James Keevy is an experienced policy researcher that has worked in South Africa, Africa and internationally for the last 25 years. Following 13 years at the South African Qualifications Authority in research policy and international liaison capacities, he joined JET Education Services in 2014 as the chief executive. His specific areas of expertise include qualifications, the recognition of learning, digitalisation, and the professionalisation and migration of teachers. He has worked closely with several international agencies, including the OECD, ILO, World Bank, Commonwealth Secretariat, Commonwealth of Learning, SADC Secretariat, African Union Commission and others. At present his main expertise lies in the ability to oversee large multinational research and evaluation teams to execute programmes in a robust and efficient manner. He brings a strong international network and perspective that has translated into a wide range of published research, most recently, this includes a mapping study on qualifications for the African Union Commission, as well as a review of the research response in South Africa to the COVID-19 pandemic. Address: Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa
Over the last three decades, JET Education Services has evolved against the backdrop of a profoun... more Over the last three decades, JET Education Services has evolved against the backdrop of a profoundly complex historical and political process. As a thought leader and knowledge intermediary in education, the organisation has contributed significantly to knowledge generation and evaluation in the education sector and has participated in the policy-making realm. To celebrate JET’s 30th year, two of JET’s former CEOs, Nick Taylor and Godwin Khosa, and the current CEO, James Keevy, in a conversation facilitated by Professor Peliwe Lolwana, share their stories on the transformation of education in South Africa and talk about JET’s contribution to the education sector.
There is a big disconnect in South Africa’s post-school worlds of learning and work, and this is ... more There is a big disconnect in South Africa’s post-school worlds of learning and work, and this is evident from the unemployment rate. The PSET CLOUD solution is geared to connecting all participants in the post-school system and wants to help individuals go from job seekers to developing their careers. The purpose of the PSET CLOUD platform is to establish a digital environment that will strengthen, integrate, coordinate, improve efficiencies and solve challenges in the governance and management of the post-school education and training (PSET) system. PSET CLOUD connects participants in an interoperable data ecosystem that empowers a more effective alignment between people and organisations in the post-school education, training and development system. The goal is to ensure that data sets are interrelated, well-synchronised and used effectively as sources of information for planning and improving efficiencies.
Dating back to the Middle Ages, and even much earlier ancient civilisations, specialised career s... more Dating back to the Middle Ages, and even much earlier ancient civilisations, specialised career structures, craft guilds and the early development of university structures in the eleventh century could be described as the antecedents to contemporary concepts of competency, lifelong learning, qualifications, and also jobs and careers (Keevy et al, 2021). As in Huxley’s classic 1932 novel, we use the metaphor of a brave new world as we look to the post-pandemic future. In this future, we argue, emerging technologies will, for the first time in human history, make it possible to measure and recognise human ability in a more seamless and articulated manner than has been possible until now (Spencer-Keyse, Luksha & Cubista, 2020; UIL, 2020).
James Keevy, Chief Executive Officer of JET Education Services, talks with CHEA President Judith ... more James Keevy, Chief Executive Officer of JET Education Services, talks with CHEA President Judith Eaton about digitization – its key features and importance – and the impact of digitization on higher education and quality assurance. Published: Feb, 2020
Investing in our people, we refer to them as Jetsetters, makes for a good culture, which in turn ... more Investing in our people, we refer to them as Jetsetters, makes for a good culture, which in turn contributes to a more efficient business model, and that in turn, enables the company to achieve its goals and objectives. This is not rocket science. People matter because people make the organisation what it is. As a value-based and non-profit organisation, Jetsetters are committed to demonstrating their commitment to the transformation of education in South and Southern Africa. This requires incredible dedication and long hours of work. A motivated team that knows that their work is appreciated is a critical success factor. Jetsetters are social activists that need to be recognised and rewarded in a manner that is very specific to them.
Barriers to Effective Labour Mobility in the African Leather Industry, 2024
The International Labour Organization (ILO) and its Joint Labour Migration Programme (JLMP) partn... more The International Labour Organization (ILO) and its Joint Labour Migration Programme (JLMP) partners commissioned this research to investigate the potential role of skills recognition and, more particularly, the recognition of prior learning (RPL) in facilitating the access of migrant workers to employment opportunities, specifically in leather sector occupations. The research provides insights into the scope and characteristics of mobility and migration among migrants seeking work in the leather sector, as well as the circumstances relating to mobility and migration that would justify implementation of RPL projects. Within this context, the three-year JLMP Priority Project (2018-2021) was developed with the overall objective of improving the governance of labour migration and so achieving safe, orderly and regular migration in Africa in accordance with the relevant frameworks of the African Union (AU) and Regional Economic Commissions (RECs), as well as relevant international human rights and labour standards and other cooperation processes. Under the JLMP Priority Project, the International Labour Organization (ILO), together with the African Union Commission, appointed JET Education Services to conduct a “Study of current barriers to effective labour mobility in the African leather industry in eastern, northern and western Africa”.
Comparative skills profiling surveys and assessment of skills recognition opportunities, 2023
This report forms part of the consultancy Comparative skills profiling surveys and assessment of ... more This report forms part of the consultancy Comparative skills profiling surveys and assessment of skills recognition opportunities facilitating refugees and asylum seekers’ access to the labour market in South Africa and Zambia. JET Education Services was commissioned by the ILO and the UNHCR to undertake this consultancy, which forms part of the Southern Africa Migration Management (SAMM) project. The SAMM Project is funded by the EU and implemented by the ILO, the IOM, the NODC and the UNHCR. Its overall objective is to improve migration management in the Southern Africa and Indian Ocean region and to contribute to achieving the 2030 Development Agenda. This study provided an important opportunity to investigate the skills recognition methodologies available to refugees in South Africa and Zambia. The findings were largely expected: refugees have limited access to recognition opportunities; there are some promising continental initiatives on the horizon, but they are still far from being realised on national levels; and that there are strong misconceptions that refugees are stealing jobs from citizens. There were also some less expected findings: formal employment of refugees in South Africa and Zambia remains similar to their employment status in the countries where they came from; skills validation success tends to match certification levels and leaves lower skilled refugees without options; and that refugees have mid-level skills, rather than only high or very low skills. We encourage entities like SAQA and ZAQA to do more of the good work they have been doing by taking pilots to scale, and by sharing findings, also failures, within the broader skills ecosystem in Africa that has formed through the ACQF process. As Africans we have the technical knowledge and the collaborative culture to advance much quicker that many may expect.
Enhancing TVET through digital transformation in developing countries, 2023
Digital transformation is a complex process that with varying impacts across economic sectors. In... more Digital transformation is a complex process that with varying impacts across economic sectors. In the education and training sector, digital transformation in TVET can involve TVET operational systems (administration, finance, human resources, building infrastructure and maintenance, student registration, etc.); classroom delivery (learning management, instructional delivery methods, etc.); and the actual
knowledge and skill component of the curriculum, for example by integrating productivity software such as word processors or spreadsheets into students’ learning outcomes. The integration of digital skills in the TVET curriculum allows learners to acquire the changing skills and knowledge (tacit and explicit) required to function in a digitalizing society, economy and labour market. Digital transformation in TVET is also transforming the dominant modalities of traditional face-to-face learning and teaching to involve multiple configurations of actors (learners, teachers and technologies/apps) in space and time (when, where, who, how). This means that digital transformation in TVET offers opportunities for teachers to reconsider their pedagogical assumptions, behaviours and relationships with students.
This research forms part of the three-year Joint Programme on Labour Migration Governance for Dev... more This research forms part of the three-year Joint Programme on Labour Migration Governance for Development and Integration (JLMP Priority) in Africa (2018-2021), developed to improve the governance of labour migration to ensure safe, orderly, and regular migration in Africa, as committed to in relevant frameworks of the African Union (AU), Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and relevant international Programmes such as the AU’s Revised Migration Policy Framework for Africa and Plan of Action (2018–2030), the ILO’s Convention No. 97 , Migration for Employment (Revised) (ILO, 1949), Convention No. 143, Migrant Workers (Supplementary Provisions) (ILO, 1975) and the global and continental policy frameworks guiding labour migration and labour mobility in Africa (ILO, 2019a). This research has been undertaken as a feasibility study with limited scope. The research specifically explores the feasibility, including the viability, implementability and suitability, of skills recognition mechanisms for selected occupational profiles (welding and domestic work) of migrant workers in Ethiopia, Kenya and South Africa to gain access to formal labour markets.
Mapping curriculum frameworks and practices in Africa: creating baseline evidence, 2022
This report presents the findings of a curriculum mapping survey administered on behalf of the Af... more This report presents the findings of a curriculum mapping survey administered on behalf of the African Union Commission (AUC) and the African Curriculum Association (ACA), and is a contribution to the Continental Education Strategy for African (CESA) Curriculum Cluster. The project “Developing the African Continental Qualifications Framework” is a key partner of this initiative, having closely collaborated from the first ideas with ACA to conceive the approach and plan, organise and support implementation of the study. The survey covered school education and technical and vocational education and training (TVET). Some aspects of early childhood care development and education (ECCDE) were also taken into account.
All over the world, education has been recognised as the driver of accelerated and all-round deve... more All over the world, education has been recognised as the driver of accelerated and all-round development. For this reason, education is put at the centre of the development agenda of the African Union. A glance at the pages of the Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want, which is the African Union’s Vision of what the continent should be by 2063, clearly shows that education is of paramount importance. The Agenda foresee a prosperous continent propelled by inclusive growth and sustainable development. To match words with action, the African Union developed a tactical document termed the Continental Education Strategy for Africa (CESA 16-25) which espouses the strategic objectives and how these could be employed to achieve the desired prosperity, inclusive growth and sustainable development. Today, investment in education as well as cooperation, research, policy development and implementation by the African Union and its education partners revolve around the CESA 16-25.
South Africa is a country of many contradictions. With a Gini coefficient estimated at between 0.... more South Africa is a country of many contradictions. With a Gini coefficient estimated at between 0.63 and 0.7 in 2021, the country is the most unequal in the world (IMF, 2020). Many of its citizens are unemployed, which has been further exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic. Statistics South Africa’s 2021 quarterly labour force surveys found that the official unemployment rate was 32.6% in Quarter 1 and 34.9% in Quarter 3. Young people (15–34 years) are disproportionately represented in these numbers, with 43.6% not in employment, education or training (so-called ‘NEETs’) (Statistics South Africa, 2021a; 2021b). In this same country, sophisticated financial systems are internationally respected, with new technological innovations being developed and utilised through cryptocurrencies, increasingly new forms of credentialing (Dale-Jones and Keevy, 2021; Rajab et al., 2020) and, linked to these developments, new forms of digital governance (West and Beukes, 2021; Manda, 2017). This juxtaposition, combined with the impetus of post-pandemic recovery initiatives, poses a unique opportunity for a reset of the education and training system to be more open, fairer and, critically, founded on the principles of self-sovereignty (Tapscott, 2021).
The COVID-19 pandemic greatly accelerated the use of digital technologies in education. But beyon... more The COVID-19 pandemic greatly accelerated the use of digital technologies in education. But beyond the emergency response, there is an international trend towards exploring how artificial intelligence and data-based analytics can support learning, learning assessments, and evidence-based policy planning processes. The use of data in education is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, they offer tremendous potential to create value by improving policies and programmes, driving transparent governance and better management of education systems, teachers’ empowerment, personalized learning experiences, assessment, and certification. On the other hand, data accumulation can lead to a concentration of economic and political power, raising the possibility that data may be misused in ways that harm learners. This publication argues that a balance must be struck between the use of technology to advance educational transformation and the safeguarding of privacy and individual rights. Proper rules and protocols are needed to protect students and teachers not only in national policies but also at international level, where cooperation and collaborative efforts are also required to support policy learning, knowledge sharing and mutual understanding. UNESCO launches through this publication a clarion call to the education community not only to pay careful attention to data privacy in education, but to take the lead in these developments.
New qualifications and competencies for future oriented TVET, 2021
This report – ‘TVET delivery: providing innovative solutions’ – is one of three volumes. Each foc... more This report – ‘TVET delivery: providing innovative solutions’ – is one of three volumes. Each focuses on the role of different stakeholder groups in efficient and rapid identification of NQCs, prioritizing and integrating NQCs into curricula and training regulations and the effective implementation of NQCs into learning environments. This specific volume focuses on the micro-level stakeholders involved in the implementation of TVET skilling programmes and/or their components: It will suit lecturers, administrators and programme designers interested in understanding some of the challenges and opportunities of introducing new qualifications and competencies into TVET programmes. The volume aims to address the role and contributions of TVET providers and companies in identifying, integrating and implementing new qualifications and competencies, drawing on contributions from literature as well as expert engagements and case studies. The report has been prepared as a collaborative effort between UNEVOC centres and experts from across the globe in early 2021 as the COVID-19 pandemic was having a significant impact on TVET institutions. This situation also created an opportunity for the authors and their collaborators to engage in a more future looking process, which is presented in the following pages. International UNEVOC centres and TVET practitioners, stakeholders and researchers are intended as the main audience.
Prestation de l’EFTP : Apporter des solutions innovantes, 2021
Ce tome spécifique se concentre sur les acteurs du niveau micro impliqués dans la mise en oeuvre ... more Ce tome spécifique se concentre sur les acteurs du niveau micro impliqués dans la mise en oeuvre des programmes de formation professionnelle de l’EFTP et/ ou de leurs composantes : Il répondra aux besoins d’enseignants, d’administrateurs et de concepteurs de programmes désireux de comprendre certains des défis et des opportunités liés à l’introduction de nouvelles qualifications et compétences dans les programmes d’EFTP. Ce tome porte sur le rôle et les contributions des prestataires d’EFTP et des entreprises dans l’identification, l’intégration et la mise en pratique des nouvelles qualifications et compétences, en s’appuyant sur une revue littéraire ainsi que sur l’engagement d’experts et des études de cas.
The Impact of COVID-19 on Education Systems in the Commonwealth, 2021
The Commonwealth Secretariat commissioned 11 papers to provide baseline information on how COVID-... more The Commonwealth Secretariat commissioned 11 papers to provide baseline information on how COVID-19 has impacted education systems in Commonwealth member countries. The papers have been edited and restructured so that they are now similar in length and arrangement, with the results collected into 11 chapters under four sections. Each chapter features a research study, with data gathered using a combination of a literature review and online interviews or surveys. The chapters provide some background and context to the research, study methodology, and summarised findings. The researchers then discuss their findings and offer recommended solutions to the pressures and challenges being experienced because of the pandemic. This summary is followed by an introduction to the research project that led to the Commonwealth Secretariat commissioning the 11 papers that make up the chapters of this report. There is also a brief section on research methods, given that these were often similar across the research.
Learning for a Better Future: Perspectives on Higher Education, Cities, Business & Civil Society, 2021
Credentials have historically been thought of as tangible documents such as a driver’s licence, a... more Credentials have historically been thought of as tangible documents such as a driver’s licence, a passport or a birth certificate. In the educational sector, a credential can be something like a degree certificate or a school leaving certificate. It is customary in contemporary society that an individual proves his/her identity or achievements by sharing a credential in one way or another. The advent of COVID-19, and in fact even many new developments during the months preceding the pandemic, has starkly illustrated that digital credentials are not only useful but also necessary for global citizenship and mobility (Dale-Jones et al. 2020). Together with this accelerated trend towards digitalisation, there is an increased risk of the potential abuse of data and information under the guise of the pandemic and more broadly, for non-altruistic purposes (Motsepe et al. 2020). This chapter draws on research into these areas, completed in May 2020, as well as research that has been underway in South Africa since 2018 to develop a national digital ecosystem for the post-schooling sector (Rajab et al. 2020; Shiohira & Dale-Jones 2019) in order to build a case for the responsible use of digital credentials for the recognition of learning beyond the COVID-19 pandemic. The chapter specifically positions the concept of self-sovereign identity as a key consideration for the education sector in the new digital age.
What if we could better utilise the new technologies that have become so pervasive in the modern ... more What if we could better utilise the new technologies that have become so pervasive in the modern era to improve our education and skills systems in South Africa? Imagine having the potential to link the unemployed to job vacancies or even to start to develop new, just-in-time training programmes for jobs that do not yet exist. The COVID-19 pandemic has starkly illustrated the increasing need for data for smarter decision-making and for South Africa to make a transition to more data-orientated and interoperable information platforms. We now have the technology to develop self-sustaining electronic platforms for collaboration and the creation and support of lifelong learning opportunities which are dependent on the utilisation of quality data. Perhaps we find ourselves in a situation of a “datademic”, a pandemic of sorts, with data in too many places, uncoordinated and generally just not appropriately structured to be used to its fullest potential. The high levels of unemployment are accelerating due to COVID-19, and the opportunities that technological solutions present are even more important than before.
The African Continental Qualifications Framework (ACQF) is a policy initiative of the African Uni... more The African Continental Qualifications Framework (ACQF) is a policy initiative of the African Union (AU) and its development process started in 2019, building on a wide range of ongoing continental processes, specifically Agenda 2063 (AUC, 2015b), the Continental Education Strategy for Africa (CESA) (AUC, 2015a; AUC, 2019c), and more recently also the Agreement Establishing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) (AUC, 2019b). The current vision for the ACQF is to enhance comparability, quality and transparency of qualifications from all sub-sectors and levels of education and training; to facilitate recognition of diplomas and certificates, and mobility of learners and workers; to work in complementarity with national and regional qualifications frameworks; to support developments at national and regional levels; and to promote cooperation and alignment between qualifications frameworks (national and regional) in Africa and worldwide (AUC, 2019d). To this end, the ACQF aims to be inclusive and comprehensive, open to innovation and new technologies, and based on learnings from similar processes in Africa and globally. The mapping study was commissioned by the AU-EU Skills for Youth Employability Programme/Skills Initiative for Africa (SIFA), Technical Cooperation – Developing the African Continental Qualifications Framework, a partnership of the African Union Commission (AUC) with the European Union (EU), the Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and the European Training Foundation (ETF). The programme was launched in June 2019, and the inaugural workshop of the ACQF development component took place on 2–4 September 2019 at the headquarters of the AU in Addis Ababa. This ACQF mapping report presents the key findings of the mapping study of qualifications framework development in African countries, conducted from September 2019 to September 2020, covering qualifications frameworks/systems at different stages of development, consolidation and implementation. The primary audiences for this report are policymakers, practitioners and researchers working on qualifications frameworks and systems on African, regional and country levels. This mapping report is the first of a three-part process and will be followed by the analysis of options and scenarios for the ACQF (2020–21), and development of the ACQF policy and technical document and action plan (2021–22), accompanied by an action plan and technical guidelines.
Over the last three decades, JET Education Services has evolved against the backdrop of a profoun... more Over the last three decades, JET Education Services has evolved against the backdrop of a profoundly complex historical and political process. As a thought leader and knowledge intermediary in education, the organisation has contributed significantly to knowledge generation and evaluation in the education sector and has participated in the policy-making realm. To celebrate JET’s 30th year, two of JET’s former CEOs, Nick Taylor and Godwin Khosa, and the current CEO, James Keevy, in a conversation facilitated by Professor Peliwe Lolwana, share their stories on the transformation of education in South Africa and talk about JET’s contribution to the education sector.
There is a big disconnect in South Africa’s post-school worlds of learning and work, and this is ... more There is a big disconnect in South Africa’s post-school worlds of learning and work, and this is evident from the unemployment rate. The PSET CLOUD solution is geared to connecting all participants in the post-school system and wants to help individuals go from job seekers to developing their careers. The purpose of the PSET CLOUD platform is to establish a digital environment that will strengthen, integrate, coordinate, improve efficiencies and solve challenges in the governance and management of the post-school education and training (PSET) system. PSET CLOUD connects participants in an interoperable data ecosystem that empowers a more effective alignment between people and organisations in the post-school education, training and development system. The goal is to ensure that data sets are interrelated, well-synchronised and used effectively as sources of information for planning and improving efficiencies.
Dating back to the Middle Ages, and even much earlier ancient civilisations, specialised career s... more Dating back to the Middle Ages, and even much earlier ancient civilisations, specialised career structures, craft guilds and the early development of university structures in the eleventh century could be described as the antecedents to contemporary concepts of competency, lifelong learning, qualifications, and also jobs and careers (Keevy et al, 2021). As in Huxley’s classic 1932 novel, we use the metaphor of a brave new world as we look to the post-pandemic future. In this future, we argue, emerging technologies will, for the first time in human history, make it possible to measure and recognise human ability in a more seamless and articulated manner than has been possible until now (Spencer-Keyse, Luksha & Cubista, 2020; UIL, 2020).
James Keevy, Chief Executive Officer of JET Education Services, talks with CHEA President Judith ... more James Keevy, Chief Executive Officer of JET Education Services, talks with CHEA President Judith Eaton about digitization – its key features and importance – and the impact of digitization on higher education and quality assurance. Published: Feb, 2020
Investing in our people, we refer to them as Jetsetters, makes for a good culture, which in turn ... more Investing in our people, we refer to them as Jetsetters, makes for a good culture, which in turn contributes to a more efficient business model, and that in turn, enables the company to achieve its goals and objectives. This is not rocket science. People matter because people make the organisation what it is. As a value-based and non-profit organisation, Jetsetters are committed to demonstrating their commitment to the transformation of education in South and Southern Africa. This requires incredible dedication and long hours of work. A motivated team that knows that their work is appreciated is a critical success factor. Jetsetters are social activists that need to be recognised and rewarded in a manner that is very specific to them.
Barriers to Effective Labour Mobility in the African Leather Industry, 2024
The International Labour Organization (ILO) and its Joint Labour Migration Programme (JLMP) partn... more The International Labour Organization (ILO) and its Joint Labour Migration Programme (JLMP) partners commissioned this research to investigate the potential role of skills recognition and, more particularly, the recognition of prior learning (RPL) in facilitating the access of migrant workers to employment opportunities, specifically in leather sector occupations. The research provides insights into the scope and characteristics of mobility and migration among migrants seeking work in the leather sector, as well as the circumstances relating to mobility and migration that would justify implementation of RPL projects. Within this context, the three-year JLMP Priority Project (2018-2021) was developed with the overall objective of improving the governance of labour migration and so achieving safe, orderly and regular migration in Africa in accordance with the relevant frameworks of the African Union (AU) and Regional Economic Commissions (RECs), as well as relevant international human rights and labour standards and other cooperation processes. Under the JLMP Priority Project, the International Labour Organization (ILO), together with the African Union Commission, appointed JET Education Services to conduct a “Study of current barriers to effective labour mobility in the African leather industry in eastern, northern and western Africa”.
Comparative skills profiling surveys and assessment of skills recognition opportunities, 2023
This report forms part of the consultancy Comparative skills profiling surveys and assessment of ... more This report forms part of the consultancy Comparative skills profiling surveys and assessment of skills recognition opportunities facilitating refugees and asylum seekers’ access to the labour market in South Africa and Zambia. JET Education Services was commissioned by the ILO and the UNHCR to undertake this consultancy, which forms part of the Southern Africa Migration Management (SAMM) project. The SAMM Project is funded by the EU and implemented by the ILO, the IOM, the NODC and the UNHCR. Its overall objective is to improve migration management in the Southern Africa and Indian Ocean region and to contribute to achieving the 2030 Development Agenda. This study provided an important opportunity to investigate the skills recognition methodologies available to refugees in South Africa and Zambia. The findings were largely expected: refugees have limited access to recognition opportunities; there are some promising continental initiatives on the horizon, but they are still far from being realised on national levels; and that there are strong misconceptions that refugees are stealing jobs from citizens. There were also some less expected findings: formal employment of refugees in South Africa and Zambia remains similar to their employment status in the countries where they came from; skills validation success tends to match certification levels and leaves lower skilled refugees without options; and that refugees have mid-level skills, rather than only high or very low skills. We encourage entities like SAQA and ZAQA to do more of the good work they have been doing by taking pilots to scale, and by sharing findings, also failures, within the broader skills ecosystem in Africa that has formed through the ACQF process. As Africans we have the technical knowledge and the collaborative culture to advance much quicker that many may expect.
