National Qualifications Framework Bill

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National Qualifications Framework Bill

• Presentation to Portfolio Committee on Education
• 30 July 2008

2
Focus of the SAOUS comments

• The objectives of the NQF (Legislators
  intention) versus the rest of the Bill
• Representivity of the SAQA Board and Quality
  Councils
• Responsibilities of the Ministers

3
Objectives of NQF

• Create an integrated national framework for
  learning achievements
• Facilitate access to, and mobility and
  progression within, education, training and
  career paths

4
What the objectives mean Intention of the
Legislator

• An integrated system of national qualifications
  which will make it possible to let all learning
  achievements of individuals count towards their
  progression within and between education,
  training and career paths.

5
Approach SAQA Act versus NQF Act

• SAQA Act
• A Programmes Approach

• NQF Bill
• A Systems Approach

SAQA QUALITY COUNCILS QUALITY COUNCILS QUALITY COUNCILS QUALITY COUNCILS QUALITY COUNCILS QUALITY COUNCILS
QCGFET QCHE QCTO
10 10 ?
9 9 ?
8 8 ?
7 7 ?
6 6 ?
5 5 5
4 4 4
3 3 3
2 2 2
1 1 1
SAQA SAQA SAQA
Qualifications developed and registered NSBs SGBs 10 Education Training provided ETQAs Providers
Qualifications developed and registered NSBs SGBs 9 Education Training provided ETQAs Providers
Qualifications developed and registered NSBs SGBs 8 Education Training provided ETQAs Providers
Qualifications developed and registered NSBs SGBs 7 Education Training provided ETQAs Providers
Qualifications developed and registered NSBs SGBs 6 Education Training provided ETQAs Providers
Qualifications developed and registered NSBs SGBs 5 Education Training provided ETQAs Providers
Qualifications developed and registered NSBs SGBs 4 Education Training provided ETQAs Providers
Qualifications developed and registered NSBs SGBs 3 Education Training provided ETQAs Providers
Qualifications developed and registered NSBs SGBs 2 Education Training provided ETQAs Providers
Qualifications developed and registered NSBs SGBs 1 Education Training provided ETQAs Providers
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Why the NQF under the SAQA Act has not performed
as expected

• SAQA did not use the powers which it had in terms
  of the Act to generate the necessary involvement
  of the role players and stake-holders in standard
  setting
• The universities in particular did not provide
  the expertise which is required for the setting
  of standards at the ten levels
• The level descriptors were ineffective and did
  not make the equation of qualifications pos-sible

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Why the NQF under the NQF Bill (Act) will not
perform ito the objectives

• The Bill does not give SAQA the powers to ensure
  the co-operation of the Quality Councils
• The Bills description of the NQF, specifically
  the levels, does not provide sufficient detail
• For SAQA and the QCs to reach agreement on the
  level descriptors, the descriptors will have to
  be reduced to that which is acceptable to the
  three QCs. This will make the equation of
  qualifications questionable.
• The Bill does not emphasise the importance of the
  academic disciplines in the setting of standards

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An integrated framework requires a common
knowledge core
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Proposal 1 Objectives, Design of NQF, Functions
of SAQA

• The objectives should envisage the NQF as a
  national framework of co-ordinated sub-frameworks
  for learn-ing achievements (not integrated)
• If the objectives remain unchanged (integrated
  frame-work), then in order to ensure their
  achievement
• The Bill should give SAQA more authority over the
  QCs, OR
• The Bill should indicate the levels which apply
  in the case of each sub-framework
• The Bill should determine criteria for the
  formulation of the level descriptors or state
  that the Minister will determine such criteria
• Section 14(1)(g) should determine that SAQA will
  perform this function subject to the criteria
  determined by the Minister and
• The Bill should determine that expertise in the
  basic knowledge disciplines should be involved in
  all standard setting activities.
• The SAOU proposes the first option

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Proposal 2 Representivity of SAQA and the QCs

• The Bill addresses only the composition of the
  SAQA Board (not the QCs)
• Teachers are important role players and should be
  represented on the three QCs (representation on
  the SAQA Board is less important)
• Teacher unions represent teachers the NQF and/or
  the QC Amendment Bills and Skills Development
  Bill should therefore ensure representation of
  the teacher unions on the QCs

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Proposal 3 Responsibility of Ministers

• Section 9(1) determines that
• the Minister has executive responsibility for the
  NQF, SAQA and two QCs, while
• the Minister of Labour has executive
  responsibility for the third QC.
• Section 8 determines that the Minister must
  discharge his responsibilities in consultation
  with the Minister of Labour.
• The question that arises is whether
• this is acceptable ito the Constitution and
  whether
• it could possibly impact negatively on the
  functioning of the NQF system
• The SAOU proposes that legal advice be obtained
  on these questions.

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In summary

1. The objectives should envisage a co-ordinated
   rather than integrated framework. If they were to
   remain unchanged, the framework should be
   described in greater detail with the emphasis on
   the importance of academic disciplines in the
   setting of standards.
2. Teacher unions should be represented on the
   Quality Councils
3. Experts should advise on the viability of two
   Ministers being given executive responsibility
   for the NQF and/or parts thereof