTERED INSTITUTE OF EDUCATIONAL ASSESSORS INDEPENDENT PROFESSIONAL BODY FORUM CIEA Training in London (UK) 4th Meeting 14 & 15 November 2012 19 November 2012 www.ciea.org.uk www.cips.org.za SABPP ETHICS OFFICER CERTIFICATION PROGRAMME Learning & Quality Assurance Workshop 5 -‐ 9 November 2012 12 November 2012 Leriba Lodge -‐ Centurion www.sabpp.co.za www.ethicsa.org A W O D FROM OUR SPONSORS R NEGOTIATED MEMBER BENEFITS CHILD’S PLAY - PARENT INVOLVEMENT BEE Exempeon Leêrs – R 860.00 (Ex Vat). PROGRAM Full BEE compliance audits (dependent on size of organisaeon). Your child’s mind-‐set stems from her beliefs and this influence her Full accouneng services (including invoice preparaeons, SARS compliance etc. requirements from R 1800.00 per month. thoughts. Her thoughts determine her aceons. Her aceons have a posieve or negaeve result. 012 546 8622 dirk@mfd.cc.za / Beliefs are the assumpeons that we make about ourselves, about PREDEX LMS others in the world and about how we expect things to be. Beliefs DEAR TRAINING PROVIDERS are about how we perceive things. Our values stem from our beliefs. Do you require a seamless process to upload to SETAs, with no delays due to failure to adhere to SETA specificaeons? Their vision and mission also determine a person’s self-‐esteem and confidence. A vision is a statement of who you are and who you can Do you require a simple, effeceve alternaeve to tracking become. It is the framework for the process of creaeng your life, learner programme informaeon? based on your beliefs and values. Are you waseng your valuable eme on calculaeng learner achievement credit values? Visit our web site to find out more: Do you require a streamlined searching, assimilaeng, and www.pip-‐obe.com administraeng accreditaeons? Amanda 082 551 0497 Design, print, and administrate your own cereficates. Print professional learner achievement reports with the click of INTEGRITY ;; DISCIPLINE ;; CREDIBILITY a buôn. Do you want to control who has access to your data with an effeceve security system? SMS your students noefying them of their latest assessment results. Predex LMS offers all of the above-‐meneoned funceonaliees and many further advantages in a cost effeceve manner. Andrew – 082 385 9047 BUSINESS RISK SOLUTIONS An accredited Supplier for OHSA Training and Compliance Assessments. Harry Harris 011 867 5171 harrbrsrisksolueons.co.za 10 www.cimap.co.za

CIMAP October 2012 Newsletter

by CIMAP on Oct 19, 2012

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CIMAP October 2012 Newsletter Document Transcript