Enhancing TVET through digital transformation in developing countries, 2023
Digital transformation is a complex process that with varying impacts across economic sectors. In... more Digital transformation is a complex process that with varying impacts across economic sectors. In the education and training sector, digital transformation in TVET can involve TVET operational systems (administration, finance, human resources, building infrastructure and maintenance, student registration, etc.); classroom delivery (learning management, instructional delivery methods, etc.); and the actual
knowledge and skill component of the curriculum, for example by integrating productivity software such as word processors or spreadsheets into students’ learning outcomes. The integration of digital skills in the TVET curriculum allows learners to acquire the changing skills and knowledge (tacit and explicit) required to function in a digitalizing society, economy and labour market. Digital transformation in TVET is also transforming the dominant modalities of traditional face-to-face learning and teaching to involve multiple configurations of actors (learners, teachers and technologies/apps) in space and time (when, where, who, how). This means that digital transformation in TVET offers opportunities for teachers to reconsider their pedagogical assumptions, behaviours and relationships with students.
This research forms part of the three-year Joint Programme on Labour Migration Governance for Dev... more This research forms part of the three-year Joint Programme on Labour Migration Governance for Development and Integration (JLMP Priority) in Africa (2018-2021), developed to improve the governance of labour migration to ensure safe, orderly, and regular migration in Africa, as committed to in relevant frameworks of the African Union (AU), Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and relevant international Programmes such as the AU’s Revised Migration Policy Framework for Africa and Plan of Action (2018–2030), the ILO’s Convention No. 97 , Migration for Employment (Revised) (ILO, 1949), Convention No. 143, Migrant Workers (Supplementary Provisions) (ILO, 1975) and the global and continental policy frameworks guiding labour migration and labour mobility in Africa (ILO, 2019a). This research has been undertaken as a feasibility study with limited scope. The research specifically explores the feasibility, including the viability, implementability and suitability, of skills recognition mechanisms for selected occupational profiles (welding and domestic work) of migrant workers in Ethiopia, Kenya and South Africa to gain access to formal labour markets.
Mapping curriculum frameworks and practices in Africa: creating baseline evidence, 2022
This report presents the findings of a curriculum mapping survey administered on behalf of the Af... more This report presents the findings of a curriculum mapping survey administered on behalf of the African Union Commission (AUC) and the African Curriculum Association (ACA), and is a contribution to the Continental Education Strategy for African (CESA) Curriculum Cluster. The project “Developing the African Continental Qualifications Framework” is a key partner of this initiative, having closely collaborated from the first ideas with ACA to conceive the approach and plan, organise and support implementation of the study. The survey covered school education and technical and vocational education and training (TVET). Some aspects of early childhood care development and education (ECCDE) were also taken into account.
All over the world, education has been recognised as the driver of accelerated and all-round deve... more All over the world, education has been recognised as the driver of accelerated and all-round development. For this reason, education is put at the centre of the development agenda of the African Union. A glance at the pages of the Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want, which is the African Union’s Vision of what the continent should be by 2063, clearly shows that education is of paramount importance. The Agenda foresee a prosperous continent propelled by inclusive growth and sustainable development. To match words with action, the African Union developed a tactical document termed the Continental Education Strategy for Africa (CESA 16-25) which espouses the strategic objectives and how these could be employed to achieve the desired prosperity, inclusive growth and sustainable development. Today, investment in education as well as cooperation, research, policy development and implementation by the African Union and its education partners revolve around the CESA 16-25.
South Africa is a country of many contradictions. With a Gini coefficient estimated at between 0.... more South Africa is a country of many contradictions. With a Gini coefficient estimated at between 0.63 and 0.7 in 2021, the country is the most unequal in the world (IMF, 2020). Many of its citizens are unemployed, which has been further exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic. Statistics South Africa’s 2021 quarterly labour force surveys found that the official unemployment rate was 32.6% in Quarter 1 and 34.9% in Quarter 3. Young people (15–34 years) are disproportionately represented in these numbers, with 43.6% not in employment, education or training (so-called ‘NEETs’) (Statistics South Africa, 2021a; 2021b). In this same country, sophisticated financial systems are internationally respected, with new technological innovations being developed and utilised through cryptocurrencies, increasingly new forms of credentialing (Dale-Jones and Keevy, 2021; Rajab et al., 2020) and, linked to these developments, new forms of digital governance (West and Beukes, 2021; Manda, 2017). This juxtaposition, combined with the impetus of post-pandemic recovery initiatives, poses a unique opportunity for a reset of the education and training system to be more open, fairer and, critically, founded on the principles of self-sovereignty (Tapscott, 2021).
The COVID-19 pandemic greatly accelerated the use of digital technologies in education. But beyon... more The COVID-19 pandemic greatly accelerated the use of digital technologies in education. But beyond the emergency response, there is an international trend towards exploring how artificial intelligence and data-based analytics can support learning, learning assessments, and evidence-based policy planning processes. The use of data in education is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, they offer tremendous potential to create value by improving policies and programmes, driving transparent governance and better management of education systems, teachers’ empowerment, personalized learning experiences, assessment, and certification. On the other hand, data accumulation can lead to a concentration of economic and political power, raising the possibility that data may be misused in ways that harm learners. This publication argues that a balance must be struck between the use of technology to advance educational transformation and the safeguarding of privacy and individual rights. Proper rules and protocols are needed to protect students and teachers not only in national policies but also at international level, where cooperation and collaborative efforts are also required to support policy learning, knowledge sharing and mutual understanding. UNESCO launches through this publication a clarion call to the education community not only to pay careful attention to data privacy in education, but to take the lead in these developments.
New qualifications and competencies for future oriented TVET, 2021
This report – ‘TVET delivery: providing innovative solutions’ – is one of three volumes. Each foc... more This report – ‘TVET delivery: providing innovative solutions’ – is one of three volumes. Each focuses on the role of different stakeholder groups in efficient and rapid identification of NQCs, prioritizing and integrating NQCs into curricula and training regulations and the effective implementation of NQCs into learning environments. This specific volume focuses on the micro-level stakeholders involved in the implementation of TVET skilling programmes and/or their components: It will suit lecturers, administrators and programme designers interested in understanding some of the challenges and opportunities of introducing new qualifications and competencies into TVET programmes. The volume aims to address the role and contributions of TVET providers and companies in identifying, integrating and implementing new qualifications and competencies, drawing on contributions from literature as well as expert engagements and case studies. The report has been prepared as a collaborative effort between UNEVOC centres and experts from across the globe in early 2021 as the COVID-19 pandemic was having a significant impact on TVET institutions. This situation also created an opportunity for the authors and their collaborators to engage in a more future looking process, which is presented in the following pages. International UNEVOC centres and TVET practitioners, stakeholders and researchers are intended as the main audience.
Prestation de l’EFTP : Apporter des solutions innovantes, 2021
Ce tome spécifique se concentre sur les acteurs du niveau micro impliqués dans la mise en oeuvre ... more Ce tome spécifique se concentre sur les acteurs du niveau micro impliqués dans la mise en oeuvre des programmes de formation professionnelle de l’EFTP et/ ou de leurs composantes : Il répondra aux besoins d’enseignants, d’administrateurs et de concepteurs de programmes désireux de comprendre certains des défis et des opportunités liés à l’introduction de nouvelles qualifications et compétences dans les programmes d’EFTP. Ce tome porte sur le rôle et les contributions des prestataires d’EFTP et des entreprises dans l’identification, l’intégration et la mise en pratique des nouvelles qualifications et compétences, en s’appuyant sur une revue littéraire ainsi que sur l’engagement d’experts et des études de cas.
The Impact of COVID-19 on Education Systems in the Commonwealth, 2021
The Commonwealth Secretariat commissioned 11 papers to provide baseline information on how COVID-... more The Commonwealth Secretariat commissioned 11 papers to provide baseline information on how COVID-19 has impacted education systems in Commonwealth member countries. The papers have been edited and restructured so that they are now similar in length and arrangement, with the results collected into 11 chapters under four sections. Each chapter features a research study, with data gathered using a combination of a literature review and online interviews or surveys. The chapters provide some background and context to the research, study methodology, and summarised findings. The researchers then discuss their findings and offer recommended solutions to the pressures and challenges being experienced because of the pandemic. This summary is followed by an introduction to the research project that led to the Commonwealth Secretariat commissioning the 11 papers that make up the chapters of this report. There is also a brief section on research methods, given that these were often similar across the research.
Learning for a Better Future: Perspectives on Higher Education, Cities, Business & Civil Society, 2021
Credentials have historically been thought of as tangible documents such as a driver’s licence, a... more Credentials have historically been thought of as tangible documents such as a driver’s licence, a passport or a birth certificate. In the educational sector, a credential can be something like a degree certificate or a school leaving certificate. It is customary in contemporary society that an individual proves his/her identity or achievements by sharing a credential in one way or another. The advent of COVID-19, and in fact even many new developments during the months preceding the pandemic, has starkly illustrated that digital credentials are not only useful but also necessary for global citizenship and mobility (Dale-Jones et al. 2020). Together with this accelerated trend towards digitalisation, there is an increased risk of the potential abuse of data and information under the guise of the pandemic and more broadly, for non-altruistic purposes (Motsepe et al. 2020). This chapter draws on research into these areas, completed in May 2020, as well as research that has been underway in South Africa since 2018 to develop a national digital ecosystem for the post-schooling sector (Rajab et al. 2020; Shiohira & Dale-Jones 2019) in order to build a case for the responsible use of digital credentials for the recognition of learning beyond the COVID-19 pandemic. The chapter specifically positions the concept of self-sovereign identity as a key consideration for the education sector in the new digital age.
What if we could better utilise the new technologies that have become so pervasive in the modern ... more What if we could better utilise the new technologies that have become so pervasive in the modern era to improve our education and skills systems in South Africa? Imagine having the potential to link the unemployed to job vacancies or even to start to develop new, just-in-time training programmes for jobs that do not yet exist. The COVID-19 pandemic has starkly illustrated the increasing need for data for smarter decision-making and for South Africa to make a transition to more data-orientated and interoperable information platforms. We now have the technology to develop self-sustaining electronic platforms for collaboration and the creation and support of lifelong learning opportunities which are dependent on the utilisation of quality data. Perhaps we find ourselves in a situation of a “datademic”, a pandemic of sorts, with data in too many places, uncoordinated and generally just not appropriately structured to be used to its fullest potential. The high levels of unemployment are accelerating due to COVID-19, and the opportunities that technological solutions present are even more important than before.
The African Continental Qualifications Framework (ACQF) is a policy initiative of the African Uni... more The African Continental Qualifications Framework (ACQF) is a policy initiative of the African Union (AU) and its development process started in 2019, building on a wide range of ongoing continental processes, specifically Agenda 2063 (AUC, 2015b), the Continental Education Strategy for Africa (CESA) (AUC, 2015a; AUC, 2019c), and more recently also the Agreement Establishing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) (AUC, 2019b). The current vision for the ACQF is to enhance comparability, quality and transparency of qualifications from all sub-sectors and levels of education and training; to facilitate recognition of diplomas and certificates, and mobility of learners and workers; to work in complementarity with national and regional qualifications frameworks; to support developments at national and regional levels; and to promote cooperation and alignment between qualifications frameworks (national and regional) in Africa and worldwide (AUC, 2019d). To this end, the ACQF aims to be inclusive and comprehensive, open to innovation and new technologies, and based on learnings from similar processes in Africa and globally. The mapping study was commissioned by the AU-EU Skills for Youth Employability Programme/Skills Initiative for Africa (SIFA), Technical Cooperation – Developing the African Continental Qualifications Framework, a partnership of the African Union Commission (AUC) with the European Union (EU), the Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and the European Training Foundation (ETF). The programme was launched in June 2019, and the inaugural workshop of the ACQF development component took place on 2–4 September 2019 at the headquarters of the AU in Addis Ababa. This ACQF mapping report presents the key findings of the mapping study of qualifications framework development in African countries, conducted from September 2019 to September 2020, covering qualifications frameworks/systems at different stages of development, consolidation and implementation. The primary audiences for this report are policymakers, practitioners and researchers working on qualifications frameworks and systems on African, regional and country levels. This mapping report is the first of a three-part process and will be followed by the analysis of options and scenarios for the ACQF (2020–21), and development of the ACQF policy and technical document and action plan (2021–22), accompanied by an action plan and technical guidelines.
This scoping study focuses on the potential role of skills development and skills recognition for... more This scoping study focuses on the potential role of skills development and skills recognition for supporting and extending the impact of a regional system of regulated labour mobility within and between the Member States of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD). IGAD is the successor of the Intergovernmental Authority on Drought and Development (IGADD), which was created in 1986 by Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, the Sudan, and Uganda, with South Sudan joining in 2011.1 Drawing on substantial work of the International Labour Organization (ILO) and other actors in this area, the study uses the lens of skills recognition and focuses it specifically on seven IGAD countries. While qualifications operate as a form of currency in the labour market, especially where the qualifications are of a high quality from reputable, trusted education institutions, migrants – and even more so refugees – are often at a severe disadvantage to provide evidence of such achievements. Opacity of changes in domestic and foreign occupational systems and seemingly irrelevant or out of date qualifications, both at home and abroad, discourage exploration of the options. At present, the increasing volume and spatial diffusion of job and work-driven migration across the globe make it difficult to appreciate how in previous decades employers had limited knowledge or experience in managing the qualification profile of their workforce proactively, either within the country or across international borders.
Over the past five years, a fourth generation of qualifications frameworks has started to emerge,... more Over the past five years, a fourth generation of qualifications frameworks has started to emerge, with a strong focus on credentials and the inclusion of 21st-century skills (also see Casillas, 2018). This most recent generation of qualifications frameworks has embraced new developments, including the digitization of credentials (Lumina, 2016), a closer alignment with credential evaluation methodologies (Dutch Organisation for Internationalisation in Education NUFFIC, 2012), and international recognition and agreements.
Digital technologies are creating new opportunities and challenges for skills development and rec... more Digital technologies are creating new opportunities and challenges for skills development and recognition globally. Changes in modalities of access and learning methods, massification and internationalization, are taking place at an increasingly rapid pace. In this context, significant attention is being given to the impact of technology on jobs and demand for skills, and the risks of competition between robots and humans. Far less has been said about the opportunities that advances in digital technology will create for transforming education and training systems, including building new credentialing methods and systems that can capture, recognize and validate a broader range of learning outcomes in the era of lifelong learning. There is increasing evidence that the use of digital technologies in education and training is supporting the development of learning materials and close monitoring of teaching and learning processes, changing pedagogies and forms of assessment and certification. Digital learning records and open data sources are complementing traditional qualifications repositories, while challenging the conventional models of credential evaluation, as both for-profit and non-profit verification agencies come to the fore as important players. These changes trigger many questions about the trustworthiness of data, interoperability of systems, and most critically the ubiquity of the standards – both learning standards and technology standards – that govern the new and dynamic landscape. In this report, we consider these changes and offer a critical assessment of digital credentialing based on a review of the recent literature and a series of interviews with key actors. We argue for increased synergies between these developments and the quality assurance systems that have become closely associated with the implementation of a new generation of qualifications frameworks internationally. We offer an outline of the ecosystem of these digital credentials and show the convergence and divergence with traditional qualifications frameworks. We propose that world reference levels – now in development – are key to expediting recognition of skills and qualifications across borders.
The research presented in this report explores the global phenomenon of learning across boundarie... more The research presented in this report explores the global phenomenon of learning across boundaries, but with a specific focus on the manner in which the level of learning is recognised through the use of level descriptors. The research draws on the development and application of level descriptors as an integral part of qualifications frameworks internationally, but also considers how the level of learning is determined in other contexts, such as longitudinal studies, international competence assessments, and also diagnostic reviews. The use of learning outcomes constitutes a common thread that is explored across all the case studies included in the report. The research was initiated by UNESCO following the 3rd International Congress on Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) that was held in Shanghai in 2012 where a recommendation was made to explore the possibility of developing international guidelines on quality assurance for the recognition of qualifications based on learning outcomes. This included the proposal that a set of world reference levels be considered to facilitate the international recognition of TVET qualifications. This research report constitutes the first step of an incremental approach that will be followed to respond to the Shanghai Consensus Recommendation. Additional steps will include the conceptual development of the world reference levels, consultation and also a political process that will explore the technical and legal aspects relating to the desirability of defining and adopting world reference levels.
As a component of the South African post-school education and training system (PSET), technical a... more As a component of the South African post-school education and training system (PSET), technical and vocational education and training (TVET) colleges aim to provide young school-leavers with the skills, knowledge and attitudes essential to them securing employment. The 2013 White Paper of the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) indicates that the TVET colleges mainly provide training in mid-level skills that are required to develop the South African economy, both socially and economically (DHET, 2013b). As the Policy on Professional Qualifications for Lecturers in TVET (PPQLTVET) highlights (DHET, 2013a), lecturers are central to delivering the programmes at TVET colleges and, as such, it is imperative that they are competent and appropriately qualified in order to produce graduates with the skills needed in the country. Moreover, the effectiveness of lecturers at colleges depends on their continuing development in order to meet challenges that they face owing to rapid changes in technology and curricula. However, a “well-educated, capable and professional teaching staff” (DHET, 2013b: 16) is severely lacking in the colleges. According to the report on Skills (2016) in the Growth Agenda (2016) series published by the Centre of Development and Enterprise (CDE), too few lecturers in TVET colleges have “technical qualifications, workplace experience, pedagogical training, and/or higher degrees” (CDE, 2016: 3), in totality or in part. The report states that, “25% of current lecturers in the TVET sector have no teaching qualifications, more than half have no industry experience, and few have experience of working as artisans” (CDE, 2016: 3). This situation means that there is a critical need for continuing professional development (CPD) for the current corps of TVET lecturers so that they have the content knowledge, pedagogical and professional skills and values, as well as sufficient work exposure to teach effectively in TVET colleges.
В этой небольшой статье мы утверждаем, что эта тенденция к получению микросертификатов п о с у т ... more В этой небольшой статье мы утверждаем, что эта тенденция к получению микросертификатов п о с у т и я в л я ет с я к о с в е н н ы м п р о я в л е н и е м ч е г о - т о б о л е е существенного, поскольку меняется само наше восприятие процесса п ол у ч е н и я с е рт и ф и к ат о в . П о нашему мнению, акцент на "микро" части микросертификатов является лишь внешним проявлением, на самом деле происходит размывание классических определений ОЭСР формального, неформального и неофициального обучения (OECD, 2021), поскольку технологический п р о г р е с с у с к о р и л с я д о т а к о й степени, что цифровые схемы могут быть эффективно разработаны с и с п о л ь з о в а н и е м о т к р ы т ы х архитектур, созданных на основе ч е л о в е к а к а к с у в е р е н н о г о пользователя (Chakroun & Keevy, 2023).
Dans cette brève contribution, nous soutenons que cette tendance
aux microcertifications est en f... more Dans cette brève contribution, nous soutenons que cette tendance aux microcertifications est en fait un indicateur de quelque chose de plus substantiel qui se produit au fur et à mesure que notre compréhension même de l’accréditation évolue. Selon nous, l’accent mis sur la partie « micro » des microcertifications n’est qu’un vernis ; ce qui se passe éellement, c’est que les définitions classiques de l’OCDE de l’apprentissage formel, non formel et informel (OCDE, 2021) se dissipent, car les développements technologiques se sont accélérés au point que les schémas numériques peuvent être conçus efficacement à l’aide d’architectures ouvertes conçues autour de l’individu en tant qu’utilisateur souverain (Chakroun & Keevy, 2023).
In this brief contribution, we argue that this trend towards micro-credentials is in fact a proxy... more In this brief contribution, we argue that this trend towards micro-credentials is in fact a proxy for something more substantive taking place as our very understanding of credentialling changes. In our view, the focus on the 'micro' part of micro-credentials is just a veneer; what is really happening is that the classic OECD definitions of formal, non-formal and informal learning (OECD, 2021) are dissipating, as technological developments have accelerated to the point that digital schemas can be effectively engineered using open architectures that are designed around the individual as a sovereign user (Chakroun & Keevy, 2023).
Policy Insights: Models of Philanthropy in Education. Policy Insights #03. NORRAG, 2024
The majority of governments collaborate with philanthropic organisations in one way or another to... more The majority of governments collaborate with philanthropic organisations in one way or another to improve education systems. In the post-pandemic context, characterised by the negative impacts of the pandemic on countries across the world (Moffat, 2022) but proportionally more so on LMIC (OECD, 2020), such collaborations are needed more than ever. Public purses are increasingly stretched to breaking point, necessitating closer collaboration with both corporate and philanthropic funders. However, the role of philanthropy in education in Africa is complex, often misunderstood and certainly not uncontested (Gastrow, 2022; NORRAG et al., 2019). This brief contribution reflects on the potential for philanthropy to be more involved in new forms of PPPs in Africa in the post-COVID-19 context by drawing on innovation underway in South Africa.
Building better formal TVET systems principles and practice in low-and middle-income countries, 2023
Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) plays a crucial role in improving the empl... more Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) plays a crucial role in improving the employability of individuals and the productivity of economies. Still, TVET systems often underperform, and skills shortages and labour market mismatches continue to be major challenges for countries around the world. The World Bank, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) have joined forces to provide lessons learned and good practices on key aspects of TVET provision. The aim is to support the design and implementation of reforms to improve the performance of formal secondary and post-secondary TVET, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The task has been undertaken across five thematic areas, namely (1) using technology to improve access, equity, quality and relevance of TVET; (2) strengthening the development and management of teachers and trainers in TVET; (3) understanding current and future skill needs; (4) strengthening apprenticeships and other forms of work-based learning in TVET, and lastly, the focus of this paper, (5) improving the assessment and certification of competencies in TVET. The intended audience includes key stakeholders in LMICs with mandates and responsibilities in the realm of TVET, including national and sub-national level policy makers, administrators and social partners.
The concept of micro credentials has been popularised in the last few years. This is a trend that... more The concept of micro credentials has been popularised in the last few years. This is a trend that was undoubtedly accelerated during the Covid-19 period as smaller chunks of learning, that could be digitally captured, and undertaken through remote learning, become more accessible due to the limitations imposed on societies across the globe, and also across Africa where connectivity is more limited, but where cell phone penetration is very high , with the added potential of a younger and more digitally adept population. This is not say that micro credentials is a novel concept, nor does is signal that many African countries are engaging with it for the first time. In this short contribution the concept is unpacked which consists of two parts: “micro” and “credential”. This is followed by some brief reflections on the implications micro credentials have for the further development of the African Continental Qualifications Framework (ACQF) that has been developed since 2019 (ACQF 2021).
Technical and Vocational Teacher Education and Training in International and Development Co-Operation : Models, Approaches and Trends, 2022
The Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) college sector in South Africa is seen... more The Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) college sector in South Africa is seen as central to skills development and the revival of the economy. However, the sector remains one of the weakest in the post-school system. This chapter provides a synopsis of the evolution of the post-apartheid college sector context in South Africa, the nature of the new programme offerings for pre-and in-service training as well as increasing moves towards professionalisation of the sector. This discussion is presented against the backdrop of the broader policy context in the country, specifically considering the different needs of current TVET lecturers, who range from unqualified, academically qualified, but without workplace pedagogy, trained for the schooling sector, to the ideal-those who are both academically and professionally qualified. While this rather lopsided continuum is not unique to South Africa, the way it is being addressed is important to articulate and reflect on. The changes in the management and governance of the colleges prior to the establishment of the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) and the impact these changes had on lecturers' job security and conditions of employment are key factors that we will explore in our contribution. The college sector lost lecturing staff during this time, further reducing its capacity to meet the training needs of the country. While seemingly intractable problems such as slow uptake of newly introduced qualifications for TVET lecturers and compliance oriented continuing professional development (CPD) programmes can be overcome, the impact of COVID-19 on this sector should not be underestimated. Of course, this uncertain future also offers an opportunity to make changes that may previously have been politically unpalatable. In this chapter, we try to imagine what a more explicitly conceptualised workplace pedagogy would comprise to produce a pipeline of well-trained and professionally orientated TVET lecturers.
