SA’s National Qualifications Framework promotes genuine qualifications
By Tumelo Modisane
South Africa is a developing country striving for economic growth. Our country has high levels of inequality, poverty and unemployment. This together with a shortage of the kinds of skills necessary to drive economic growth creates an environment where there is competition for jobs and opportunities. Such a situation increases the likelihood of fraudulent qualifications.
“Fraudulent qualifications may erode the integrity of a system that prides itself with genuine qualifications,” says Nadina Coetzee the Director of Foreign Qualifications Evaluation and Advisory Services at the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA).
So what is a genuine qualification? A national qualification that is genuine is one that is offered by an accredited and registered provider. The qualification must also be registered and there must be authentic documentation to prove it.
The South African National Qualifications Framework (NQF) is a framework of registered and quality assured national qualifications, part qualifications and learner achievements. The NQF promotes genuine qualifications through its regulatory framework, national records, a public education service and a counter-fraud strategy.
As the organisation responsible for building and putting into practice the NQF, SAQA plays a key role in combating qualification fraud. It offers a verifications service where the national and foreign qualifications of employees in the public sector are verified. SAQA also evaluates foreign qualifications for the purposes of immigration (general, critical and scarce skills and corporate work visas), for admission to universities as well as for registration with professional bodies.
SAQA has come across some challenges while providing this evaluation service. These include the abuse of the SAQA Certificate of Evaluation, and unscrupulous practices such as the fabrication of qualification documents and internet-based degree mills. Other challenges are the diversity and number of education providers, as well as finding reliable information sources and also getting quick responses to queries sent to issuing bodies.
In an effort to counter fraud, SAQA has improved the security features of SAQA Certificates of Evaluation. The organisation is consistently increasing its expertise in identifying fraudulent practices. It is also building strong relationships with national and international partners. There is also a shift from paper orientation to both paper and electronic verifications. SAQA can advise on minimum paper and electronic security guidelines, and is working towards improving relationships with law enforcement agencies.
Proactive services also form part of SAQA’s counter fraud strategy. This includes educating the public about the NQF and its functions, as well as promoting good role models and best practice. An e-mail service (overseasinstitutions@saqa.org.za) supports the public in making sensible decisions about education and training providers they consider enrolling with.
It is through this regulatory framework, national records, a public education service, a verification service and a counter-fraud strategy that the South African NQF promotes genuine qualifications.
SAQA is tasked with registering qualifications, part qualifications and professional designations on the NQF. SAQA recognises professional bodies, coordinates sub-frameworks, develops policies and oversees the application of these policies. It also maintains the database containing NQF information.
A well-developed NQF contributes to the full development of each learner as well as the social and economic development of the nation. The South African NQF has 10 levels and three sub-frameworks, namely the General and Further Education and Training Qualifications Sub-framework, the Higher Education Qualifications Sub-framework, and the Occupational Qualifications Sub-framework. These sub-frameworks fall under the stewardship of three Quality Councils, namely Umalusi, the Council on Higher Education (CHE), and the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO), respectively.
The three Quality Councils manage the sub-frameworks, develop qualifications, accredit providers and examination bodies, and ensure the quality of examinations and certificates. The Department of Higher Education and Training and the Department of Basic Education also play an important role in that they register private providers (higher education institutions and colleges) and convene the stakeholders’ forum. The provincial departments of education register independent education and training providers. They also coordinate Grade 12, Further Education and Training (FET), and Adult Basic Education and Training (ABET) examinations.
The National Learners’ Records Database (NLRD) is an inclusive information management system for the NQF. It is developed and managed by SAQA and is the first of its kind in the world. It contains information on accredited providers, recognised professional bodies, professional designations, the number of professionals loaded on the database, registered qualifications and part qualifications, and learner qualification and part qualification achievements.
SAQA educates the public about genuine qualifications through the NQF and Career Advice Helpline, information given at career festivals, and a radio and print marketing campaign.
Print friendly version
Subscribe Suggestions /Compliments
News clippings