Widening Access to Higher Education in the UK: Developments and Approaches Using Credit Accumulation and Transfer, 2022
The constructs of credit and recognition have historically been closely interrelated. History sho... more The constructs of credit and recognition have historically been closely interrelated. History shows that the path to policy coherence on credit and recognition has taken some time to coalesce. Current practice within higher education institutions shows that efficient and effective practice is patchy. New challenges to credit are already in train: credit arrangements are increasingly being scrutinized in a global context where data systems are becoming more interoperable, and the traditional divides between formal, non-formal and informal learning are less apparent. Formal qualifications have increasing competition from micro-credentials and other short course awards, many increasingly provided by non-traditional providers such as Google, Facebook and Salesforce, focused on creating their own skilled talent pools. This chapter explores global perspectives on these conundrums, including whether credit has a future, and the implications with regard to interoperability, data privacy, data ownership and control as more technological systems develop. We propose standards for national learning ecosystems, built for international exchange, that would ensure recognition is interoperable across sectors, borders and life spans.
Journal of Vocational, Adult and Continuing Education and Training Vol 4(1), 2021
Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges are intended to equip youths with... more Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges are intended to equip youths with work-relevant skills, but the capacity of the labour market to absorb them is limited and South Africa has high levels of unemployment. Employers argue that young work-seekers from TVET colleges may well possess technical skills but lack employability skills, including appropriate work-based attitudes and values. In response to this scenario, a team of experts designed a short, interactive programme for TVET college students to acquire an improved understanding of and insight into their own values and how these inform their behaviour in the workplace. The values selected were respect, accountability, self-improvement and perseverance. The programme's intended outcome was to increase the participants' awareness of the link between values and their actions so that they could improve their own decision-making and their relationships with colleagues in the workplace. Following this programme, the students were afforded a period of workplace exposure during which they were required to reflect on their experience and how workplace behaviour revealed their own and work colleagues' underlying values. A crucial challenge for the project team was to be able to measure any impact on the participants' understanding of the values and how this understanding might guide their behaviour. The focus of this article is on how the assessment instrument was conceptualised, designed and piloted in South Africa and Kenya. The instrument was required to measure effectively any changes in the participants' understanding of the meaning of each value and the adjustments in their ability to apply the values in real work-based scenarios.
This paper intends to elicit conversation about some of the new and emerging possible approaches ... more This paper intends to elicit conversation about some of the new and emerging possible approaches to transforming our education, training and human development sectors through deep collaboration, while we simultaneously seek to manage a transition to virtual and online education that is equitable and universal in its nature. The paper is written during the time of the COVID-19 pandemic, a time of extreme stress and disruption which has provided governments, civil society, and professional associations the opportunity for deep reflection and collective vision setting through interdisciplinary and disintermediated approaches. While our reflection on the need for change draws on local and international literature, its goal is specifically to elicit debate and create an appreciation for the need for deeper collaboration to effect a change in the South Africa education system during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Rumo Ao Quadro Continental Africano De Qualificações, 2021
O Quadro Continental Africano de Qualificacoes (ACQF) e uma iniciativa politica da Uniao Africana... more O Quadro Continental Africano de Qualificacoes (ACQF) e uma iniciativa politica da Uniao Africana (AU) e o seu processo de desenvolvimento teve inicio em 2019, baseando-se numa vasta gama de processos continentais em curso, especificamente a Agenda 2063 (AUC, 2015b), a Estratégia Continental de Educação para África (CESA) (AUC, 2015a; AUC, 2019c), e mais recentemente tambem o “Acordo que estabelece a Zona Continental Africana de Comercio Livre” (AfCFTA) (AUC, 2019b). A visao atual para o ACQF e melhorar a comparabilidade, qualidade e transparencia das qualificacoes de todos os subsetores e niveis de educacao e formacao; facilitar o reconhecimento de diplomas e certificados, e a mobilidade de estudantes e trabalhadores; trabalhar em complementaridade com quadros de qualificacoes nacionais e regionais, apoiar desenvolvimentos a nivel nacional e regional; e promover a cooperacao e alinhamento entre quadros de qualificacoes (nacionais e regionais) em Africa e em todo o mundo (AUC, 2019d). Para este fim, o ACQF pretende ser inclusivo e abrangente, aberto a inovacao e as novas tecnologias, e baseado nos ensinamentos de processos semelhantes em Africa e a nivel mundial. O estudode mapeamento foi encomendado pelo Programa da AU-EU Programa de Aptidões para a Empregabilidade dos Jovens/Iniciativa de Competências para Africanos (SIFA), Cooperação Técnica - Desenvolvimento do Quadro de Qualificações Continentais Africanas, uma parceria da Comissão da União Africana (AUC) com a União Europeia (EU), a Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) e a Fundação Europeia para a Formação (ETF). O programa foi lançado em junho de 2019, e o workshop inaugural da componente de desenvolvimento do ACQF teve lugar a 2-4 de setembro de 2019 na sede da AU em Adis Abeba. Este relatório de mapeamento ACQF apresenta as principais conclusões do estudo de mapeamento do desenvolvimento do quadro de qualificações nos países africanos, realizado de setembro de 2019 a setembro de 2020, abrangendo quadros/sistemas de qualificações em diferentes fases de desenvolvimento, consolidação, e implementação. As principais audiências para este relatório são decisores políticos, profissionais e investigadores que trabalham em quadros e sistemas de qualificações a nível africano, regional e nacional. Este relatório de mapeamento é o primeiro de um processo em três partes e será seguido pela análise de opções e cenários para o ACQF (2020-21), e desenvolvimento da política e documento técnico e plano de ação do ACQF (2021-22), acompanhado por um plano de ação e orientações técnicas.
Vers un Cadre continental africain des certifications, 2021
Le Cadre continental africain des certifications (ACQF) est une initiative politique de l’Union a... more Le Cadre continental africain des certifications (ACQF) est une initiative politique de l’Union africaine (UA); son processus d’élaboration a commencé en 2019, s’appuyant sur un large éventail de processus continentaux en cours, en particulier l’Agenda 2063 (CUA, 2015b), la Stratégie continentale d’éducation pour l’Afrique (CESA) (CUA, 2015a; CUA, 2019c), et plus récemment aussi, « l’Accord établissant la zone de libre-échange continentale africaine » (ZLECAf) (CUA, 2019b). La vision actuelle de l’ACQF est d’améliorer la comparabilité, la qualité et la transparence des certifications de tous les sous-secteurs et niveaux d’éducation et de formation ; de faciliter la reconnaissance des diplômes et des certificats, ainsi que la mobilité des apprenants et des travailleurs ; de travailler en complémentarité avec les cadres nationaux et régionaux des certifications, de soutenir les développements aux niveaux national et régional ; et de promouvoir la coopération et l’alignement entre les cadres des certifications (nationaux et régionaux) en Afrique et dans le monde (CUA, 2019d). À cette fin, l’ACQF vise à être inclusif et complet, ouvert à l’innovation et aux nouvelles technologies, et fondé sur les enseignements tirés de processus similaires en Afrique et dans le monde. L’étude cartographique a été commandée par le Programme de l’UA-UE sur les compétences pour l’employabilité des jeunes/Initiative compétences pour l’Afrique (SIFA), la Coopération technique au Développement du Cadre continental africain des certifications, un partenariat de la Commission de l’Union africaine (CUA) avec l’Union européenne (UE), l’Association allemande pour la coopération internationale (GIZ) et la Fondation européenne pour la formation (ETF). Le programme a été lancé en juin 2019, et l’atelier inaugural de la composante développement de l’ACQF a eu lieu du 2 au 4 septembre 2019 au siège de l’UA à Addis-Abeba. Ce rapport d’étude cartographique de l’ACQF présente les principales conclusions de l’étude cartographique du développement des cadres des certifications dans les pays africains, menée de septembre 2019 à septembre 2020, couvrant les cadres/systèmes des certifications à différents niveaux de développement, de consolidation et de mise en oeuvre. Les principaux destinataires de ce rapport sont les décideurs politiques, les praticiens et les chercheurs travaillant sur les cadres et systèmes des certifications aux niveaux africain, régional et national. Ce rapport d’étude cartographique est le premier d’un processus en trois parties, et sera suivi par l’analyse des options et des scénarios pour l’ACQF (2020-21), et l’élaboration du document politique et technique ainsi que du plan d’action de l’ACQF (2021-22), accompagné d’un plan d’action et de directives techniques.
Artificial Intelligence and Inclusion: Compendium of Promising Initiatives, 2020
The MLW2020 Compendium of Promising Initiatives
offers a platform to demonstrate promising applic... more The MLW2020 Compendium of Promising Initiatives offers a platform to demonstrate promising applications and practices that leverage AI to advance inclusion and equity in education submitted to the conference. These initiatives highlight the potential of AI in and for education to accelerate progress and bridge digital, gender, wealth, ability and other divides to create inclusive knowledge societies.
The idea of a more interoperable data ecosystem for post-school education and training (PSET) has... more The idea of a more interoperable data ecosystem for post-school education and training (PSET) has its origin in the early discussions between JET Education Services (JET) and the Manufacturing and Engineering Sector Education and Training Authority (merSETA) in 2018. This was a time when both organisations, albeit from different trajectories, were contemplating how best new thinking in the digital arena could be harnessed to leapfrog South African developments. JET, a non-profit with well-established research and intermediary capacities, and merSETA, a statutory body known as one of the leading SETAs in South Africa, with strong governance systems and a reputation as an early adopter, found a good fit through collaboration on this project. The shared vision and co-creation of this project were strengthened through the support of Raymond Patel (merSETA CEO at the time), resulting in the early components of a theory of change (ToC) for what soon became known as the Post-School Education and Training Collaboration and Learning Opportunities and Utilisation of Data (PSET CLOUD) project. A key driver for this futuristic collaboration, clearly articulated in the first iteration of the ToC, is a focus on the end-user. The JET-merSETA team was, from the outset, committed to a process that would enable South African citizens to make informed labour market decisions, leading to increased employment opportunities in line with the South African South Africa.
Virtual conference on Artificial Intelligence in education and training: conference report, 2020
A considerable amount of attention has been placed on Artificial Intelligence, its impact on inno... more A considerable amount of attention has been placed on Artificial Intelligence, its impact on innovations in various sectors, and its implications for the transformation of the workforce and the labour market. Many of the professions that will most likely be affected by labour market transformations brought about by AI are linked with technical and vocational education and training. While some jobs will be completely automated, many more will incorporate some degree of automation. This trend is perceivable in the middle-skills jobs, whose routine-oriented work, repetitive tasks and predictable environment can be easily replaced by machines. These changes mean that institutions must offer a changing set of skills – including digital and transversal skills – to students in order to ensure students’ continued employability. An education system which is responsive to labour market demands will incorporate AI both in its own systems and in the education and training provided to students. The virtual conference on the Artificial Intelligence in education and training was held from 11 to 15 November 2019. It was open to all members of the UNESCO-UNEVOC TVeT Forum, an online community with more than 6500 members. The conference sought to gather knowledge, insights, experiences and practices from the international TVET community on the opportunities and challenges of integrating Artificial Intelligence in education and training.
We live in an era where digital is the new normal: our devices are quickly becoming part of the i... more We live in an era where digital is the new normal: our devices are quickly becoming part of the internet of things (Wortmann and Flüchter 2015); our communication has for some time taken place through social media platforms; email, of course, is now ubiquitous; and our data systems and repositories are becoming increasingly interoperable (Shiohira and Dale-Jones forthcoming). Our access to learning opportunities has also been expanding at pace. The open education movement, which has mirrored societal trends towards increased openness in developed countries (Vincent-Lancrin 2016; Stella and Gnanam 2004), has impacted hugely on how we think about education in the modern world and also in less developed parts of the globe. Massive open online courses (MOOCs) are now widespread (Music 2016; Commonwealth of Learning, 2016), so too small private online courses (SPOCs) (De Leeuw 2017), and in recent years, the more encompassing notion of digital credentials (Keevy and Chakroun 2018). This is the era in which artificial intelligence (AI) has become more prevalent and is increasingly replacing mid-level skills across both the developed and developing worlds (Majumdar et al. forthcoming). This is also the era in which data privacy is becoming more regulated and the ability of the individual to own his or her own data a reality through technologies such as blockchain (Verbert, Sharples and Klobucar 2016).
As a global community, we are faced with the stark reality that we are inevitably becoming techno... more As a global community, we are faced with the stark reality that we are inevitably becoming technology-dependent societies as digital technologies create new opportunities and challenges for skills development globally, in both developed and developing contexts. This paper will discuss the successes, potential leverage points, challenges and lessons learnt by JET Education Services (JET) through its involvement in two specific initiatives: first, in response to well-documented challenges in South African basic education, JET has developed and implemented the eMpela teacher training platform, which shows great potential in improving teacher content knowledge and pedagogical capacity; and then second, an initiative, referred to as Project DROID, that involves testing of a new form of artificial intelligence (AI) in education, targeted towards improving the strategic skills and information resources available across education systems.
Qualifications Framework Impact Study: a critical reflection 1 …despite some analysis by organisa... more Qualifications Framework Impact Study: a critical reflection 1 …despite some analysis by organisations such as the OECD and reviews such as that of the South African NQF, we're still running more on instinct than evidence. We owe it to our clients – and to our taxpayers – to make sure that the evidence is looked for. So I'm arguing for healthy scepticism and for constructive criticism and for informed debate and, perhaps above all, for all those things to involve our users – learners, employers, providers, local communities – not just national qualification authority staff or governments (Gunning, 2006:7, emphasis added). Abstract This paper reflects on the reliability of the evidence contained in the National Qualifications Framework Impact Study, a longitudinal comparative study conducted by the South African Qualifications Authority since 2002. In so doing, the veracity of evidence-based research in determining the impact of the South African Qualifications Framework on the transformation of education and training is considered critically.
Some National Qualifications Frameworks (NQFs) are simply hierarchical classifications for levels... more Some National Qualifications Frameworks (NQFs) are simply hierarchical classifications for levels of formal learning programmes and their associated qualifications and certificates. More advanced NQFs can also play a role in facilitating stakeholder interactions, creating coherent qualifications systems, ensuring fit-for-purpose qualifications, supporting wider quality assurance processes, recognising learning gained outside formal education and training and for driving broader educational reforms. They also make national qualifications systems more transparent to foreigners. Across the world there has been a rapid take-up of NQFs and there has been associated development of regional frameworks that coordinate NQFs across wide geographical regions. The evidence for the success and reliability of NQFs is weak and this raises the question about what is driving the expansion of NQFs. What are they expected to do and how might they fulfil these expectations? In this paper the evolution of NQF development in “first generation” NQFs, namely in the United Kingdom, South Africa and Australia, is used to analyse the policy rationales for NQFs, concrete experience of them and to chart the evolution of these NQFs over two decades. This analysis is then used to reflect on the future development of second and third generation NQFs as many of these new NQFs reach maturity. The paper concludes with a critical consideration of the extent to which the existing NQFs, as well as those being considered, are “flying blind”: Are NQFs being developed without the necessary evidence base for their continued existence, or are there legitimate policy rationales for this global trend that has grown exponentially over the last twenty years?
There is much discussion and confusion on micro-credentials within the world of work, particularl... more There is much discussion and confusion on micro-credentials within the world of work, particularly in the space of learning management and experience platforms, and in various educational, quality assurance and other institutional and policy contexts¹. Within the world of work, micro-credentials are linked with ideas of just-in-time skills, a future-fit and agile workforce ecosystem, and the future skills-based organisations. Another example is the link with the suggestions for an internal talent marketplace, where technology platforms are seen as the enabler for matching (1) the supply of skills and time available in or to the organisation with (2) the organisational demand in terms of work and projects that need to be achieved. Micro-credentials are seen as part of the solution for the skilling-whether up, multi, or re-skilling-that is required for the future-fit and agile organisation. However, we find that there are many approaches to micro-credentials, which are informed by different implicit and/or explicit assumptions. This could be assumptions around learning, the different forms thereof, and how these relate to each other and how these can be credentialed, organised, and managed. We also find that online platforms, such as the Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) and other commercial platforms (whether Coursera, EdX, Degreed or LinkedIn Learning for example), provide stand-alone courses as well as long form learning programmes. These platforms offer a hybrid of short courses, learning programmes, and qualifications linked to higher education institutions. In this Fact Sheet we explore how we may define a micro-credential, and how it relates to different forms of learning and learning spaces. We note the discussion on different quality assurance frameworks in relation to the different forms of learning and learning spaces. And we consider how as HR practitioners we can leverage these forms of learning and learning spaces as well as ensure good practice. To orient ourselves the below figure identifies aspects of micro-credentials. The figure that follows later lays out the relations to forms of learning, learning spaces, and quality assurance frameworks. The key question for HR practitioners is how we locate and position micro-credentials in the education, training, and the world of work ecosystems to meet the learning and development strategy and needs of our organisations. We need to explore micro-credentials as an ecosystem itself and in relation to the other ecosystems. This means understanding micro-credentials in all its forms and creating a differentiated as well as integrated approach to the different forms of learning.
Authors: Jane Hofmeyr and Zaahedah Vally
Reviewer: James Keevy
There is no doubt TVET lecturer de... more Authors: Jane Hofmeyr and Zaahedah Vally Reviewer: James Keevy There is no doubt TVET lecturer development must be at the forefront of TVET provision in an age of rapid technological advancements, new work processes and significant socio-economic changes. The need for properly qualified lecturers, with the correct knowledge, skills and competencies for the 21st century, and especially digital competencies, has become even more evident with the development of the COVID-19 pandemic. Skills requirements and job demands for the future, post COVID-19, are likely to be different and this indicates the need for well-prepared TVET lecturers who can transfer the necessary skills sets to students and enable them to navigate an uncertain future. It is now essential to convert rhetorical discourse into clear guidelines, national interventions and a pathway to action. However, it is only through collaboration and co-creation between stakeholders in this uncertain and challenging environment that the TVET sector can truly transform and contribute to social and economic development, skills for life and work, and the sustainability of the planet.
Author: Beverley Oliver
My role: Member of global expert panel
Micro-credentials are increasingl... more Author: Beverley Oliver My role: Member of global expert panel
Micro-credentials are increasingly promoted as a new and more flexible way of recognizing knowledge, skills and competences. Micro-credentials are flourishing with more new brand names constantly emerging. However, acceptance and recognition of micro-credentials by employers and policy-makers is hampered because, among other challenges, there is no universally recognized definition that clearly communicates to lay users, particularly learners and employers, what micro-credentials are. In recent years, policy-makers, scholars and educators have produced their own definitions, advancing scholarship in the area, and sometimes causing more confusion by adding yet another definition. Other challenges include determining whether micro-credentials complement or replace qualifications, or both; the dizzying array of providers and partnerships in the provision of micro-credentials; the need for robust quality assurance and the conundrum of how to enact it when providers operate outside of the regulated education sector; the lack of research and convincing evidence of micro-credentials’ efficacy so far, and the risk of unintended consequences if funding is diverted away from formal systems.
Cases in Post-School Education and Training in South Africa, 2022
Reviewer, Chapter 16, The potential for microcredentials as a form of open learning to contribute... more Reviewer, Chapter 16, The potential for microcredentials as a form of open learning to contribute to a social justice agenda in South African higher education, Author: Barbara Jones
My role: reviewer
COVID-19 has severe social, economic and educational costs for youth. Nearly... more My role: reviewer
COVID-19 has severe social, economic and educational costs for youth. Nearly 20% of sub-Saharan Africa’s population is aged 15-24. Their capacities will be vital for recovery and future resilience. Rethinking post-basic education is more important than ever, so that it helps youth in their life goals, contributes to the changing demands of society, and advances sustainable development. In this publication, young people in Africa speak up about their aspirations and experiences of post-basic education. This synthesis report also assesses learning opportunities, considers factors affecting take-up, and identifies barriers and enablers of youth participation. Specific attention is given to financing to promote equity; socio-cultural barriers; skills for work and life; and increasing educators' capacity. A key message is that youth should be treated as agents of change and not only as beneficiaries of education. Increased research and policy attention to post-basic education is recommended, to be accompanied by financial resources. Synergies within post-basic education should be maximized and curricula must correspond more closely with the changing demands of the world of work. In the future, the supply and demand of post-basic education should be studied and assessed holistically. As envisaged by the Education 2030 Framework for Action, all stakeholders, including relevant ministries and youth, should be engaged in policy dialogue and the development of education programmes.
This evaluation report presents the outcome of an exacting monitoring and evaluation process cond... more This evaluation report presents the outcome of an exacting monitoring and evaluation process conducted by JET Education Services (JET) in partnership with Trialogue. The evaluation unpacked and scrutinised the Centres of Specialisation (CoS) Programme, taking into account many different perspectives and then distils and presents the findings. This report is robust and forthright in its assessment of the program, in its attempt to provide valuable insights into the Programme implementation, while also offering well-founded suggestions for future action. This approach is considered critically important to optimise a continual improvement process given the strategic importance and value of the Programme to moving South Africa’s skills development sector, and the broader Post School Education and Training (PSET) system, towards a pragmatic and effective industry demand-based approach.
At the Third International Congress on Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), he... more At the Third International Congress on Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), held in Shanghai in 2012, a recommendation was made to explore the possibility of developing quality assurance (QA) guidelines for the recognition of qualifications based on learning outcomes. This recommendation was echoed in UNESCO’s new Strategy for TVET (2016-2021) and in the revised recommendation concerning TVET (UNESCO, 2015a), which calls for transparent and quality-assured TVET qualifications and the promotion of mutual recognition of qualifications at the national, regional and international levels. A key concern for developing such guidelines is the quality assurance arrangements in TVET, which are essential for generating trust and ensuring transparency of qualifications for the labour market and individuals. Upto-date and well-grounded information on QA of qualifications in TVET in different countries and regions was needed to formulate these guidelines.
This document explains the concept and procedures and guidelines for the Transnational Qualificat... more This document explains the concept and procedures and guidelines for the Transnational Qualifications Framework (TQF) developed for the Virtual University for Small States of the Commonwealth (VUSSC). The document has been prepared to promote the credibility and reliability of qualifications developed by any of the national quality assurance agencies in the small states, as well as accredited education and training providers involved in the VUSSC. These guidelines are meant to be used as working tools by the various stakeholders.
The Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) college sector in South Africa is seen... more The Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) college sector in South Africa is seen as central to skills development and the revival of the economy. However, the sector remains one of the weakest in the post-school system. This chapter provides a synopsis of the evolution of the post-apartheid college sector context in South Africa, the nature of the new programme offerings for pre-and in-service training as well as increasing moves towards professionalisation of the sector. This discussion is presented against the backdrop of the broader policy context in the country, specifically considering the different needs of current TVET lecturers, who range from unqualified, academically qualified, but without workplace pedagogy, trained for the schooling sector, to the ideal-those who are both academically and professionally qualified. While this rather lopsided continuum is not unique to South Africa, the way it is being addressed is important to articulate and reflect on. The changes in the management and governance of the colleges prior to the establishment of the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) and the impact these changes had on lecturers' job security and conditions of employment are key factors that we will explore in our contribution. The college sector lost lecturing staff during this time, further reducing its capacity to meet the training needs of the country. While seemingly intractable problems such as slow uptake of newly introduced qualifications for TVET lecturers and compliance oriented continuing professional development (CPD) programmes can be overcome, the impact of COVID-19 on this sector should not be underestimated. Of course, this uncertain future also offers an opportunity to make changes that may previously have been politically unpalatable. In this chapter, we try to imagine what a more explicitly conceptualised workplace pedagogy would comprise to produce a pipeline of well-trained and professionally orientated TVET lecturers.
The recent review of the impact of the Commonwealth Teacher Recruitment Protocol (CTRP) by Ochs a... more The recent review of the impact of the Commonwealth Teacher Recruitment Protocol (CTRP) by Ochs and Jackson (2009) has pointed out that the active international recruitment of teachers is a global issue that is not limited to Commonwealth countries. The review also found that, despite the recognition of the protocol, particularly at the ‘highest international level’, the majority of Commonwealth teachers remain uninformed and, as a result, are open to exploitation and unfair labour practices. This paper draws on the literature identifying the challenges and lessons in implementing the CTRP to initiate and explore the important debate on the development of a continental teacher mobility protocol for Africa. Taking note that the development of a recruitment protocol for Africa has recently been initiated by the African Union (Kaluba, 2010), this paper argues for the consideration of key issues to ensure that the recruitment protocol is uniquely African and addresses the unique challenges of the recruitment of teachers in Africa. The key issues include consideration of: the African identity, which is constituted by both geographical and cultural criteria, as well as rethinking the indigenised African situation beyond the confines of Eurocentric concepts and categories (Higgs and Keevy, 2009); moving from ‘policy borrowing’ to ‘policy learning’ as the mobility protocol is developed (Chakroun, 2010); gathering accurate data on teacher recruitment in Africa to inform the mobility protocol; recognising qualifications through qualifications frameworks in Africa (Samuels and Keevy, 2008); and increasing the professionalisation of teachers in Africa (Ochs, 2011).
... In the remainder of this paper I focus mainly on one such intervention, namely the developmen... more ... In the remainder of this paper I focus mainly on one such intervention, namely the development and implementation of the South African NQF, and how this intervention has impacted on the regulation of teacher e ducation. In ...
The research presented in this report explores the global phenomenon of learning across boundarie... more The research presented in this report explores the global phenomenon of learning across boundaries, but with a specific focus on the manner in which the level of learning is recognized through the use of level descriptors. The research draws on the development and application of level descriptors as an integral part of qualifications frameworks internationally, but also considers how the level of learning is determined in other contexts, such as longitudinal studies, international competence assessments and diagnostic reviews. The use of learning outcomes constitutes a common thread that is explored in all the case studies included in the report. The research was initiated by UNESCO following the Third International Congress on Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), which was held in Shanghai in 2012, where a recommendation was made to explore the possibility of developing international guidelines on quality assurance for the recognition of qualifications based on learning outcomes. This included the proposal that a set of world reference levels be considered to facilitate the international recognition of TVET qualifications. This research report constitutes the first step of an incremental approach that will be followed to respond to the Shanghai Consensus Recommendation. Additional steps will include the conceptual development of the world reference levels, consultation, and a political process that will explore the technical and legal aspects related to the desirability of defining and adopting world reference levels.
These comparability tables offer country-by-country analysis of primary and secondary teacher qua... more These comparability tables offer country-by-country analysis of primary and secondary teacher qualifications offered in 35 Commonwealth countries, in an accessible and easy-to-read format. They were prepared by the South African Qualifications Authority for the Commonwealth Secretariat to enhance recognition of teacher qualifications across borders and between the member countries of the Commonwealth. Please note that Fair Trade for Teachers: Transferability of Teacher Qualifications in the Commonwealth (February 2010; 60pp; £25.00; ISBN 978-1-84929-014-2) includes a copy of the Commonwealth Teacher Qualifications Comparability Table as an insert in the back pocket of the main book.
The fast-paced evolution of skills recognition and validation modalities has the potential to har... more The fast-paced evolution of skills recognition and validation modalities has the potential to harmonise the education, training, and work (ETW) continuum through pathways better suited to lifelong learning within varying skills equilibrium contexts (UNESCO 2022; ILO 2022). In this call to action, we examine the increasing fluidity in skills recognition provided through an evolving credentialing ecosystem characterised by the coexistence of formal, micro, and digital credentials.
ABSTRACT Incl. bibl., abstract Today there is an accelerating trend towards qualifications framew... more ABSTRACT Incl. bibl., abstract Today there is an accelerating trend towards qualifications frameworks as an instrument to develop, classify and recognise formal learning across the African continent, as is also the case across most of Europe, Australasia and the Asia-Pacific region. As more and more countries and regions across the world develop qualifications frameworks to improve harmonisation of education and training systems and comparability of qualifications, it is becoming increasingly evident that Africa has not remained unaffected. At present more than twenty African countries are actively engaged in qualifications framework development, including all Southern African Development Community member states and the SADC region as a whole, not to mention exploratory discussions in other regions and talk of a continent-wide 'African Qualifications Framework'. Starting from an exploration of the apparent Western and Eurocentric origins of qualifications frameworks, and a realisation that education in Africa was influenced by Western and European ideas long before the advent of qualifications frameworks, we consider the extent to which qualifications frameworks influence the way education and training is organised in the African context. As we critically reflect on the seemingly unquestioned, largely uncritical, and nearly always unopposed move towards qualifications frameworks in Africa, we consider whether qualifications frameworks are able to embrace the distinctive tenets of the African context that can, as described by Catherine Odora Hoppers (2008, 24), make it possible to 'place and name' the collective experiences and abilities that African people bring to the field.
The concept of micro credentials has been popularised in the last few years. This is a trend that... more The concept of micro credentials has been popularised in the last few years. This is a trend that was undoubtedly accelerated during the Covid-19 period, as smaller chunks of learning that could be digitally captured and undertaken through remote learning became more accessible due in part to the restrictions imposed on societies across the globe. This was also true also across Africa, where connectivity is more limited, but where cell phone penetration is very high[1], with the added potential of a younger and more digitally adept population. This is not to say that micro credentials is a novel concept, nor does it signal that many African countries are engaging with it for the first time. In this short contribution, the concept, which consists of two parts, "micro" and "credential", is unpacked. This is followed by some brief reflections on the implications micro credentials have for the further development of the African Continental Qualifications Framework (ACQF) being developed since 2019 (ACQF 2021).
This scoping study focuses on the potential role of skills development and skills recognition for... more This scoping study focuses on the potential role of skills development and skills recognition for supporting and extending the impact of a regional system of regulated labour mobility within and between the Member States of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD). IGAD is the successor of the Intergovernmental Authority on Drought and Development (IGADD), which was created in 1986 by Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, the Sudan, and Uganda, with South Sudan joining in 2011.1 Drawing on substantial work of the International Labour Organization (ILO) and other actors in this area, the study uses the lens of skills recognition and focuses it specifically on seven IGAD countries. While qualifications operate as a form of currency in the labour market, especially where the qualifications are of a high quality from reputable, trusted education institutions, migrants – and even more so refugees – are often at a severe disadvantage to provide evidence of such achievements. Opacity of changes in domestic and foreign occupational systems and seemingly irrelevant or out of date qualifications, both at home and abroad, discourage exploration of the options. At present, the increasing volume and spatial diffusion of job and work-driven migration across the globe make it difficult to appreciate how in previous decades employers had limited knowledge or experience in managing the qualification profile of their workforce proactively, either within the country or across international borders.
1. Le présent Protocole a pour objectif principal de fournir un cadre pour la gestion du corps en... more 1. Le présent Protocole a pour objectif principal de fournir un cadre pour la gestion du corps enseignant dans les pays africains.
2. Le Protocole vise à protéger les droits et à reconnaître les responsabilités des enseignants qui migrent à l’échelle internationale sur une base temporaire ou permanente, et, en particulier, à empêcher l’exploitation de cette ressource humaine rare tant dans les pays d’origine que dans les pays d’accueil.
3. Le Protocole vise à faciliter la distribution des enseignants, essentiellement sur une base intra-africaine, mais sans exclure les migrations internationales, des situations excédentaires aux situations rares, en mettant l’accent sur la protection et le maintien de la qualité et de l’intégrité des systèmes éducatifs en Afrique.
4. Par ailleurs, le Protocole guide le mouvement bilatéral et multilatéral, régulier, délibéré et organisé des enseignants à travers l’Afrique en reconnaissant les enseignants comme des professionnels à part entière.
a. This is a condensed version of a business plan that makes a case for the Quality Council for T... more a. This is a condensed version of a business plan that makes a case for the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO) to fulfil the full role assigned to it in legislation and to respond to recent changes in the education and training environment. Specifically, attention is given to revoking currently delegated quality assurance functions from the Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs). There are three sections in this document which cover the main considerations in enabling the QCTO to fulfil its role through revoking the functions: (a) The argument is for the QCTO to reclaim and successfully carry out the delegated functions; (b) The plan for how the process could be managed; and (c) The financial model upon which the proposed process is based.
While this new Strategy for TVET 2022–2029 is responsive to the current global context, it also p... more While this new Strategy for TVET 2022–2029 is responsive to the current global context, it also provides a strong impetus for the continuation of existing internationally agreed goals, specifically the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The goals outlined in the 2030 Agenda constitute the foundation of the Strategy for TVET for 2022–2029. Key among these goals are the calls for an integrated approach to development, objectives which recognize the need to: eradicate poverty in all its forms and dimensions; combat inequality within and among countries; preserve the planet; create inclusive and sustainable economic growth; achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men; and ensure full gender equality and social inclusion.
This report presents the evaluation findings and learnings relating to the final phase of the imp... more This report presents the evaluation findings and learnings relating to the final phase of the implementation of the Coordinating Sector Education and Training Authority (SETA)-Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Office project. The Coordinating SETA-TVET Office (CSTO) project was initiated by the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) and was implemented between 2016 and 2023, with funding from the Fibre Processing and Manufacturing Sector Education and Training Authority (FP&MSETA). Project support was provided by JET Education Services (JET). This evaluation was conducted to assess the effectiveness of the final phase of the CSTO Project and achievement of the CSTO objectives. The evaluation focused on the following: • CSTO design and intended goals; • Implementation of the CSTO Project; • Overall challenges and successes experienced; • Lessons learnt; and • Considerations regarding the scalability and sustainability of the CSTO Project. Having considered the primary objective of the evaluation, a process and developmental evaluation approach was chosen. The report draws on data collected from a selection of nine TVET colleges, representing a provincial, urban and rural mix, that were invited to participate in a pilot implementation of the CSTO Project.
The documentary and literature review presented in the report constitutes an integral part of the... more The documentary and literature review presented in the report constitutes an integral part of the implementation evaluation of the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) Act that has been commissioned by the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation (DPME). This literature review provides the basis for the empirical work that will follow during the evaluation. The literature review is intended to be mainly descriptive and will be supplemented by the findings from other sources of information as the evaluation takes shape.
A feature of the modern world is the mass movement of goods, services and people across the globe... more A feature of the modern world is the mass movement of goods, services and people across the globe. Botswana is not immune to these developments. Therefore, it is prudent to ensure that qualifications registered on the National Credit and Qualifications Framework (NCQF) are widely recognised in the region, continent and beyond. The Ministry of Tertiary Education, Research, Science and Technology has embarked on a process of developing a national policy for referencing the NCQF to qualifications frameworks of other countries and regions. Our prime aim is to promote comparability and recognition of NCQF qualifications. The Ministry is also committed to promoting mutual trust, strengthening relationships, fostering a common understanding, and sharing knowledge with countries whose qualifications frameworks are referenced to the NCQF. The Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) has developed a regional qualifications framework, the SADC Regional Qualifications Framework (SADC RQF). There are moves afoot to develop an African Continental Qualifications Framework (ACQF). We want to be part of these seminal initiatives since it gives greater recognition to qualifications on the NCQF. The process of developing this referencing policy is rigorous, interactive and robust. We have consulted widely with stakeholders, partner organisations and benchmarked with other referencing initiatives in Europe, Asia and Australia. This policy is an important building block in our quest for quality, portability and accessibility of qualifications. The Ministry wishes to acknowledge the sterling work done by the BQA in developing this policy and the stakeholders who gave feedback in the consultative sessions.
Part 2 of the Concept Paper is presented in this document. It attempts to provide descriptions an... more Part 2 of the Concept Paper is presented in this document. It attempts to provide descriptions and motivations for the types of functions that could be carried out by SAQA as an education and training ombud in South Africa and the structures and processes that would support this work. This part of the Concept Paper is based on qualitative research that located itself within an interpretive paradigm. Interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of 18 respondents and were complemented with the insights gained from a focus group discussion held at SAQA. A blog was set up and managed, and the comments from this dialogue have been integrated into the findings. Literature was used to locate, substantiate, and interrogate the findings emanating from the interviews, the focus group discussions, and the blog. Part 2 focuses specifically on SAQA, and thus the interviews and literature selected have been narrowed with this in mind.
The main objective of UNESCO is to contribute to peace and security in the world by promoting col... more The main objective of UNESCO is to contribute to peace and security in the world by promoting collaboration among nations through education, science, culture and communication in order to foster universal respect for justice, the rule of law, and the human rights and fundamental freedoms that are affirmed for the peoples of the world, without distinction of race, sex, language or religion, by the Charter of the United Nations. To fulfil its mandate, UNESCO performs five principal functions: 1) prospective studies on education, science, culture and communication for tomorrow's world; 2) the advancement, transfer and sharing of knowledge through research, training and teaching activities; 3) standard-setting actions for the preparation and adoption of internal instruments and statutory recommendations; 4) expertise through technical cooperation to Member States for their development policies and projects; and 5) the exchange of specialized information. UNESCO Institute for Statistics The UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) is the statistical office of UNESCO and is the UN depository for global statistics in the fields of education, science, technology and innovation, culture and communication. The UIS was established in 1999. It was created to improve UNESCO's statistical programme and to develop and deliver the timely, accurate and policy-relevant statistics needed in today's increasingly complex and rapidly changing social, political and economic environments.
Classification internationale type des programmes de formation des enseignants CITE-T 2021 UNESCO... more Classification internationale type des programmes de formation des enseignants CITE-T 2021 UNESCO L'Acte constitutif de l'Organisation des Nations Unies pour l'éducation, la science et la culture (UNESCO) a été adopté par 20 pays lors de la Conférence de Londres en novembre 1945 et est entré en vigueur le 4 novembre 1946. L'UNESCO compte actuellement 195 États membres et 11 membres associés. L'objectif premier de l'UNESCO est de contribuer au maintien de la paix et de la sécurité dans le monde en resserrant, par l'éducation, la science et la culture, la collaboration entre nations afin d'assurer le respect universel de la justice, de la loi, des droits de l'homme et des libertés fondamentales pour tous, sans distinction de race, de sexe, de langue ou de religion, que la Charte des Nations Unies reconnaît à tous les peuples.
ЮНЕСКО Устав Организации Объединенных Наций по вопросам образования, науки и культуры (ЮНЕСКО) бы... more ЮНЕСКО Устав Организации Объединенных Наций по вопросам образования, науки и культуры (ЮНЕСКО) был принят на Лондонской конференции 20 странами в ноябре 1945 г. и вступил в силу 4 ноября 1946 г. Членами организации в настоящее время являются 195 стран-участниц и 11 ассоциированных членов. Главная задача ЮНЕСКО заключается в том, чтобы содействовать укреплению мира и безопасности путем расширения сотрудничества народов в области образования, науки и культуры в интересах обеспечения всеобщего уважения, справедливости, законности и прав человека, а также основных свобод, провозглашенных в Уставе Организации Объединенных Наций, для всех народов без различия расы, пола, языка и религии. Для решения поставленных задач ЮНЕСКО осуществляет пять следующих функций: 1) перспективные исследования в области образования, науки, культуры и коммуникации, посвященные миру будущего; 2) продвижение, передача и совместное использование научных знаний путем проведения научных исследований, подготовки и учебной деятельности; 3) разработка стандартов с целью подготовки и принятия международных правовых актов и регламентирующих рекомендаций; 4) услуги экспертов в рамках технического сотрудничества со странами-участницами с целью разработки их политики и проектов; и 5) обмен специализированной информацией. Институт статистики ЮНЕСКО Институт статистики ЮНЕСКО (ИСЮ) является статистическим органом Организации Объединенных Наций по вопросам образования, науки и культуры, в котором хранится информация в области образования, науки и технологии, культуры и коммуникации со всего мира, имеющаяся в распоряжении ООН. Институт статистики был создан в июле 1999 г. в целях совершенствования статистической программы ЮНЕСКО для сбора, обработки и предоставления своевременных и точных статистических данных, необходимых для разработки политики в современных быстро меняющихся и становящихся все более сложными социальных, политических и экономических условиях. Опубликовано в 2022 г.:
The primary purpose of the Protocol is to provide a framework for the managed mobility of the tea... more The primary purpose of the Protocol is to provide a framework for the managed mobility of the teaching corps across African Countries. In particular, the Protocol aims to facilitate teacher mobility from surplus to scarce situations on an intra-African basis, with an emphasis on protecting and sustaining the quality and integrity of education systems in Africa. A secondary, but equally important, purpose of the Protocol is to protect the rights of teachers to migrate internationally, on a temporary or permanent basis, and in particular, to prevent the exploitation of this scarce human resource in both sending and receiving countries. While the application of the Protocol is envisaged mainly within Africa, it is also a normative instrument to be considered when teachers migrate out of, and into, Africa.
Teaching is complex work in which teachers create knowledge-rich learning opportunities for the l... more Teaching is complex work in which teachers create knowledge-rich learning opportunities for the learners in their classes. As professionals, teachers draw on different kinds of knowledge, namely subject, professional and contextual, to make suitable choices for their classroom activities. They need to consider the knowledge of the subjects they teach, and the learners with which they work, to decide how best to enable learning within the context in which they work. Teachers are expected to make wise decisions in situations that are often complex and unpredictable. Their teaching choices and classroom actions must therefore be guided by a moral obligation to act in the best educational interests of the learners they teach. For this reason, committed, knowledgeable and skillful teachers are among the country’s greatest assets.
As we prepare this recommendation our country and the world at large are held hostage by the Coro... more As we prepare this recommendation our country and the world at large are held hostage by the Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. South Africans are in lockdown, as are many of our compatriots in other countries, and there is much talk about online learning, not by choice, but of course the necessity of the precarious situation we find ourselves in. In fact, through a strange combination of authentic goodwill and opportunistic marketing, the middle and upper classes are being overwhelmed by an avalanche of online resources. Those with some form of digital access are feeling “more connected than ever, even during lockdown and self-isolation”. Life as we know it has changed and a post-COVID-19 world will be one in which the current digital revolution will undoubtedly accelerate beyond our wildest expectations. Unfortunately, this world will also be one in which the deep inequalities in developing countries, and here South Africa is the most unequal, will be further entrenched. Looking beyond the immediate threat of COVID-19, South African finds itself in the precarious situation where youth unemployment, currently estimated as high as 53% , is being exacerbated by a looming economic downturn, and a seemingly intractable problem with the quality of schooling. Overlaying these systemic problems is a qualifications system that has slowly-but-surely becoming too rigid to ensure sufficient articulation across sub-systems, only allowing a few fortunate youths to progress from schooling to higher education, while some are channeled to the strongly perceived second-choice Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges. This is while the majority of youth drop out before reaching matric, adding to the growing pool of now more than 5,6 million youth not in any kind of education, employment or training (NEETs). Those lucky enough to leave schooling with a National Senior Certificate (NSC) pass that provides access to higher education, are often criticised for not being able to perform basic cognitive functions that would have been expected at this level, requiring higher education institutions (HEIs) to invest heavily in bridging programmes and admission tests. Employers are equally affected, and struggle to find appropriately skilled people to fill vacancies, even at lower levels.
The glossary of terms draws on existing and emerging legislation, as well as on common understand... more The glossary of terms draws on existing and emerging legislation, as well as on common understandings which have been agreed upon within the broader NQF community. In the instances where definitions are based on existing legislation or policies, the sources have been indicated. Wherepossible,terms have been contextualised to include the different approaches followed within the sub-frameworks of the NQF. International use of terms has also been considered. The purpose of the glossary is primarily to provide a comprehensive list of the most up-to-date terms used in the NQF environment and, as a result, does not include terms which are no longer used. This glossary will be updated on a regular basis to ensure that further developments are included as they are introduced.
The object of this System of Collaboration is to guide the mutual relations of SAQA and the Quali... more The object of this System of Collaboration is to guide the mutual relations of SAQA and the Quality Councils, namely the Council on Higher Education (CHE), Umalusi and the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO), in such a manner as to promote constructive cooperation.
The National Qualifications Framework (NQF) Act (67 of 2008) requires that the development and im... more The National Qualifications Framework (NQF) Act (67 of 2008) requires that the development and implementation of the NQF and by implication, also the three sub-frameworks, takes place in accordance with an NQF Implementation Framework that is prepared by South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) after consultation with the Quality Councils (QCs). This document contains the key elements of the NQF Implementation Framework for the period 2011 to 2015.
This draft policy and criteria draws on several prior initiatives, including research into CAT mo... more This draft policy and criteria draws on several prior initiatives, including research into CAT models conducted by SAQA in 2006 (see the SAQA Bulletin Vol. 9[2]) and 2010; an Umalusi discussion document on CAT (2010); the Centre for Education Policy Development (CEPD) articulation conference report (2012); as well as a range of relevant local and international publications such as: Butler and Hope (2000); European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (CEDFEOP) (2013); Perold, Cloete and Papier (2012); Victoria Qualifications Authority (2003 and 2004); Laitinen (2012); Australia Department of Education, Science and Training (2006); Engineering Council of South Africa (2009); Nel (2006); Vickers (2013). In addition to the available literature, this policy draws on existing good practices identified in South Africa. These practices have been investigated and documented through the NQF research conference held in February 2013.
This is the first time that national CAT policy and criteria is developed within South Africa. The conceptual model on which the policy draws will be further strengthened through the implementation of this policy and further research. Despite this limitation SAQA is of the view that this CAT policy and criteria provides an important benchmark that will have a positive impact on the education and training system by putting in place nationally agreed principles.
The core of the CAT model proposed in this policy and criteria is based on two approaches embedded within the South African NQF: (1) a description of qualifications in terms of learning outcomes in relation to the level descriptors of the NQF; and (2) the allocation of credits for the achievement of learning outcomes.
The CAT model described within this policy and criteria is of a reforming nature: while it draws on existing good practices, it also provides a strong impetus for change across various sectors where CAT remains limited. The policy and criteria provides a set of broad principles for CAT as well as specific roles for SAQA, the Quality Councils, education institutions, skills development providers, professional bodies and workplaces. An important feature of this CAT model is an arrangement whereby the diverse features of both credit accumulation and credit transfer are combined to facilitate lifelong learning and access to the workplace. In this regard the policy and criteria provides clarity on the features of both credit accumulation and credit transfer as they can be implemented within the South African context.
Work and learning in South Africa, very distant friends in a post-apartheid South Africa, are beg... more Work and learning in South Africa, very distant friends in a post-apartheid South Africa, are beginning to shake hands with the introduction of the Post-School Education and Training Collaboration and Learning Opportunities and Utilisation of Data (PSET CLOUD) project. JET Education Services (JET) and the Manufacturing, Engineering and Related Services Sector Education and Training Authority (merSETA) have been the driving force of the project for the past three years. Much progress and development has taken place since the inception of the project, and an inaugural virtual conference, DigiTrans 2022 Conference, was held on 28 February and 1 March. The theme, Building Bridges to Better Decisions, sums up the intention of the conference – to promote engagement, collaboration and partnerships with relevant stakeholders representative of citizens, civil society, the public sector and the private sector.
While several roleplayers in the PSET system are moving towards the development of ICT-enabled so... more While several roleplayers in the PSET system are moving towards the development of ICT-enabled solutions and platforms in South Africa to improve operational efficiency and governance, these developments are largely uncoordinated. The interface between these different developments lack interoperability and stands to benefit from improved coordination which will enhance efficiencies within the PSET system. This is in line with the decision for shared services to be developed across the SETAs in particular, but also in relation to the interface between SETAs, the DHET and other systems, including universities. What if we can use the disruptive technologies that have become so pervasive in the modern context to improve our education and skills systems? We now have the technology to develop self-sustaining electronic platforms for collaboration and learning opportunities, including the utilisation of data. These new digital ecosystems can provide us with limitless opportunities to rethink academic integrity, standards and qualifications in a new world based on the principles of interoperability. As authors based at a non-profit research organisation, and a Sector Education and Training Authority, we have been extremely privileged to be at the nexus of many of these developments.
The focus of this paper is on new developments in the field of qualifications frameworks and how ... more The focus of this paper is on new developments in the field of qualifications frameworks and how these trends relate to education and training policy, specifically TVET policy. The contribution is informed by a recent paper on policy rationales for qualifications frameworks which was co-authored by Mike Coles, James Keevy, Andrea Bateman and Jack Keating (Coles et al 2014:17). In our paper we made the point that not all qualifications frameworks are the same, with some described as " simply hierarchical classifications for levels of formal learning programmes and their associated qualifications and certificates " , while others are much more advanced and able to " play a role in facilitating stakeholder interactions, creating coherent qualifications systems, ensuring fit-for-purpose qualifications, supporting wider quality assurance processes, recognising learning gained outside formal education and training and for driving broader educational reforms…also [making] national qualifications systems more transparent to foreigners ". Despite some critical voices, qualifications frameworks have continued to be developed since the late 1980s and can now also be found across countries and regions. From a policy perspective, the evidence for their impact and role does, however, remain weak, even after more than three decades of implementation. In this paper the following three research questions will be addressed: 1. How is the impact of qualifications frameworks being measured? Is this evidence based and are the methodologies robust enough? What are the findings telling us? In this case I will draw on a current implementation evaluation of the South African NQF Act commissioned by the South African Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation (DPME) that is being led by DNA Economics (2016) and involves various partners, including JET.
South Africa is a society in the process of deepening post-apartheid democracy and combating hist... more South Africa is a society in the process of deepening post-apartheid democracy and combating historically high levels of unemployment. Several value-based issues are current in public debates in South Africa: democratic values; values of social cohesion; values of accountability; and importantly also how employers implicitly observe deficiencies in work values among young first time job entrants.
The formal structuring of learning as ‘qualifications’ on the African continent may seem like a f... more The formal structuring of learning as ‘qualifications’ on the African continent may seem like a fairly recent phenomenon, possibly first considered only a few decades ago, and seemingly directly linked to numerous colonial influences that have influenced the continent. More recently, the development of qualifications frameworks as mechanisms through which qualifications are ordered and interrelated have featured in Africa. Today more than twenty African countries are actively engaged in qualifications framework development, including Ethiopia, the only African country never to be colonized, and generally regarded as the source of humanity some two million years ago. In this paper we reflect critically on the development of the Ethiopian National Qualifications Framework (ENQF) since 2007 by focusing on the following: (1) the extent to which the ENQF has been developed as an African initiative, suited to the Ethiopian context; (2) the ENQF design, including a brief overview of the development process to date; (3) progress made to date through consultations and pilot projects and the need to move from conceptualization to implementation. The paper concludes with insights that may be applicable to other African countries that are in the process, or considering, the implementation of a qualifications framework.
Prepared for the SAQA National RPL Conference, Johannesburg, 23-26 February 2014, 2014
The co-ordination of Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) in South Africa must of necessity be app... more The co-ordination of Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) in South Africa must of necessity be approached in a systematic manner, and must be adequately resourced. Since the introduction of the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) in the country in 1996 (Republic of South Africa, Department of Education, 1995), RPL has received much attention. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has pointed out that in the context of the first 15 years of the South African NQF, RPL implementation achieved ‘scattered’ ‘islands of good practice’ (OECD, 2009). RPL had not spread universally, and practitioners were generally relatively isolated at that point. The National RPL Conference: Bridging and expanding existing islands of excellent practice was hosted by SAQA in 2011 in an attempt to respond to the OECD findings. Between this event and the present, much has been achieved in terms of RPL development, including the drafting of the national Resolution and Working Document on RPL (SAQA, 2011); the establishment of a Ministerial RPL Task Team and its extensive work; revision of national RPL policy based on 15 years of implementation and research; and expansion of the co-ordination of national RPL initiatives. The report of the Ministerial RPL Task Team, completed in January 2013, makes the case for state- and employer-driven funding and resourcing models for RPL, as well as for a national RPL institute that will be involved in a range of co-ordinating activities (Department of Higher Education and Training [DHET], 2013).
During this period of renewed attention on RPL, SAQA has been approached by a range of entities to support the implementation of RPL in key sectors. Examples include the agricultural sector, auto-motor artisanal work, correctional services, defence, transport, community development, policing, public service, sporting and others. These strategic RPL projects have been carefully considered by SAQA based on the extent to which they can be taken to scale and comprise key sectors for national development (Michelson 2012). This paper offers critical reflections on RPL developments to date and the strategic RPL projects co-ordinated by SAQA by drawing on the research collaboration between SAQA and the University of the Western Cape (UWC) (Ralphs, Cooper, Deller and Moodley, 2014) and locating this within the broader context of the revised national RPL policy (SAQA, 2013).
The South African National Qualifications Framework (NQF) is a first generation framework that ha... more The South African National Qualifications Framework (NQF) is a first generation framework that has been developed since the 1990s and has been subjected to on-going review since its inception. This has included both externally initiated processes, such as by the Departments of Education and Labour, and an internal evaluation process, the NQF impact study, initiated by the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA). This paper provides a critical account of the review processes drawing on the language of the now well-established conceptual framework for qualifications frameworks developed since 2004 (Tuck et al 2004, Raffe 2005 and 2009, Keevy 2005, Coles 2006, Allais et al 2009). The paper argues that transforming NQFs that challenge existing practices, such as in the South African case, are inevitably and continually reviewed as they become inextricably linked to power struggles. In this regard South Africa is an interesting case study in that the critical voices, which are in most other countries on the periphery, continue to influence policy at the centre of the education and training debates. Drawing on the most recent debates on articulation and pathways in South Africa, the paper shows that these power struggles have compounded the review processes and contributed directly to an education and training landscape that has become unnecessarily cluttered and difficult to navigate by learners. The closing section of the paper provides some considerations for the review of NQFs in general, as well as specific suggestions for the review of the Namibian NQF.
Modern society attributes great value to qualifications as agreed and trusted proxy for the compe... more Modern society attributes great value to qualifications as agreed and trusted proxy for the competencies and skills of individuals (Keating 2008). The global spread of national, regional and transnational qualifications frameworks to organise qualifications in a manner that increases transparency and international comparability bears testimony to this fact, as does the prominent role of credential evaluation agencies in societies to translate foreign credentials into locally accepted currency. To date the relationship between credential evaluation and qualifications frameworks remains largely unexplored (NQAI 2010) and confronted by a range of criticisms: it is argued that qualifications remain at best, only limited proxies for competencies and skills; qualifications frameworks are criticized for not delivering on the promises of increased comparability and transparency; and credential evaluation methodologies are criticized for being opaque and outdated, susceptible to political influences. This paper elaborates on some of these aspects as it attempts to show the benefits of a closer relationship between credential evaluation and qualifications frameworks. In particular the paper draws on the South African experiences of qualifications framework development since the 1980s, and the establishment of a credential evaluation function that started in the 1950s. Based on these experiences, and considering also the related international developments, the paper concludes with suggestions for positioning credential evaluation practices in the context of qualifications frameworks.
The South African National Qualifications Framework (NQF) is an integrated framework. All levels ... more The South African National Qualifications Framework (NQF) is an integrated framework. All levels (from basic to higher education), sectors (such as schooling, both public and private) and types of qualifications (such as academic, vocational and professional) are integrated into a single national system. This strong integrative approach was initially proposed to replace the fragmented system with a coherent structure that would bridge divisions between sectors of learning, most notably the entrenched differences in parity of esteem between general education and vocational education and training. Despite these noble intentions, the extremely unified Scope of the South African NQF has remained a major point of contention. One example of the problems faced as a result of the unified Scope of the NQF has been the classification of qualifications into 23 different types or categories - one such type being ‘professional qualifications’. In 2006, faced with increasing pressure from professional bodies to review the status of these professional qualifications, SAQA initiated research to investigate the 426 qualifications currently categorised as ‘professional’ on the NQF (SAQA, 2006). As part of the research project the researcher was required to make a recommendation on the inclusion or exclusion of these 426 qualifications on the NQF. In this paper I briefly present the findings of the empirical research on the inclusion of professional qualifications on the NQF and then ask what the implications of the research recommendations are for work-integrated learning in South Africa.
How radical is it to consider that any member of the public can post a qualification standard on ... more How radical is it to consider that any member of the public can post a qualification standard on a website, another can edit the same standard and anyone can update it on a regular basis? Even more radically, can such an approach be accommodated in
national-, transnational- or regional qualifications frameworks? In our paper we try to open this debate to a broader audience by taking two opposite positions: Paul, with a background in the Wiki environment, argues that the development and maintenance of
standards can be supported through ongoing general consensus, much like a WikiPedia article, and that daily changes to such standards simply reflect the natural daily changes in the world. James, with a background in qualifications framework
development, argues that standards can only be developed by expert practitioners located in specific communities of practice.
Since the late 1990s, South Africa, together with Australia, New Zealand, Scotland and Ireland ha... more Since the late 1990s, South Africa, together with Australia, New Zealand, Scotland and Ireland has made up a group of the so-called ‘first generation’ countries that have implemented National Qualifications Frameworks (NQFs). Today, nearly twenty years later, more than 50 countries and at least three regions are at various stages of implementing qualifications frameworks, while many others are considering following the same route. In this paper we reflect on the most recent developments in South Africa, most notably the imminent shift from an NQF that has attempted to integrate all aspects of the South African education and training system, to a comprehensive linked NQF that will be able to accommodate at least three different sub-frameworks, though with clear articulation routes between each: (1) one for higher education, (2) another for schooling and public further education and training, and (3) another for trades and occupations. In this paper we focus our attention on the third case, namely the emerging sub-framework for trades and occupations and reflect on the extent to which this sub-framework will contribute to the evolution of the South African NQF. In conclusion, we consider how an improved understanding of these recent developments in South Africa can contribute to the development of TVET as more countries consider NQFs, and as the SADC region moves towards the development of a regional qualification framework.
The challenges associated with the recognition and transferability of qualifications internationa... more The challenges associated with the recognition and transferability of qualifications internationally are not new and remain closely interrelated with the increased migration of skilled professionals. Starting from early vocational apprenticeships to the increased need for skilled people that emerged in the 20th century, the paper considers how the shift to human capital theory and technological development gave rise to credentialism and the emergence of national, regional and transnational qualifications frameworks. Expanding on research into the recognition of teacher qualifications in the Commonwealth (SAQA 2006 and SAQA 2009) the paper attempts to contribute new thinking to the ongoing challenge of managing the migration of skilled professionals such as teachers. It does this by reflecting on the extent to which qualifications can be compared and recognised across countries, and by considering the extent to which qualifications are socially valued.
Qualifications framework development is a fairly recent feature on the global education and train... more Qualifications framework development is a fairly recent feature on the global education and training agenda. Across the world many countries and regions are now not only talking about qualifications frameworks, but are either already implementing national, regional and even transnational qualifications frameworks, or at the very least, are engaged in initial exploratory discussions, feasibility studies and drafting of concept documents. The African continent is no exception: South Africa, Namibia and Mauritius are at advanced stages of implementation, the SADC region is considering a regional qualifications framework, Ethiopia is at an early stage of implementation and the Seychelles is well advanced, to mention but a few. Underlying this trend towards qualifications frameworks by governments across the world, including developing countries in Africa, and with support from a range of international organisations such as the ILO, UNDP, EU, World Bank and UNESCO, a critique of qualifications frameworks is also emerging; a critique that has been particularly constructive, during the development and the implementation of the South African national qualifications framework is one case in point. Considering the global trend, and the emerging critique, we use this paper to critically reflect on the current state and possible future development and implementation of qualifications frameworks within Africa.
Association of Private Providers of Education Training and Development (APPETD), 2007
This paper has been prepared by four authors from diverse organisations, but with a common intere... more This paper has been prepared by four authors from diverse organisations, but with a common interest in the development and delivery of professional qualifications. The paper presents a case study of the collaboration between a professional body (The Insurance Institute of South Africa), a private further education and training provider (The Academy of Learning South Africa) and a higher education provider (The University of South Africa). The case study is located within the context of the SAQA initiative to consider how best professional qualifications can be included on the National Qualifications Framework , and the implications of this process for professional bodies and education and training providers. In particular, the paper explores the changing role of the non-statutory professional body in the South African context as it considers the extent and manner in which such professional bodies collaborate with both public and private education and training providers in an attempt to remain relevant to their professions, and to ensure compliance with increased regulatory requirements.
Canadian Association for Prior Learning Assessment (CAPLA) conference , 2012
This discussion paper provides the background to the developments leading up to the possibility o... more This discussion paper provides the background to the developments leading up to the possibility of the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) acting as an incubator for a national Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) coordinating mechanism for the period 2013-2018. The paper provides some reflections on how SAQA could take up this responsibility and includes a consideration of SAQA’s role in terms of the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) Act of 2008, current RPL projects which SAQA is involved in, suggestions for benchmarking with similar international RPL organisations, as well as initial thoughts on the necessary human and financial resources that will be required should SAQA take on this responsibility in the near future. The discussion paper has been developed as a proactive measure in response to a possible recommendation from the Ministerial Task Team on RPL that SAQA be tasked to set up the national coordinating mechanism for RPL. At the time that this paper is being prepared (October 2012) this matter has not yet been decided and the paper is therefore of an exploratory nature only, in order to prepare SAQA should this possibility be realised.
The paper will be presented to an international audience at a workshop during the Canadian Association for Prior Learning Assessment (CAPLA) conference that will take place from 21-23 October 2012 in Halifax. The main objectives of the workshop will be to:
• Reflect on the relationship between RPL and qualifications frameworks in general
• Share the South African RPL experience since 1995, and in particular, initiate debate on different ways in which RPL can be coordinated at a country level with the view of gaining new insights that may be applied to the current South African context
Da Vinci Institute’s Curiosita Forum, 25 September 2012, 2012
National qualifications frameworks (NQFs) have become a global phenomenon since first established... more National qualifications frameworks (NQFs) have become a global phenomenon since first established in the late 1980s and early 1990s in a handful of countries which included Australia, New Zealand, England, Scotland, Wales, France and of course, also South Africa. These “first generation” NQFs developed mainly as a response to concerns from employers that formal learning did not adequately prepare learners for employment, and as an alternative, provided a route through which the wholesale independence of education and training providers could be challenged. The renewed focus on lifelong learning and on the formal recognition of learning, independent of how and where such learning took place, during this period strongly influenced the design of these early NQFs. In addition, there existed a perception at the time that different types of learning, specifically academic and vocational learning, could become less distinct. During this period, the promise of what an NQF would be able to do was ambitious, to say the least (McBride and Keevy 2010). Notwithstanding the paucity of empirical data to verify these promises in the years that followed, and notably also valid concerns by sceptics, countries and regions across the globe proceeded to develop qualifications frameworks at a pace. Indications at present are that more than 150 countries are developing NQFs (also referred to as second and third generation NQFs), while five regions are developing regional qualifications frameworks, and at least one transnational qualifications framework is being considered (UNESCO 2011).
It is within this global context that South Africa reviewed its NQF between 2002 and 2008, while similar reviews have taken place in other early generation NQFs, such as England, Australia and New Zealand to mention but a few. Importantly, the objectives of the South African NQF have not changed as they remain focused on integration, access, quality, redress and development.
At least three important questions come to mind as we look to the future:
1. How long will NQFs offer countries such as South Africa, the most effective route through which to achieve integration, access, quality, redress and development within and across the education and training system? Are there better “technologies” available? If so, what are they?
2. If NQFs represent the best technology available, what can we do to maximise their potential? How does it help us to understand an NQF as a relational device (Bolton and Keevy 2012)? How does the NQF enhance relationships between different parts of the education and training system?
3. What is the impact of an NQF, essentially as a mechanism to formally recognise learning, on the valuing of non-formal and informal learning? Through the introduction of recognition of prior learning (RPL) a bridge has been created between the formal system (the NQF) and learning that takes place outside of the formal system, but does this mean that learning only has value when it is “NQFised”?
Paper presented at the Assessment Conference, 21-22 August 2007, Gallagher Estate, Midrand, Johannesburg, 2007
I have prepared these reflections at an important juncture in the evolution of South African Nati... more I have prepared these reflections at an important juncture in the evolution of South African National Qualifications Framework (NQF), a juncture at which the NQF has undergone more than ten years of development implementation, and notably also subjected to almost the same number of years of intense criticism and protracted review. The reflections are mainly of a personal nature and do not claim to offer any inspiring new insights into the challenges faced by policy makers or assessment practitioners. In my tenure as researcher involved in NQF development in South Africa, in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) as well as in a number of other countries and regions, I have thought it useful to at this time attempt to follow some of the threads that make up the current NQF tapestry, focusing in particular on the impact on assessment practices.
Paper presented at the Bridging the Skills Gap 2006 Conference, Sandton, 15-17 November 2006, 2006
The shortage of critical skills in South Africa has been part of the skills development debate in... more The shortage of critical skills in South Africa has been part of the skills development debate in this country for some time. As the country is preparing for the FIFA World Cup in 2010 and more skilled workers are needed, this debate has been elevated to another level, with serious concerns being raised as to why we find ourselves in this precarious situation. Through initiatives such as the Shared and Accelerated Skills Growth Initiative of South Africa (ASGISA), government has shown that it is aware of the problem and that something needs to be done. One avenue for addressing the skills shortages in South Africa, particularly in the area of critical skills, is foreign recruitment. Of course this option has its own challenges and implications for the source countries, the recruiting countries and, most importantly, also for the workers.
In this paper we reflect on some of these challenges and implications from the perspective of the South African Qualifications Authority. We present some of the initial data on applications for the evaluation of foreign qualifications submitted between June and October 2006 and, in responding to the question whether foreign recruitment provides the answer to the shortage of critical skills in South Africa, make a case for the long-term management of foreign skills recruitment in South Africa through two routes:
(1) A more coordinated approach to the recognition of the qualifications of migrant workers, facilitated in part through the establishment of national and regional qualifications frameworks; and
(2) The protection of the integrity of national systems through the effective collection of data on the evaluation and recognition of foreign qualifications, which may lead to the development of improved recruitment and migration policies.
Paper presented at the SAQA NQF Research Conference 2010, 2010
Today, after some 15 years of development and implementation, the South African NQF is understood... more Today, after some 15 years of development and implementation, the South African NQF is understood as a “C3” framework that aims to promote communication, coordination and collaboration across education, training and work (Parker & Walters 2008). Today the ambitious purposes of the NQF that were foregrounded by the architects of the NQF in the late 1980s have made way for a more modest and pragmatic approach wherein the NQF is seen as an important lever in the larger education and training landscape, but not the only. While there is some debate, and differing opinions, whether the original strong transformative purpose of the NQF was necessary at the time (see Raffe 2009), and more so the extent to which any substantial impact was achieved (see SAQA 2006), there is no doubt that a step change has occurred. The original NQF (also referred to as NQF 1.0) has now made place for a new NQF (NQF 2.0), that builds on the lessons learnt, and that accommodates three sectoral sub-frameworks. Coupled to the new architecture and more modest ambitions of NQF 2.0, it is my view that a gradual migration has taken place away from strong behaviorist thinking that promoted the decontextualised codification of learning removed from the worlds of work, curriculum and professions (SAQA 2000, also see Moll 2009), in part influenced by the dominant outcomes-based education discourse in South Africa at the time, towards that of the constructivist thinking, in this case, influenced by the emerging recognition of the importance of contextualized learning (see Wenger 1998 and Illeris 2004). In this paper I attempt to map out this change in approach within the NQF to both the codification of learning, and to the context where the learning takes place; in other words, the extent to which C2 (codification and contextualization) has become embedded in an understanding of the NQF as C3 (communication, coordination and collaboration).
Paper presented at the 3rd Annual Education Conference in Southern Africa, Johannesburg, 3-6 March 2009, 2009
South Africa is a member of a small group of countries that have successfully developed and imple... more South Africa is a member of a small group of countries that have successfully developed and implemented first generation qualifications frameworks. Together with the five other Anglophone countries, England, Scotland, Ireland, New Zealand and Australia, the development of the South African qualifications framework was strongly influenced by English competency-models and Scottish emphasis on lifelong learning and preference for an outcomes-based approach prevalent in the 1980s and early 1990s. Even though the socio-economic and political contexts in the countries differed at the time, qualifications frameworks presented the opportunity to each to address longstanding national education and training challenges in a seemingly effective and efficient manner. Today, some twenty years later, more than 100 countries and at least three regions, including the European Union, have opted to follow the same route as a third generation of qualifications frameworks is emerging. In this paper I draw on the South African experience, including our participation in the Southern African region, as I critically reflect on three key areas: the evolution of the qualifications framework between 1995 and 2009; the relationship between lifelong learning and the new generation of qualifications frameworks; and the extent to which evidence-based research into qualifications frameworks can contribute to current thinking on qualifications frameworks in a globalised world.
UNESCO Nairobi Office convened a Forum, in Mahe Seychelles from March 16 to 18, 2016, for the cou... more UNESCO Nairobi Office convened a Forum, in Mahe Seychelles from March 16 to 18, 2016, for the countries of the East African region to address the problem of youth unemployment. The TVET Sub-Regional Forum for Eastern Africa under the theme “Skills for Youth Employment and Entrepreneurship” was held in collaboration with the government of the Seychelles and supported by UNESCO-UNEVOC International Centre. The Forum brought together key stakeholders within the Eastern African region to identify and share potential promising practices and successful innovations in skills development programmes for youth in the region. More specifically, the Forum focused on the following four key challenges: 1. What policies and measures should be adopted to ensure the effective contribution of skills development to economic, social and environmental development, and in particular address the high levels of youth unemployment; 2. How should national/institutional capacities be enhanced to promote employment intensive and inclusive growth; 3. How should youth be involved in innovative practices and how their skills and competencies could be enhanced for employability, entrepreneurship and business creation (self-employment); 4. How to create mechanisms for public-private and private-private collaboration to address skills gaps and job creation.
This consultative document has been developed to inform key stakeholders of the proposed developm... more This consultative document has been developed to inform key stakeholders of the proposed development and potential implications of the Ethiopia National Qualifications Framework and to elicit informed feedback. The document is structured in six parts: (1) background to the development and strategies for progressing the development of a conceptual framework for the
ENQF; (2) a review of international theory and practice; (3) a review of existing systems; (4) a review of information gathered at consultation events; (5) a possible conceptual framework for the ENFQ; and (6) initial thoughts for the development of the ENQF Implementation plan.
This discussion paper has been prepared by the South African Qualifications Authority on request ... more This discussion paper has been prepared by the South African Qualifications Authority on request of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Committee in August 2011 following an earlier decision, in February 2011, to develop a descriptive document that would describe the core identity of each of the three sub-frameworks of the National Qualifications Framework (NQF): the Higher Education Qualifications Framework (HEQF) (overseen by the CHE), the General and Further Education and Training Qualifications Framework (GFETQF) (overseen by Umalusi), and the Occupational Qualifications Framework (OQF). The main purpose of the paper is to identify and elaborate on the main features of the three sub-frameworks of the NQF in order to improve articulation between the sub-frameworks, and in so doing, also to contribute to the development of the NQF as a single integrated system. While the paper acknowledges that the challenge of articulation is complex and nuanced, it argues specifically for conceptual clarity on the learning pathways that underlie the sub-frameworks as a key to unlocking the other challenges.
This paper presents a review of the methodology employed in the South African national qualificat... more This paper presents a review of the methodology employed in the South African national qualifications framework (nqf) impact study between 2003 and 2005 (South African Qualifications Authority 2003 and 2005) and the methodologies employed in three similar international studies conducted in Scotland in 2005 (Scottish Executive 2005), Ireland in 2009 (National Qualifications Authority of Ireland, 2009), and an overarching study conducted by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) between 2009 and 2010 (Allais et al 2009 and Allais 2010) that included 16 countries. The main purpose of this review is to consider the most appropriate methodological adjustments necessary for the continuation of the South African nqf impact study in 2011.
Following a decision by the SADC Integrated Committee of Ministers in 2004 for the development of... more Following a decision by the SADC Integrated Committee of Ministers in 2004 for the development of a Southern African Development Community Regional Qualifications Framework (SADC RQF) a number of activities have been undertaken by the SADC Technical Committee on Certification and Accreditation (TCCA). These have included the review of the existing
qualifications in the SADC region in 2001 and 2010, the development of SADC regional quality assurance guidelines in 2008, as well as the development of a SADC qualifications portal from 2009. This concept document is a product of the activities undertaken by the SADC TCCA which have put in place the three main components of the SADC RQF, namely:
• ten levels with level descriptors
• SADC Qualifications Portal
• regional quality assurance guidelines
This study investigates the development and implementation of the South African National Qualific... more This study investigates the development and implementation of the South African National Qualifications Framework (NQF) since its conceptualisation in the early 1980s, up to 2005. Premised on the concern that power struggles are having a negative effect on the development and implementation of the NQF, the purpose of the study is to support improved future development and implementation of the NQF by describing the amalgamation of the different and contradictory views that support the development of an NQF that replaces all existing and divisive education and training structures in South Africa – the NQF discourse. A further purpose of the study is to reveal this NQF discourse as a system in which power is exercised, and then to make recommendations on minimising the negative effects of the power struggles.
يقدم هذا الدليل لمحة عامة عن مختلف العناصر التي
تشكل الإطار الوطني للمؤهلات من أجل مساعدة الأفرا... more يقدم هذا الدليل لمحة عامة عن مختلف العناصر التي
تشكل الإطار الوطني للمؤهلات من أجل مساعدة الأفراد المسؤولين عن أطر المؤهلات الوطنية
تنفيذ لتطوير وتنفيذ الإطار الوطني للمؤهلات التي هي الأكثر مناسبة
Initially developed for the UNESCO/UNISA/NEPAD Angola Collaboration in Teacher Education 2005-2006, 2010
Since the early 1990s, various governments across the world have embarked on ambitious and far-re... more Since the early 1990s, various governments across the world have embarked on ambitious and far-reaching attempts to reform their education and training systems. In many such cases, national qualifications frameworks (NQFs) have been used as key levers to facilitate the transformation processes. As more countries consider the same route it has become critical that government leaders, policy makers and key national stakeholders understand NQFs, and, more importantly, become aware of the strengths and weaknesses that they are associated with.
Over the past few years I have been involved with the development and implementation of the South African NQF as well as the proposed SADC Qualifications Framework (SADCQF). In working with various NQF partners and stakeholders I became increasingly aware that our interpretations of the various components that make up NQFs differed greatly – to the extent that we may agree on a particular aspects (e.g. the integration of education and training) even though we have radically different interpretations thereof. As a result I have made a first attempt to capture some of the thinking on NQFs in this guide. I do not claim that this guide covers all aspects associated with NQFs – I rather present it as a working document that can be improved with your input. Any errors are my own.
This guide provides an overview of the various components that constitute an NQF in order to assist individuals responsible for NQF implementation to develop and implement an NQF that is most suitable to their specific country.
Desde o início dos anos noventa, vários governos de diferentes partes do mundo empreenderam inici... more Desde o início dos anos noventa, vários governos de diferentes partes do mundo empreenderam iniciativas ambiciosas e de grande alcance com o fim de introduzir reformas nos seus sistemas de educação e formação. Na maioria dos casos, os Quadros Nacionais de Qualificações (NQF na sigla em inglês) têm sido utilizados como as ‘alavancas’ chave para facilitar os processos de transformação. À medida que mais países consideram seguir a mesma rota tornou-se extremamente importante que os líderes dos governos, os responsáveis pela elaboração de políticas e as principais partes de interesse a nível nacional possuam um entendimento dos Quadros Nacionais de Qualificações e, acima de tudo, fiquem a par dos pontos positivos e negativos que estão associados com os mesmos.
Nos últimos anos tenho estado envolvido com o desenvolvimento e implementação do NQF da África do Sul assim como do Quadro de Qualificações para a região da SADC (SADCQF na sigla em inglês). Durante o meu trabalho com os vários parceiros e partes de interesse envolvidos no NQF, apercebi-me cada vez mais de que a nossa interpretação das várias componentes que constituem os NQF diferem grandemente - ao ponto de podermos concordar num aspecto particular (ex.: a integração da educação e formação) mesmo que tenhamos interpretações radicalmente diferentes com relação ao mesmo. Assim, fiz uma primeira tentativa de captar algum do raciocínio sobre os NQF neste guia. Não pretendo afirmar que este guia abranja todos os aspectos associados com os NQF - prefiro apresentá-lo como um documento de trabalho que possa ser melhorado com a vossa participação. Quaisquer erros aqui encontrados são erros meus.
This research is focused on enhancing the relationship between performance appraisal (PA) and con... more This research is focused on enhancing the relationship between performance appraisal (PA) and continuing professional development (CPD) within the wider performance management of South African technical and vocational education and training (TVET) lecturers. It aims to address the country’s challenges in job creation and skills development by contributing to a well-aligned performance management and CPD system. Emphasising the importance of TVET lecturers in national human resource development (HRD), the research underscores the critical role of lecturers in shaping skilled graduates, thus contributing to economic growth, and advocates for a fair accountability process through PA in TVET colleges’ performance management systems.
The aim of this briefing document is to foreground how education systems may be mobilised to resp... more The aim of this briefing document is to foreground how education systems may be mobilised to respond to COVID-19 and to stimulate discussion around how this can be achieved in South Africa. In our view, preparations for an impending viral outbreak include non-pharmacological interventions that entail actions intended to prevent, limit or slow the spread of the virus and thereby curtail its impact. Education systems, in particular, should mobilise to respond in the context of the growing threat of COVID-19, but also more widely. The COVID-19 virus of 2019–2020 is a member of the Coronavirus (CoV) family of viruses that include the common cold as well as MERS-CoV (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome) and SARS-CoV (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) that emerged in 2002–2003 and 2012–2013 respectively. COVID-19 is dispersing ever more widely across the globe in many developed and developing countries that differ widely in their readiness to deal with its impact.
This edition of the SAQA Bulletin draws together three papers focusing on the Bologna Process in ... more This edition of the SAQA Bulletin draws together three papers focusing on the Bologna Process in Europe that have recently been presented in South Africa on request of SAQA. The impact of the Bologna Process on South African learners, and more broadly, the South African higher education system was identified by SAQA as an area that requires greater scrutiny. There is no doubt that the significant effort by Europe to modernise its education systems through the Bologna Process, notably through the development of national and regional qualifications frameworks, has had an effect not only in South and Southern Africa, but also across the world.
South Africa has been one of the pioneering countries that has developed an NQF and is also closely involved in regional qualifications framework development in SADC. The relationship between qualifications framework development in South and Southern Africa and that in Europe remains relatively unexplored; the exception being a report developed by SAQA for the European Training Foundation (ETF) in 2010 on transnational qualifications frameworks. The three papers included in this edition have been specifically selected to address this important relationship between the attempts at modernising the South African education and training system since 1994, notably through the NQF, and the broad European attempt embodied in the Bologna Process, that has included the development of two regional qualifications frameworks and more than 30 NQFs.
The first paper is from Stephen Adam, a recognised expert on the Bologna Process, who accepted SAQA’s invitation to speak at the seminar held in Stellenbosch in April 2013. Adam has contributed to several Bologna-related initiatives, including experiential learning, referencing and verification of qualifications frameworks to the QF-EHEA. In his paper, Adam provides a cogent overview of the intricacies of the Bologna Process, as well as some of the strengths, achievements and also weaknesses and failures. Adam points out that the EHEA is ‘clearly in its immature years’ but adds that some of the approaches and tools could be of value to South and Southern Africa. Adam’s paper emphasises the need to build trust and also to avoid developing what he refers to as “zombie” qualifications frameworks that do not have a relationship with other related processes:
The relationship of the NQF with other necessary supportive reforms can be unclear. In some cases, zombie NQFs can be the result - useless frameworks that are not fully alive nor have any real impact on current practices. Such fake reforms can also find a parallel at institutional level where Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) create new cosmetic learning outcomes for old re-packaged, unreformed qualifications.
Martin Oosthuizen, who is also a member of the SAQA Reference Group on Credit Accumalation and Transfer (CAT), was asked to respond to Adam. In his carefully considered response, Oosthuizen recognises similar challenges in the South African and European higher education systems, including high drop-out rates, outmoded curricula as well as the urgent need for higher enrolment rates. Considering these challenges, Oosthuizen explores two main themes in his response: that of the Bologna Process as a framework for reform, and NQFs as tools to promote transparency, comparability and mobility. He makes several observations in the process, such as what constitutes an acceptable level of convergence between diverse national systems. Drawing on Van Damme (2009), Oosthuizen suggests that the Bologna Process provides a good example of balancing the forces of convergence and diversity. In the process of interrogating Bologna as a reform process, he notes the interconnectedness and interdependence of different reform initiatives, the capacity and willingness to adapt, and the support mechanisms put in place for the reform process; points which have been made in the NQF discourse in South Africa for many years. Oosthuizen then applies these insights to the South and Southern African context and comes up with useful considerations for the South African NQF, CAT and quality assurance. He ends his paper with a call for mutually beneficial collaboration opportunities.
The third paper by Padraig Walsh is written from an Irish perspective as it reflects on the role of the Irish National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) and the European-wide qualifications framework in promoting articulation. The paper is written at a time when the Irish system has just gone through a reform process at a governance level (the oversight bodies have been integrated). In the first part of his paper, Walsh provides a complementary perspective on the EHEA process to that provided by Adam, with specific attention to the inter-relationship between NQFs in European countries and the two meta-frameworks, the QF-EHEA and the EQF. The second part of his paper provides useful insights into the Irish NFQ development leading to the recent establishment of Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI).
This Country Note sets out the findings of an OECD team on an investigation of processes for the ... more This Country Note sets out the findings of an OECD team on an investigation of processes for the recognition of non-formal and informal learning in the Republic of South Africa, taking into account a Country Background Report, other ancillary information prepared by the South African authorities, as well as the outcomes of the meetings and site visits undertaken by the OECD team in the course of a visit to South Africa between 17 and 22 February 2008.
Background to the project
Recognition of non-formal and informal learning is now high on the policy agenda in many OECD countries. In 1996, the OECD education ministers agreed to develop strategies for “lifelong learning for all”. That approach has been endorsed by ministers of labour, by ministers of social affairs and by the OECD Council at ministerial level. It is an approach whose importance may now be clearer than ever. Learning is a continuous process that takes place throughout life and in many settings. The concept of “from cradle to grave” includes formal, non-formal, and informal learning. If learning is only recognised as the outcome of formal teaching, most of what is learnt is not recognised.
From a policy point of view, the recognition of non-formal and informal learning is wholly consistent with the principle that individuals have an entitlement to recognition for the knowledge, skills and competencies developed through learning, wherever and however that learning took place. The recognition of non-formal and informal learning has the potential to be effective in widening that recognition beyond the range of knowledge, skills and competencies developed in the formal education and training systems.
The non-formal and informal approach can also be effective in attracting learners who would otherwise be unable or reluctant to enter a formal education and training institution. Learning, whether it is recognised through formal credits towards qualifications or by other means, is important in meeting the career, social and personal aspirations of individual learners. But beyond the needs of individuals, the establishment of systems of non-formal and informal learning also has the potential to enrich the social, economic and cultural well-being of the country.
An OECD project entitled Recognition of Non-formal and Informal Learning was launched in 2006 to investigate how much evidence exists on the benefits of such recognition, whether governments know enough about the impact of national policies on such recognition and under what conditions can such recognition be beneficial for all? The project has included over 20 OECD member countries and two countries with strong links to the OECD, one of which, South Africa, is the subject of this report. Subsequent to the visit described in this report, it has been confirmed that South Africa is to become a full member of the OECD.
The working methods of the project consist of desk-based research and a field visit. The desk-based research aims at providing guidance for the preparation of a country background report; developing a framework for data collection (qualitative and quantitative) and analysis. The purpose of the field visit is to deepen understanding of the country’s policy context and to investigate the translation of policy into practice.
This edition of the SAQA Bulletin draws together a number of recent contributions focusing on RPL... more This edition of the SAQA Bulletin draws together a number of recent contributions focusing on RPL in South Africa, most of which were undertaken or commissioned by SAQA in support of the Ministerial RPL Task Team that was tasked to develop a national strategy for the wide-scale implementation of RPL in the post-school education and training system. At the time of the finalisation of this Bulletin, the recommendation from the Ministerial Task Team had been completed and submitted to the Minister: Higher Education and Training. The contributions have also fed into the development of the revised SAQA policy on RPL, which at the time of the finalisation of this Bulletin was being released for public comment, after which it will be finalised in early 2013.
This collection of papers offer important insights into the current RPL debates as South Africa considers how best to take RPL to the next level. Importantly, the papers build on earlier activities such as the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) study that was concluded in 2009, as well as the successful international RPL conference that was hosted by SAQA in February 2011.
This special edition of the SAQA Bulletin has been prepared in recognition of the contribution of... more This special edition of the SAQA Bulletin has been prepared in recognition of the contribution of Samuel Isaacs to the development of the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) in South Africa. Starting out as the convenor of the Committee for Development Work on the NQF in December 1995, serving as the first chairperson of the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) between 1996 and 1997, and then as Chief Executive Officer for a fifteen year period between 1997 and 2012, Samuel Isaacs’ contribution has been considerable. An important characteristic during this period has been regular and timeous written contributions that provide a detailed account of the history of the NQF. This Bulletin is a collation of some of these key publications by Samuel Isaacs and fellow journey-men and women over the period.
As a living contribution to Samuel Isaacs this special edition of the Bulletin will not only be a valuable resource for researchers and key stakeholders; it will also serve as a reader for a newly established course Lifelong Learning and NQFs: Leaders for Learning jointly developed by the University of the Western Cape (UWC) and SAQA. The first intake commences their studies in February 2012. They will participate in this structured continuing education programme which includes the key themes of relationships between lifelong learning and NQFs; conceptual frameworks underpinning NQFs and their evolution; ways of describing the architecture and changing structures of NQFs; the important role of leadership in developing and implementing NQFs; and an aspect championed by Samuel Isaacs over time: the social uses of qualifications.
This edition of the Bulletin includes 14 selected papers written between 1995 and 2011. Each of the articles has already been circulated in the public domain; where prior publication was in non-SAQA books or journals, the necessary permissions have been obtained. In the case of some of the earliest publications, original texts were not available in electronic form and were scanned from hard copies. The original referencing styles of the papers have been retained, and as a result, some differences between papers will be evident. Every effort was made in this process, to ensure accurate reflections of the original texts. The reader is requested to alert SAQA if any inaccuracies are found; these items will be corrected in the first reprint of this Bulletin.
Four papers delivered at the SAQA ILO Symposium on 8 and 9 September 2011 are included in this Bu... more Four papers delivered at the SAQA ILO Symposium on 8 and 9 September 2011 are included in this Bulletin. The first paper by Keevy and Bolton is entitled What is the South African National Qualifications Framework and how can its impact be measured? This paper focuses on different and evolving understandings of NQFs since first introduced in the late 1980s and the present, drawing in particular on the experiences of SAQA in overseeing the South African NQF since 1998. The paper interrogates the different understandings of the NQF and the implications of each based on historical evidence.
The second paper entitled Classification of qualifications: in praise of relevance is prepared by Castejon from the European Training Foundation (ETF) based in Turin, Italy. Reflecting on the work of the ETF in European countries as well as with the EQF, this paper considers three approaches to the development of an NQF: (1) path dependent or historically contextualised trajectory that necessarily entails minimum transaction costs; (2) communicative approach which takes the existing system as a starting point and is mostly led by educational institutions; and (3) regulatory approach which takes a future system as a starting point. Using the French NQF as a case study, Castejon illustrates how an NQF can bring about change in a system based on elements of all three of the approaches.
The implementation and labour market impact of National Qualifications Frameworks: synopsis of ILO research findings is a collection of key International Labour Organisation (ILO) research findings that relate to NQFs and that outlines the ILO’s mission on skills development within the context of the G20 Training Strategy for strong, sustained and balanced growth. This paper is prepared by Evans-Klock based at the ILO in Geneva, with support from Aggarwal based at the ILO regional office in Pretoria. Key findings from reports written by Young (2005), Tuck (2007) and Allais (2010) are presented followed by questions for further research. The lack of the inclusion of the voices of employers, trade unions and institutions is noted, as well as the relatively early stage of development of NQFs when the studies were undertaken. The paper also suggests that it may be more useful to investigate broader set of measures for achieving labour market goals, rather than looking at NQFs directly.
The fourth paper prepared by Arnesen is entitled Taking the NQF to the people: thoughts on the South African NQF Advocacy Project. This paper provides an overview of the NQF Advocacy Project in South Africa which is based on the principles of social marketing that were introduced in the 1970s: social marketing does not focus on commercial gain, but rather on positive social change without profit to the marketer. According to Arnesen the contribution of this approach to the understanding of the NQF in South Africa provides important insights that may also be of value to other countries.
The final paper is a SAQA commissioned reflection on NQFs following the symposium entitled Militant modesty: Communication and impact in the mission of the NQF. The authors of this paper, French and King, attended the symposium and used the debates as a springboard for the discussion presented in their paper. The paper is not intended as a summary of the symposium, nor does it reflect the views of SAQA or the ILO.
cooperative functions of an NQF, while also presenting a powerful realty check to implementers. Raising a critique of the use of theory in the evaluation of NQFs, French and King make an impatient call for action from implementing agencies to gather evidence about real practices in order to inform the communicative role of the NQF. Building their arguments around a central theme of “militant modesty” the authors argue for humility before the challenges facing the NQF, but with assertiveness about the importance and value of the work.
Following from a reading of the five papers and a reflection on the debates that took place during the symposium it is evident that NQFs are dynamic, complex, multi-dimensional and evolving constructs that can, and are, being implemented using a variety of approaches across the world. It is also true that evidence of the impact of NQFs remains limited, mainly as a result of the relatively early stage of development, but also because the methodologies to measure the impact of NQFs remain under-developed. When understanding an NQF as a relational device that is not an end in its own right, the measurement of impact takes on a new dimension which includes the following:
• Taking network rather than linear views;
• Investigating the broader set of measures for achieving labour market goals,
rather than looking at the NQF directly;
• Probing the use of NQFs by employers, organised labour and institutions rather
than limiting the focus to the architects of the system;
• Direct participative social marketing of the NQF to influence behaviour rather
than brand positioning and awareness;
• Dynamic measurement rather than longitudinal and comparative studies;
• A systematic study of the web of relations rather than isolated events;
• A historical situated and path-dependent approach rather than an ahistorical
analysis.
"This Bulletin contains the papers presented at the Second Annual NQF Colloquium held at the Velm... more "This Bulletin contains the papers presented at the Second Annual NQF Colloquium held at the Velmoré Conference Centre, Midrand, 10 to 11 August 2006.
Couched within the overarching theme of “The NQF as a socially inclusive and cohesive system”, the six speakers were asked to prepare papers on the following three sub-themes:
International qualifications frameworks developments
Here the interaction between Jim Gallacher (Co-director, Centre for Research in Lifelong Learning, Glasgow Caledonian University, Scotland) and Samuel Isaacs (Executive Officer, SAQA) offers a useful insight into the role of national and regional qualifications frameworks (NQFs) in introducing change and providing new opportunities for learners. Their papers show that the challenges faced in South Africa are not unique. In particular they show that the international NQF discourse includes numerous debates on similar challenges as well as the ways in which they were addressed.
The NQF as a community of practice/trust
Collectively, Molapo Qhobela (Chief Director, Higher Education Policy, Department of Education) and Ben Parker (previously with the University of Kwazulu Natal, now Strategic Operations Manager, Umgungundlovu FET College) offer a wealth of experience of the South African education and training system. In their papers they build on the notions of communities of practice (Etienne Wenger) and communities of trust (Michael Young) and ask to what extent the NQF can be seen as such.
The NQF as a social construct
While the “social construct” interpretation of the NQF was often heard in the early years of NQF development and implementation in South African (Isaacs and Cosser), such voices seem to have receded. Under this sub-theme Yusef Waghid (University of Stellenbosch, Education Policy Studies) and Mary Metcalfe (University of the Witwatersrand, School of Education) consider whether the NQF can legitimately be referred to as a “social construct” or whether it is a process which is still in the making. "
Three of the five papers included in this issue of the SAQA Bulletin have been drawn from the pro... more Three of the five papers included in this issue of the SAQA Bulletin have been drawn from the proceedings of the sixth Q-Africa conference, which was held at Gallagher Estate from 16–17 November 2005. The conference theme was Building communities of trust, which attracted a variety of presentations and papers from South Africa, the Southern African Development Community (SADC), Africa and further afield. Another paper is from a recent Kenton conference, while the last is a commissioned paper in response to the SAQA Chairperson’s Lecture held in March 2006.
This report is a summary of an exploratory investigation into the use of credit accumulation and ... more This report is a summary of an exploratory investigation into the use of credit accumulation and transfer (CAT) systems in the international context. SAQA has undertaken this research to
compare the NQF in South Africa with NQFs in other countries. This report is a contribution to the ongoing debate on different forms of NQFs. The report is structured into three sections. The first is an attempt to reach a common understanding of a CAT system, including the perceived benefits for such a system; the
second looks at credit accumulation and transfer as these occur in or alongside existing and emerging NQFs; and the third reflects on the possibility of the South African NQF as a CAT system, including possible obstacles and challenges that may limit such a development.
Special edition to coincide with the Fourth Annual SAQA Chairperson's Lecture held in Midrand, 15... more Special edition to coincide with the Fourth Annual SAQA Chairperson's Lecture held in Midrand, 15 March 2006.
The South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) hosted the First Annual National Qualifications... more The South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) hosted the First Annual National Qualifications Framework (NQF) Colloquium at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) Convention Centre from 13 to 14 June 2005. The Colloquium was well attended with more than 150 key NQF stakeholders and partners participating. The purpose of the NQF Colloquium was to establish a joint forward-looking research agenda between SAQA and NQF stakeholders by encouraging debate on, and intellectual scrutiny of, topical NQF-related matters.
The papers in this edition of the SAQA Bulletin have been drawn from the proceedings of the annua... more The papers in this edition of the SAQA Bulletin have been drawn from the proceedings of the annual Qualification Africa Conference that was held at Gallagher Estate in September 2004. The conference theme “Thinking and doing education and training anew” proved to be very appropriate and attracted
a variety of presentations and papers from South Africa, Ireland, Scotland, Germany and various African countries. The first paper by Tuck, Hart and Keevy suggests ways in which the outcomes
of the National Qualification Framework (NQF) Impact Study can inform qualification framework development in Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries. This lengthy but very informative discussion on National Qualifications Frameworks from an international perspective will be of interest to many readers. Heyns and Needham explore the notoriously difficult topic of “integration”. They try to unravel on three levels ranging from macro to micro what is meant by an integrated NQF. This presentation at the conference was particularly well attended suggesting that there is still much debate around this topic that forms such an important part of NQF implementation.
The paper by Brian Forbes focuses on assessment strategies in the higher education sector. His paper is an excellent example of how many NQF principles can be applied both in education and training. The paper by Christoph Vorwerk explores another important topic, namely that of essential embedded knowledge. Vorwerk argues that the important role of embedded knowledge has been neglected when designing NQF unit standards.
The last three papers were commissioned by SAQA and relate to the third annual Chairperson’s Lecture held at Gallagher Estate, Johannesburg on 14 September 2004. The papers by Jonathan Jansen and Botshabelo Maja are responses to a paper by Gary Granville, which was published in Volume 6:1 of the SAQA Bulletin. A third paper by Edward French presents not only a summary
of these three papers (i.e. those by Granville, Jansen and Maja) but also offers a significant critique of the common theme, namely the NQF Impact Study. Collectively these papers present diverse opinions of SAQA’s approach to measuring the impact of the NQF and encourage more debate around this important initiative.
This edition of the SAQA Bulletin focuses on Further Education and Training (FET) in support of t... more This edition of the SAQA Bulletin focuses on Further Education and Training (FET) in support of the Minister of Education’s declaration of 2003 as “The year of FET”. In August 2002 SAQA commissioned a paper from the HSRC. The paper, titled Further
Education and Training: Quo Vadis?, was prepared by Mr Botshabelo Maja and Ms Susan Meyer. This paper and invited responses to it were presented at the annual SAQA
Chairman’s Lecture on 9 April 2003. The complete paper and responses are contained in this edition of the SAQA Bulletin.
Apart from a few minor editorial changes the responses have been reproduced in the form in which they were presented at the lecture.
This special edition of the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) Bulletin has been publi... more This special edition of the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) Bulletin has been published to coincide with the third annual SAQA Chairperson’s Lecture held at Gallagher Estate, Johannesburg on 14 September 2004. The title of the lecture is “Impact of the National Qualifications Framework after ten years of democracy”.
This edition of the SAQA Bulletin contains five papers focusing on a range of NQF-related issues.... more This edition of the SAQA Bulletin contains five papers focusing on a range of NQF-related issues.
The first paper entitled Understanding systemic change in building a South African Education and Training System: lessons learnt in overseeing the NQF, is based on a presentation in March 2003 by Samuel Isaacs at a local conference hosted by the Delta Foundation. It discusses the systemic change that the South African system is undergoing, and especially the role played by the NQF and SAQA. The paper gives a comprehensive description of the legislative framework in which the NQF is being implemented and relates the role of SAQA to other role players in education and training. The first part of the paper will be particularly valuable to someone who is not involved daily with the NQF. The second part of Isaacs’s paper unpacks the deeper underlying systemic issues that have confronted SAQA during NQF implementation. Some of these include: the effect of a combination of high pressure and high support; the relationship between leadership, management and transformation; the threat of underlying power issues.
The Isaacs paper covers a broad range of NQF-related issues and sets the scene for the next two papers by Merlyn Mehl and Jonathan Jansen that evaluate the documents that were recently released by the Departments of Education and Labour. In 2003, SAQA commissioned Mehl's paper The National Qualifications Framework: Quo Vadis? and Jansen’s paper Meta-evaluation Study: The Review of the South African Qualifications Framework (SAQA) and the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) with the brief to conduct a meta-evaluation study (an evaluation of an evaluation as explained by Jansen) of the recent reviews of SAQA and the NQF. Jansen and Mehl are both recognised academics and have been involved with the NQF since its conceptualisation in the early 1990s. The two papers represent their personal views and are not necessarily those of SAQA nor of the institutions with which they are associated.
A brief background to these two evaluations is useful. NQF stakeholders and partners were given the opportunity to submit comments on both documents. In 2002, the first round of public comments on the Report of the Study Team on the Implementation of the NQF resulted in the publication in 2003 of the Consultative Document by the Departments of Education and Labour. The Consultative Document is significantly different from the Report of the Study Team, as the two responsible ministers admitted in the foreword to the Consultative Document:
It is with great pleasure that we are able to publish an initial joint response from the Departments of Education and Labour to the Report of the Study Team on the Implementation of the National Qualifications Framework (April 2002).
We appreciate that this work has taken far longer than expected and that a number of people and process have been inconvenienced in the delay. So much is at stake and so many people will be affected by the outcomes that considerable care had to be exercised in its preparation.
Given that some important proposals in this inter-departmental document differ substantially from those in the Study Team’s Report it is only fair to give interested parties an opportunity to comment on them before final decisions are made (Consultative Document, 2003:ii).
By the time this edition of the SAQA Bulletin was published the public comment phase for the Consultative Document had been completed. Extensive comments (including those of SAQA) had been received by the joint departmental Task Team who was responsible for drawing up the Consultative Document. Except for the sense of urgency conveyed above by the ministers, there seemed to be no clear indication of the way forward.
It is against this background that SAQA commissioned Jansen and Mehl to undertake evaluations of the Consultative Document. The two evaluations are interesting reading and although structured differently, convey a similar message. This is that the Task Team for the Consultative Document has moved ‘well beyond’ the narrow ambit of the terms of reference for the original Study Team whose only task was to speed up the implementation of the NQF by conducting a focused study:
The Ministers explicitly stated that the study was not aimed at reversing the establishment and goals of the NQF (Report of the Study Team, 2002:3).
Jansen’s paper is a meta-evaluation of the Consultative Document. Mehl uses a broader systemic approach, but nonetheless also addresses the main proposals contained in that document.
The last two papers go beyond the current NQF debates and focus on the architecture of qualifications within South Africa and the assessment and recognition of prior learning.
The paper by Nadina Coetzee , entitled Education and Training in South Africa after a decade of democracy, was presented in September 2003 at the 15th Annual Conference of the European Association for International Education held in Vienna. As was the case with Isaac’s paper, Coetzee’s paper gives a particularly useful overview of South Africa’s transition from past education practices and includes a discussion on the establishment of the NQF. The detailed description of the current education and training structure complimented by an annexure providing a linear comparison between the previous fragmented structure and the NQF is particularly valuable for the informed reader.
The final paper by Ronel Heyns is entitled Developing models for the assessment and Recognition of Prior Learning. The paper was presented in September 2003 at the Qualifications Africa Conference held in Midrand. It is of a technical nature and will be of particular value to individuals and education and training providers who are faced with the challenges of implementing RPL. Heyns gives extensive examples of how credits can be obtained for qualifications and part qualifications in the context of the NQF. She describes ‘equivalence of learning’ and the identification of appropriate ‘fit-for-purpose’ assessment instruments. This paper builds on the work done in two other SAQA publications, The Recognition of Prior Learning in the context of the South African National Qualifications Framework and Criteria and guidelines for the implementation of RPL in the context of the South African NQF .
The concept of a protocol has an interesting dual meaning depending on the context wherein it is ... more The concept of a protocol has an interesting dual meaning depending on the context wherein it is used. If used in bi-and multilateral contexts, notably to signal agreement between governments in relation to specific activities, a protocol becomes an official, highly structured document subject to multiple layers of bureaucratic approvals, endorsements, ratifications and accessions. If used in technical and digital contexts, a protocol sets out technical rules for data exchange between systems. In this paper, this duality is explored, specifically in relation to the African Continental Teacher Mobility Protocol (the "African Teacher Mobility Protocol") (African Union Commission, 2019a) that was developed between 2016 and 2018 through a collaboration between UNESCO's International Institute for Capacity Building in Africa and the African Union Commission. The purpose of the protocol is to "provide a framework for the managed mobility of the teaching force across African countries" (African Union Commission, 2019a, p. 11). Drawing on the dual interpretation, this paper explores the possibility of transposing the principles of the African Teacher Mobility Protocol to a data platform through which teacher mobility in Africa can be managed in a more seamless, agile and real-time manner, while not abandoning the important, albeit slower and more cumbersome, bureaucratic processes.
Throughout the ages humans have placed great emphasis on our ability to learn and evolve. After a... more Throughout the ages humans have placed great emphasis on our ability to learn and evolve. After all, this is the one feature that has allowed us to dominate all other species on our planet, and also enabled us to build machines and algorithms that we can control. At least this is what we intended to do. In our digital age we find ourselves in a situation where we have an over-supply of data, while our analytical and harvesting abilities struggle to keep up, requiring our gaze to shift to the lure that artificial intelligence offers. This is also the digital age wherein the very way in which we recognise learning is being challenged as we are confronted with concepts such as interoperability, immutability and disintermediation. This paper draws on new and emerging research as it explores the application of new technologies to the recognition of learning. The primary audiences of this paper are policy makers and researchers concerned with the recognition of learning in national, regional and global contexts. The paper starts with an overview of the existing forms of recognition of learning that have been utilised internationally, tracing these back to antique civilisations, and then offering some thoughts on where this has brought us to date. This is followed by examples of new thinking and experimentation in this field, including a few case studies, and finally some thoughts on where we may be heading as an international community. The promise of digital identities through which citizens could have full ownership of their data through distributed networks is explored in more detail as one of the key future features of how learning may be recognised.
In this paper we argue for revisiting the notion of lifelong learning. In our discussion we ackno... more In this paper we argue for revisiting the notion of lifelong learning. In our discussion we acknowledge the current notions of lifelong learning, well established through the Faure (Faure et al 1972) and Delors Reports (UNESCO 1996), as well as the role of the SDGs which frame the lifelong learning policies and associated measures currently in place globally. We also note the emerging thinking on global citizenship education, while relatively underdeveloped, is important to take note of. In our view, these policy measures, be they national, regional or global, attempt to provide greater levels of integration, but progress remains slow and by far outpaced by developments in the digital world. Current thinking from this burgeoning digital world has introduced new forms of literacies, including transliteracy which allows for the ability to read, write and interact across a range of platforms, and the notion of “new collar skills”, introduced by IBM to challenges the traditional blue and white collar distinctions we have become accustomed to. In turn these new concepts are challenging the manner in which we recognise learning, notably for the most vulnerable in our communities, such as migrants, and then also how we have been categorising learning as either formal, non-formal and informal. But what if we can bring these two worlds closer together? What if we can use the very disruptive technologies that have become so pervasive, to improve our education and skills systems? Surely, we now have the technology to develop self-sustaining electronic platforms for collaboration and learning opportunities, including the utilisation of data. These new digital ecosystems can provide us with limitless opportunities to think about literacy and skills development for the new world based on the principles of interoperability. In our view, there are some core principles required to move from integration to interoperability. As authors based at a non-profit research organisation we have been extremely privileged to be at the nexus of many of these developments. In this paper we attempt to share some of these experiences and insights. We acknowledge at the outset that our reach is far too wide, and that the paper will be challenged on a number of levels. Perhaps this paper is best positioned as a work-in-progress, and subsequent drafts will be used to refine and strengthen our arguments with the assistance of our peers, but at this point we felt more courageous, more ambitious, and perhaps above all, more eager to dream about the future of lifelong learning.
HIGHER EDUCATION TODAY -- Microcredentials -- Nadia Starr, Chief Executive Officer, South African... more HIGHER EDUCATION TODAY -- Microcredentials -- Nadia Starr, Chief Executive Officer, South African Qualifications Authority; James Keevy, Chief Executive Officer, JET Education Services; and Trudi van Wyk, Chief Director, Department of Higher Education and Training. This segment of HIGHER EDUCATION TODAY thanks to UDC-TV and UCT TV; host is educational consultant and author Steven Roy Goodman.
The panel discussed where things stand, globally, in the development and provision of Lifelong Le... more The panel discussed where things stand, globally, in the development and provision of Lifelong Learning Systems, and whether we can see global convergence on these issues and on the need for global interoperability. Thanks to GDN and AACRAO (American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers). Panel members: Pankaj Mittal, Secretary General of the Association of Indian Universities (AIU) Manuela Geleng works for the European Commission where she is currently the Director for Skills in the Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion. Borhene Chakroun Director of Policies and Lifelong Learning Systems Division at UNESCO-HQ. Alex Kaplan leads IBM’s global work on the application of emerging technologies
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Within this context, the three-year JLMP Priority Project (2018-2021) was developed with the overall objective of improving the governance of labour migration and so achieving safe, orderly and regular migration in Africa in accordance with the relevant frameworks of the African Union (AU) and Regional Economic Commissions (RECs), as well as relevant international human rights and labour standards and other cooperation processes.
Under the JLMP Priority Project, the International Labour Organization (ILO), together with the African Union Commission, appointed JET Education Services to conduct a “Study of current barriers to effective labour mobility in the African leather industry in eastern, northern and western Africa”.
This study provided an important opportunity to investigate the skills recognition methodologies available to refugees in South Africa and Zambia. The findings were largely expected: refugees have limited access to recognition opportunities; there are some promising continental initiatives on the horizon, but they are still far from being realised on national levels; and that there are strong misconceptions that refugees are stealing jobs from citizens. There were also some less expected findings: formal employment of refugees in South Africa and Zambia remains similar to their employment status in the countries where they came from; skills validation success tends to match certification levels and leaves lower skilled refugees without options; and that refugees have mid-level skills, rather than only high or very low skills. We encourage entities like SAQA and ZAQA to do more of the good work they have been doing by taking pilots to scale, and by sharing findings, also failures, within the broader skills ecosystem in Africa that has formed through the ACQF process. As Africans we have the technical knowledge and the collaborative culture to advance much quicker that many may expect.
knowledge and skill component of the curriculum, for example by integrating productivity software such as word processors or spreadsheets into students’ learning outcomes. The integration of digital skills in the TVET curriculum allows learners to acquire the changing skills and knowledge (tacit and explicit) required to function in a digitalizing society, economy and labour market. Digital transformation in TVET is also transforming the dominant modalities of traditional face-to-face learning and teaching to involve multiple configurations of actors (learners, teachers and technologies/apps) in space and time (when, where, who, how). This means that digital transformation in TVET offers opportunities for teachers to reconsider their pedagogical assumptions, behaviours and relationships with students.
contributions of TVET providers and companies in identifying, integrating and implementing new qualifications and competencies, drawing on contributions from literature as well as expert engagements and case studies. The report has been prepared as a collaborative effort between UNEVOC centres and experts
from across the globe in early 2021 as the COVID-19 pandemic was having a significant impact on TVET institutions. This situation also created an opportunity for the authors and their collaborators to engage in a more future looking process, which is presented in the following pages. International UNEVOC centres and TVET practitioners, stakeholders and researchers are intended as the main audience.
The mapping study was commissioned by the AU-EU Skills for Youth Employability Programme/Skills Initiative for Africa (SIFA), Technical Cooperation – Developing the African Continental Qualifications Framework, a partnership of the African Union Commission (AUC) with the European Union (EU), the Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and the European Training Foundation (ETF). The programme was launched in June 2019, and the inaugural workshop of the ACQF development component took place on 2–4 September 2019 at the headquarters of the AU in Addis Ababa.
This ACQF mapping report presents the key findings of the mapping study of qualifications framework development in African countries, conducted from September 2019 to September 2020, covering qualifications frameworks/systems at different stages of development, consolidation and implementation. The primary audiences for this report are policymakers, practitioners and researchers working on qualifications frameworks and systems on African, regional and country levels. This mapping report is the first of a three-part process and will be followed by the analysis of options and scenarios for the ACQF (2020–21), and development of the ACQF policy and technical document and action plan (2021–22), accompanied by an action plan and technical guidelines.
Within this context, the three-year JLMP Priority Project (2018-2021) was developed with the overall objective of improving the governance of labour migration and so achieving safe, orderly and regular migration in Africa in accordance with the relevant frameworks of the African Union (AU) and Regional Economic Commissions (RECs), as well as relevant international human rights and labour standards and other cooperation processes.
Under the JLMP Priority Project, the International Labour Organization (ILO), together with the African Union Commission, appointed JET Education Services to conduct a “Study of current barriers to effective labour mobility in the African leather industry in eastern, northern and western Africa”.
This study provided an important opportunity to investigate the skills recognition methodologies available to refugees in South Africa and Zambia. The findings were largely expected: refugees have limited access to recognition opportunities; there are some promising continental initiatives on the horizon, but they are still far from being realised on national levels; and that there are strong misconceptions that refugees are stealing jobs from citizens. There were also some less expected findings: formal employment of refugees in South Africa and Zambia remains similar to their employment status in the countries where they came from; skills validation success tends to match certification levels and leaves lower skilled refugees without options; and that refugees have mid-level skills, rather than only high or very low skills. We encourage entities like SAQA and ZAQA to do more of the good work they have been doing by taking pilots to scale, and by sharing findings, also failures, within the broader skills ecosystem in Africa that has formed through the ACQF process. As Africans we have the technical knowledge and the collaborative culture to advance much quicker that many may expect.
knowledge and skill component of the curriculum, for example by integrating productivity software such as word processors or spreadsheets into students’ learning outcomes. The integration of digital skills in the TVET curriculum allows learners to acquire the changing skills and knowledge (tacit and explicit) required to function in a digitalizing society, economy and labour market. Digital transformation in TVET is also transforming the dominant modalities of traditional face-to-face learning and teaching to involve multiple configurations of actors (learners, teachers and technologies/apps) in space and time (when, where, who, how). This means that digital transformation in TVET offers opportunities for teachers to reconsider their pedagogical assumptions, behaviours and relationships with students.
contributions of TVET providers and companies in identifying, integrating and implementing new qualifications and competencies, drawing on contributions from literature as well as expert engagements and case studies. The report has been prepared as a collaborative effort between UNEVOC centres and experts
from across the globe in early 2021 as the COVID-19 pandemic was having a significant impact on TVET institutions. This situation also created an opportunity for the authors and their collaborators to engage in a more future looking process, which is presented in the following pages. International UNEVOC centres and TVET practitioners, stakeholders and researchers are intended as the main audience.
The mapping study was commissioned by the AU-EU Skills for Youth Employability Programme/Skills Initiative for Africa (SIFA), Technical Cooperation – Developing the African Continental Qualifications Framework, a partnership of the African Union Commission (AUC) with the European Union (EU), the Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and the European Training Foundation (ETF). The programme was launched in June 2019, and the inaugural workshop of the ACQF development component took place on 2–4 September 2019 at the headquarters of the AU in Addis Ababa.
This ACQF mapping report presents the key findings of the mapping study of qualifications framework development in African countries, conducted from September 2019 to September 2020, covering qualifications frameworks/systems at different stages of development, consolidation and implementation. The primary audiences for this report are policymakers, practitioners and researchers working on qualifications frameworks and systems on African, regional and country levels. This mapping report is the first of a three-part process and will be followed by the analysis of options and scenarios for the ACQF (2020–21), and development of the ACQF policy and technical document and action plan (2021–22), accompanied by an action plan and technical guidelines.
There is increasing evidence that the use of digital technologies in education and training is supporting the development of learning materials and close monitoring of teaching and learning processes, changing pedagogies and forms of assessment and certification. Digital learning records and open data sources are complementing traditional qualifications repositories, while challenging the conventional models of credential evaluation, as both for-profit and non-profit verification agencies come to the fore as important players. These changes trigger many questions about the trustworthiness of data, interoperability of systems, and most critically the ubiquity of the standards – both learning standards and technology standards – that govern the new and dynamic landscape.
In this report, we consider these changes and offer a critical assessment of digital credentialing based on a review of the recent literature and a series of interviews with key actors. We argue for increased synergies between these developments and the quality assurance systems that have become closely associated with the implementation of a new generation of qualifications frameworks internationally. We offer an outline of the ecosystem of these digital credentials and show the convergence and divergence with traditional qualifications frameworks. We propose that world reference levels – now in development – are key to expediting recognition of skills and qualifications across borders.
The research was initiated by UNESCO following the 3rd International Congress on Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) that was held in Shanghai in 2012 where a recommendation was made to explore the possibility of developing international guidelines on quality assurance for the recognition of qualifications based on learning outcomes. This included the proposal that a set of world reference levels be considered to facilitate the international recognition of TVET qualifications. This research report constitutes the first step of an incremental approach that will be followed to respond to the Shanghai Consensus Recommendation. Additional steps will include the conceptual development of the world reference levels, consultation and also a political process that will explore the technical and legal aspects relating to the desirability of defining and adopting world reference levels.
However, a “well-educated, capable and professional teaching staff” (DHET, 2013b: 16) is severely lacking in the colleges. According to the report on Skills (2016) in the Growth Agenda (2016) series published by the Centre of Development and Enterprise (CDE), too few lecturers in TVET colleges have “technical qualifications, workplace experience, pedagogical training, and/or higher degrees” (CDE, 2016: 3), in totality or in part. The report states that, “25% of current lecturers in the TVET sector have no teaching qualifications, more than half have no industry experience, and few have experience of working as artisans” (CDE, 2016: 3). This situation means that there is a critical need for continuing professional development (CPD) for the current corps of TVET lecturers so that they have the content knowledge, pedagogical and professional skills and values, as well as sufficient work exposure to teach effectively in TVET colleges.
着我们对认证的理解发生变化,这
种微证书的趋势实际上是印证了教
育正向着更加实质性的方向演变。
关注微证书之“微”只是一种表象;
这种现象在深层次上表明,经合组织
(2021)对正式、非正规和非正式
学习的经典定义逐渐削弱,因为技术
发展已经加速这样的地步,即能够
利用开放式架构有效设计数字模式,
以服务作为主权用户的不同个体。
aux microcertifications est en fait un indicateur de quelque chose de plus
substantiel qui se produit au fur et à mesure que notre compréhension
même de l’accréditation évolue. Selon nous, l’accent mis sur la partie « micro » des microcertifications n’est qu’un vernis ; ce qui se passe éellement, c’est que les définitions classiques de l’OCDE de l’apprentissage formel, non formel et informel (OCDE, 2021) se dissipent, car les développements technologiques se sont accélérés au point que les schémas numériques peuvent être conçus efficacement à l’aide d’architectures ouvertes conçues autour de l’individu en tant qu’utilisateur souverain (Chakroun & Keevy, 2023).
on countries across the world (Moffat, 2022) but proportionally more so on LMIC (OECD, 2020), such collaborations are needed more than ever. Public purses are increasingly stretched to breaking point, necessitating closer collaboration with both corporate and philanthropic funders. However, the role of philanthropy in education in Africa is complex, often misunderstood and certainly not uncontested (Gastrow, 2022; NORRAG et al., 2019). This brief contribution reflects on the potential for philanthropy to be more involved in new forms of PPPs in Africa in the post-COVID-19 context by drawing on innovation underway in South Africa.
Para este fim, o ACQF pretende ser inclusivo e abrangente, aberto a inovacao e as novas tecnologias, e baseado nos ensinamentos de processos semelhantes em Africa e a nivel mundial. O estudode mapeamento foi encomendado pelo Programa da AU-EU Programa de Aptidões para a Empregabilidade dos Jovens/Iniciativa de Competências para Africanos (SIFA), Cooperação Técnica - Desenvolvimento do Quadro de Qualificações Continentais Africanas, uma parceria da Comissão da União Africana (AUC) com a União Europeia (EU), a Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) e a Fundação Europeia para a Formação (ETF). O programa foi lançado em junho de 2019, e o workshop inaugural da componente de desenvolvimento do ACQF teve lugar a 2-4 de setembro de 2019 na sede da AU em Adis Abeba.
Este relatório de mapeamento ACQF apresenta as principais conclusões do estudo de mapeamento do desenvolvimento do quadro de qualificações nos países africanos, realizado de setembro de 2019 a setembro de 2020, abrangendo quadros/sistemas de qualificações em diferentes fases de desenvolvimento, consolidação, e implementação. As principais audiências para este relatório são decisores políticos, profissionais e investigadores que trabalham em quadros e sistemas de qualificações a nível africano, regional e nacional. Este relatório de mapeamento é o primeiro de um processo em três partes e será seguido pela análise de opções e cenários para o ACQF (2020-21), e desenvolvimento da política e documento técnico e plano de ação do ACQF (2021-22), acompanhado por um plano de ação e orientações técnicas.
L’étude cartographique a été commandée par le Programme de l’UA-UE sur les compétences pour l’employabilité des jeunes/Initiative compétences pour l’Afrique (SIFA), la Coopération technique au Développement du Cadre continental africain des certifications, un partenariat de la Commission de l’Union africaine (CUA) avec l’Union européenne (UE), l’Association allemande pour la coopération internationale (GIZ) et la Fondation européenne pour la formation (ETF). Le programme a été lancé en juin 2019, et l’atelier inaugural de la composante développement de l’ACQF a eu lieu du 2 au 4 septembre 2019 au siège de l’UA à Addis-Abeba.
Ce rapport d’étude cartographique de l’ACQF présente les principales conclusions de l’étude cartographique du développement des cadres des certifications dans les pays africains, menée de septembre 2019 à septembre 2020, couvrant les cadres/systèmes des certifications à différents niveaux de développement, de consolidation et de mise en oeuvre. Les principaux destinataires de ce rapport sont les décideurs politiques, les praticiens et les chercheurs travaillant sur les cadres et systèmes des certifications aux niveaux africain, régional et national. Ce rapport d’étude cartographique est le premier d’un processus en trois parties, et sera suivi par l’analyse des options et des scénarios pour l’ACQF (2020-21), et l’élaboration du document politique et technique ainsi que du plan d’action de l’ACQF (2021-22), accompagné d’un plan d’action et de directives techniques.
offers a platform to demonstrate promising applications
and practices that leverage AI to advance inclusion
and equity in education submitted to the conference.
These initiatives highlight the potential of AI in and for
education to accelerate progress and bridge digital,
gender, wealth, ability and other divides to create
inclusive knowledge societies.
A key driver for this futuristic collaboration, clearly articulated in the first iteration of the ToC, is a focus on the end-user. The JET-merSETA team was, from the outset, committed to a process that would enable South African citizens to make informed labour market decisions, leading to increased employment opportunities in line with the South African South Africa.
Reviewer: James Keevy
There is no doubt TVET lecturer development must be at the forefront of TVET provision in an age of rapid technological advancements, new work processes and significant socio-economic changes. The need for properly qualified lecturers, with the correct knowledge, skills and competencies for the 21st century, and especially digital competencies, has become even more evident with the development of the COVID-19 pandemic. Skills requirements and job demands for the future, post COVID-19, are likely to be different and this indicates the need for well-prepared TVET lecturers who can transfer the necessary skills sets to students and enable them to navigate an uncertain future. It is now essential to convert rhetorical discourse into clear guidelines, national interventions and a pathway to action. However, it is only through collaboration and co-creation between stakeholders in this uncertain and challenging environment that the TVET sector can truly transform and contribute to social and economic development, skills for life and work, and the sustainability of the planet.
My role: Member of global expert panel
Micro-credentials are increasingly promoted as a new and more flexible way of recognizing knowledge, skills and competences. Micro-credentials are flourishing with more new brand names constantly emerging. However, acceptance and recognition of micro-credentials by employers and policy-makers is hampered because, among other challenges, there is no universally recognized definition that clearly communicates to lay users, particularly learners and employers, what micro-credentials are. In recent years, policy-makers, scholars and educators have produced their own definitions, advancing scholarship in the area, and sometimes causing more confusion by adding yet another definition. Other challenges include determining whether micro-credentials complement or replace qualifications, or both; the dizzying array of providers and partnerships in the provision of micro-credentials; the need for robust quality assurance and the conundrum of how to enact it when providers operate outside of the regulated education sector; the lack of research and convincing evidence of micro-credentials’ efficacy so far, and the risk of unintended consequences if funding is diverted away from formal systems.
COVID-19 has severe social, economic and educational costs for youth. Nearly 20% of sub-Saharan Africa’s population is aged 15-24. Their capacities will be vital for recovery and future resilience. Rethinking post-basic education is more important than ever, so that it helps youth in their life goals, contributes to the changing demands of society, and advances sustainable development. In this publication, young people in Africa speak up about their aspirations and experiences of post-basic education. This synthesis report also assesses learning opportunities, considers factors affecting take-up, and identifies barriers and enablers of youth participation. Specific attention is given to financing to promote equity; socio-cultural barriers; skills for work and life; and increasing educators' capacity. A key message is that youth should be treated as agents of change and not only as beneficiaries of education. Increased research and policy attention to post-basic education is recommended, to be accompanied by financial resources. Synergies within post-basic education should be maximized and curricula must correspond more closely with the changing demands of the world of work. In the future, the supply and demand of post-basic education should be studied and assessed holistically. As envisaged by the Education 2030 Framework for Action, all stakeholders, including relevant ministries and youth, should be engaged in policy dialogue and the development of education programmes.
A key concern for developing such guidelines is the quality assurance
arrangements in TVET, which are essential for generating trust and ensuring transparency of qualifications for the labour market and individuals. Upto-date and well-grounded information on QA of qualifications in TVET in different countries and regions was needed to formulate these guidelines.
2. Le Protocole vise à protéger les droits et à reconnaître les responsabilités des enseignants qui migrent à l’échelle internationale sur une base temporaire ou permanente, et, en particulier, à empêcher l’exploitation de cette ressource humaine rare tant dans les pays d’origine que dans les pays d’accueil.
3. Le Protocole vise à faciliter la distribution des enseignants, essentiellement sur une base intra-africaine, mais sans exclure les migrations internationales, des situations excédentaires aux situations rares, en mettant l’accent sur la protection et le maintien de la qualité et de l’intégrité des systèmes éducatifs en Afrique.
4. Par ailleurs, le Protocole guide le mouvement bilatéral et multilatéral, régulier, délibéré et organisé des enseignants à travers l’Afrique en reconnaissant les enseignants comme des professionnels à part entière.
This evaluation was conducted to assess the effectiveness of the final phase of the CSTO Project and achievement of the CSTO objectives. The evaluation focused on the following:
• CSTO design and intended goals;
• Implementation of the CSTO Project;
• Overall challenges and successes experienced;
• Lessons learnt; and
• Considerations regarding the scalability and sustainability of the CSTO Project.
Having considered the primary objective of the evaluation, a process and developmental evaluation approach was chosen. The report draws on data collected from a selection of nine TVET colleges, representing a provincial, urban and rural mix, that were invited to participate in a pilot implementation of the CSTO Project.
This is the first time that national CAT policy and criteria is developed within South Africa. The conceptual model on which the policy draws will be further strengthened through the implementation of this policy and further research. Despite this limitation SAQA is of the view that this CAT policy and criteria provides an important benchmark that will have a positive impact on the education and training system by putting in place nationally agreed principles.
The core of the CAT model proposed in this policy and criteria is based on two approaches embedded within the South African NQF: (1) a description of qualifications in terms of learning outcomes in relation to the level descriptors of the NQF; and (2) the allocation of credits for the achievement of learning outcomes.
The CAT model described within this policy and criteria is of a reforming nature: while it draws on existing good practices, it also provides a strong impetus for change across various sectors where CAT remains limited. The policy and criteria provides a set of broad principles for CAT as well as specific roles for SAQA, the Quality Councils, education institutions, skills development providers, professional bodies and workplaces. An important feature of this CAT model is an arrangement whereby the diverse features of both credit accumulation and credit transfer are combined to facilitate lifelong learning and access to the workplace. In this regard the policy and criteria provides clarity on the features of both credit accumulation and credit transfer as they can be implemented within the South African context.
During this period of renewed attention on RPL, SAQA has been approached by a range of entities to support the implementation of RPL in key sectors. Examples include the agricultural sector, auto-motor artisanal work, correctional services, defence, transport, community development, policing, public service, sporting and others. These strategic RPL projects have been carefully considered by SAQA based on the extent to which they can be taken to scale and comprise key sectors for national development (Michelson 2012). This paper offers critical reflections on RPL developments to date and the strategic RPL projects co-ordinated by SAQA by drawing on the research collaboration between SAQA and the University of the Western Cape (UWC) (Ralphs, Cooper, Deller and Moodley, 2014) and locating this within the broader context of the revised national RPL policy (SAQA, 2013).
national-, transnational- or regional qualifications frameworks? In our paper we try to open this debate to a broader audience by taking two opposite positions: Paul, with a background in the Wiki environment, argues that the development and maintenance of
standards can be supported through ongoing general consensus, much like a WikiPedia article, and that daily changes to such standards simply reflect the natural daily changes in the world. James, with a background in qualifications framework
development, argues that standards can only be developed by expert practitioners located in specific communities of practice.
The paper will be presented to an international audience at a workshop during the Canadian Association for Prior Learning Assessment (CAPLA) conference that will take place from 21-23 October 2012 in Halifax. The main objectives of the workshop will be to:
• Reflect on the relationship between RPL and qualifications frameworks in general
• Share the South African RPL experience since 1995, and in particular, initiate debate on different ways in which RPL can be coordinated at a country level with the view of gaining new insights that may be applied to the current South African context
It is within this global context that South Africa reviewed its NQF between 2002 and 2008, while similar reviews have taken place in other early generation NQFs, such as England, Australia and New Zealand to mention but a few. Importantly, the objectives of the South African NQF have not changed as they remain focused on integration, access, quality, redress and development.
At least three important questions come to mind as we look to the future:
1. How long will NQFs offer countries such as South Africa, the most effective route through which to achieve integration, access, quality, redress and development within and across the education and training system? Are there better “technologies” available? If so, what are they?
2. If NQFs represent the best technology available, what can we do to maximise their potential? How does it help us to understand an NQF as a relational device (Bolton and Keevy 2012)? How does the NQF enhance relationships between different parts of the education and training system?
3. What is the impact of an NQF, essentially as a mechanism to formally recognise learning, on the valuing of non-formal and informal learning? Through the introduction of recognition of prior learning (RPL) a bridge has been created between the formal system (the NQF) and learning that takes place outside of the formal system, but does this mean that learning only has value when it is “NQFised”?
In this paper we reflect on some of these challenges and implications from the perspective of the South African Qualifications Authority. We present some of the initial data on applications for the evaluation of foreign qualifications submitted between June and October 2006 and, in responding to the question whether foreign recruitment provides the answer to the shortage of critical skills in South Africa, make a case for the long-term management of foreign skills recruitment in South Africa through two routes:
(1) A more coordinated approach to the recognition of the qualifications of migrant workers, facilitated in part through the establishment of national and regional qualifications frameworks; and
(2) The protection of the integrity of national systems through the effective collection of data on the evaluation and recognition of foreign qualifications, which may lead to the development of improved recruitment and migration policies.
1. What policies and measures should be adopted to ensure the effective contribution of skills development to economic, social and environmental development, and in particular address the high levels of youth unemployment;
2. How should national/institutional capacities be enhanced to promote employment intensive and inclusive growth;
3. How should youth be involved in innovative practices and how their skills and competencies could be enhanced for employability, entrepreneurship and business creation (self-employment);
4. How to create mechanisms for public-private and private-private collaboration to address skills gaps and job creation.
ENQF; (2) a review of international theory and practice; (3) a review of existing systems; (4) a review of information gathered at consultation events; (5) a possible conceptual framework for the ENFQ; and (6) initial thoughts for the development of the ENQF Implementation plan.
qualifications in the SADC region in 2001 and 2010, the development of SADC regional quality assurance guidelines in 2008, as well as the development of a SADC qualifications portal from 2009. This concept document is a product of the activities undertaken by the SADC TCCA which have put in place the three main components of the SADC RQF, namely:
• ten levels with level descriptors
• SADC Qualifications Portal
• regional quality assurance guidelines
تشكل الإطار الوطني للمؤهلات من أجل مساعدة الأفراد المسؤولين عن أطر المؤهلات الوطنية
تنفيذ لتطوير وتنفيذ الإطار الوطني للمؤهلات التي هي الأكثر مناسبة
إلى بلدهم محددة.
Over the past few years I have been involved with the development and implementation of the South African NQF as well as the proposed SADC Qualifications Framework (SADCQF). In working with various NQF partners and stakeholders I became increasingly aware that our interpretations of the various components that make up NQFs differed greatly – to the extent that we may agree on a particular aspects (e.g. the integration of education and training) even though we have radically different interpretations thereof. As a result I have made a first attempt to capture some of the thinking on NQFs in this guide. I do not claim that this guide covers all aspects associated with NQFs – I rather present it as a working document that can be improved with your input. Any errors are my own.
This guide provides an overview of the various components that constitute an NQF in order to assist individuals responsible for NQF implementation to develop and implement an NQF that is most suitable to their specific country.
Nos últimos anos tenho estado envolvido com o desenvolvimento e implementação do NQF da África do Sul assim como do Quadro de Qualificações para a região da SADC (SADCQF na sigla em inglês). Durante o meu trabalho com os vários parceiros e partes de interesse envolvidos no NQF, apercebi-me cada vez mais de que a nossa interpretação das várias componentes que constituem os NQF diferem grandemente - ao ponto de podermos concordar num aspecto particular (ex.: a integração da educação e formação) mesmo que tenhamos interpretações radicalmente diferentes com relação ao mesmo. Assim, fiz uma primeira tentativa de captar algum do raciocínio sobre os NQF neste guia. Não pretendo afirmar que este guia abranja todos os aspectos associados com os NQF - prefiro apresentá-lo como um documento de trabalho que possa ser melhorado com a vossa participação. Quaisquer erros aqui encontrados são erros meus.
South Africa has been one of the pioneering countries that has developed an NQF and is also closely involved in regional qualifications framework development in SADC. The relationship between qualifications framework development in South and Southern Africa and that in Europe remains relatively unexplored; the exception being a report developed by SAQA for the European Training Foundation (ETF) in 2010 on transnational qualifications frameworks. The three papers included in this edition have been specifically selected to address this important relationship between the attempts at modernising the South African education and training system since 1994, notably through the NQF, and the broad European attempt embodied in the Bologna Process, that has included the development of two regional qualifications frameworks and more than 30 NQFs.
The first paper is from Stephen Adam, a recognised expert on the Bologna Process, who accepted SAQA’s invitation to speak at the seminar held in Stellenbosch in April 2013. Adam has contributed to several Bologna-related initiatives, including experiential learning, referencing and verification of qualifications frameworks to the QF-EHEA. In his paper, Adam provides a cogent overview of the intricacies of the Bologna Process, as well as some of the strengths, achievements and also weaknesses and failures. Adam points out that the EHEA is ‘clearly in its immature years’ but adds that some of the approaches and tools could be of value to South and Southern Africa. Adam’s paper emphasises the need to build trust and also to avoid developing what he refers to as “zombie” qualifications frameworks that do not have a relationship with other related processes:
The relationship of the NQF with other necessary supportive reforms can be unclear. In some cases, zombie NQFs can be the result - useless frameworks that are not fully alive nor have any real impact on current practices. Such fake reforms can also find a parallel at institutional level where Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) create new cosmetic learning outcomes for old re-packaged, unreformed qualifications.
Martin Oosthuizen, who is also a member of the SAQA Reference Group on Credit Accumalation and Transfer (CAT), was asked to respond to Adam. In his carefully considered response, Oosthuizen recognises similar challenges in the South African and European higher education systems, including high drop-out rates, outmoded curricula as well as the urgent need for higher enrolment rates. Considering these challenges, Oosthuizen explores two main themes in his response: that of the Bologna Process as a framework for reform, and NQFs as tools to promote transparency, comparability and mobility. He makes several observations in the process, such as what constitutes an acceptable level of convergence between diverse national systems. Drawing on Van Damme (2009), Oosthuizen suggests that the Bologna Process provides a good example of balancing the forces of convergence and diversity. In the process of interrogating Bologna as a reform process, he notes the interconnectedness and interdependence of different reform initiatives, the capacity and willingness to adapt, and the support mechanisms put in place for the reform process; points which have been made in the NQF discourse in South Africa for many years. Oosthuizen then applies these insights to the South and Southern African context and comes up with useful considerations for the South African NQF, CAT and quality assurance. He ends his paper with a call for mutually beneficial collaboration opportunities.
The third paper by Padraig Walsh is written from an Irish perspective as it reflects on the role of the Irish National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) and the European-wide qualifications framework in promoting articulation. The paper is written at a time when the Irish system has just gone through a reform process at a governance level (the oversight bodies have been integrated). In the first part of his paper, Walsh provides a complementary perspective on the EHEA process to that provided by Adam, with specific attention to the inter-relationship between NQFs in European countries and the two meta-frameworks, the QF-EHEA and the EQF. The second part of his paper provides useful insights into the Irish NFQ development leading to the recent establishment of Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI).
Background to the project
Recognition of non-formal and informal learning is now high on the policy agenda in many OECD countries. In 1996, the OECD education ministers agreed to develop strategies for “lifelong learning for all”. That approach has been endorsed by ministers of labour, by ministers of social affairs and by the OECD Council at ministerial level. It is an approach whose importance may now be clearer than ever. Learning is a continuous process that takes place throughout life and in many settings. The concept of “from cradle to grave” includes formal, non-formal, and informal learning. If learning is only recognised as the outcome of formal teaching, most of what is learnt is not recognised.
From a policy point of view, the recognition of non-formal and informal learning is wholly consistent with the principle that individuals have an entitlement to recognition for the knowledge, skills and competencies developed through learning, wherever and however that learning took place. The recognition of non-formal and informal learning has the potential to be effective in widening that recognition beyond the range of knowledge, skills and competencies developed in the formal education and training systems.
The non-formal and informal approach can also be effective in attracting learners who would otherwise be unable or reluctant to enter a formal education and training institution. Learning, whether it is recognised through formal credits towards qualifications or by other means, is important in meeting the career, social and personal aspirations of individual learners. But beyond the needs of individuals, the establishment of systems of non-formal and informal learning also has the potential to enrich the social, economic and cultural well-being of the country.
An OECD project entitled Recognition of Non-formal and Informal Learning was launched in 2006 to investigate how much evidence exists on the benefits of such recognition, whether governments know enough about the impact of national policies on such recognition and under what conditions can such recognition be beneficial for all? The project has included over 20 OECD member countries and two countries with strong links to the OECD, one of which, South Africa, is the subject of this report. Subsequent to the visit described in this report, it has been confirmed that South Africa is to become a full member of the OECD.
The working methods of the project consist of desk-based research and a field visit. The desk-based research aims at providing guidance for the preparation of a country background report; developing a framework for data collection (qualitative and quantitative) and analysis. The purpose of the field visit is to deepen understanding of the country’s policy context and to investigate the translation of policy into practice.
This collection of papers offer important insights into the current RPL debates as South Africa considers how best to take RPL to the next level. Importantly, the papers build on earlier activities such as the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) study that was concluded in 2009, as well as the successful international RPL conference that was hosted by SAQA in February 2011.
As a living contribution to Samuel Isaacs this special edition of the Bulletin will not only be a valuable resource for researchers and key stakeholders; it will also serve as a reader for a newly established course Lifelong Learning and NQFs: Leaders for Learning jointly developed by the University of the Western Cape (UWC) and SAQA. The first intake commences their studies in February 2012. They will participate in this structured continuing education programme which includes the key themes of relationships between lifelong learning and NQFs; conceptual frameworks underpinning NQFs and their evolution; ways of describing the architecture and changing structures of NQFs; the important role of leadership in developing and implementing NQFs; and an aspect championed by Samuel Isaacs over time: the social uses of qualifications.
This edition of the Bulletin includes 14 selected papers written between 1995 and 2011. Each of the articles has already been circulated in the public domain; where prior publication was in non-SAQA books or journals, the necessary permissions have been obtained. In the case of some of the earliest publications, original texts were not available in electronic form and were scanned from hard copies. The original referencing styles of the papers have been retained, and as a result, some differences between papers will be evident. Every effort was made in this process, to ensure accurate reflections of the original texts. The reader is requested to alert SAQA if any inaccuracies are found; these items will be corrected in the first reprint of this Bulletin.
The second paper entitled Classification of qualifications: in praise of relevance is prepared by Castejon from the European Training Foundation (ETF) based in Turin, Italy. Reflecting on the work of the ETF in European countries as well as with the EQF, this paper considers three approaches to the development of an NQF: (1) path dependent or historically contextualised trajectory that necessarily entails minimum transaction costs; (2) communicative approach which takes the existing system as a starting point and is mostly led by educational institutions; and (3) regulatory approach which takes a future system as a starting point. Using the French NQF as a case study, Castejon illustrates how an NQF can bring about change in a system based on elements of all three of the approaches.
The implementation and labour market impact of National Qualifications Frameworks: synopsis of ILO research findings is a collection of key International Labour Organisation (ILO) research findings that relate to NQFs and that outlines the ILO’s mission on skills development within the context of the G20 Training Strategy for strong, sustained and balanced growth. This paper is prepared by Evans-Klock based at the ILO in Geneva, with support from Aggarwal based at the ILO regional office in Pretoria. Key findings from reports written by Young (2005), Tuck (2007) and Allais (2010) are presented followed by questions for further research. The lack of the inclusion of the voices of employers, trade unions and institutions is noted, as well as the relatively early stage of development of NQFs when the studies were undertaken. The paper also suggests that it may be more useful to investigate broader set of measures for achieving labour market goals, rather than looking at NQFs directly.
The fourth paper prepared by Arnesen is entitled Taking the NQF to the people: thoughts on the South African NQF Advocacy Project. This paper provides an overview of the NQF Advocacy Project in South Africa which is based on the principles of social marketing that were introduced in the 1970s: social marketing does not focus on commercial gain, but rather on positive social change without profit to the marketer. According to Arnesen the contribution of this approach to the understanding of the NQF in South Africa provides important insights that may also be of value to other countries.
The final paper is a SAQA commissioned reflection on NQFs following the symposium entitled Militant modesty: Communication and impact in the mission of the NQF. The authors of this paper, French and King, attended the symposium and used the debates as a springboard for the discussion presented in their paper. The paper is not intended as a summary of the symposium, nor does it reflect the views of SAQA or the ILO.
cooperative functions of an NQF, while also presenting a powerful realty check to implementers. Raising a critique of the use of theory in the evaluation of NQFs, French and King make an impatient call for action from implementing agencies to gather evidence about real practices in order to inform the communicative role of the NQF. Building their arguments around a central theme of “militant modesty” the authors argue for humility before the challenges facing the NQF, but with assertiveness about the importance and value of the work.
Following from a reading of the five papers and a reflection on the debates that took place during the symposium it is evident that NQFs are dynamic, complex, multi-dimensional and evolving constructs that can, and are, being implemented using a variety of approaches across the world. It is also true that evidence of the impact of NQFs remains limited, mainly as a result of the relatively early stage of development, but also because the methodologies to measure the impact of NQFs remain under-developed. When understanding an NQF as a relational device that is not an end in its own right, the measurement of impact takes on a new dimension which includes the following:
• Taking network rather than linear views;
• Investigating the broader set of measures for achieving labour market goals,
rather than looking at the NQF directly;
• Probing the use of NQFs by employers, organised labour and institutions rather
than limiting the focus to the architects of the system;
• Direct participative social marketing of the NQF to influence behaviour rather
than brand positioning and awareness;
• Dynamic measurement rather than longitudinal and comparative studies;
• A systematic study of the web of relations rather than isolated events;
• A historical situated and path-dependent approach rather than an ahistorical
analysis.
Couched within the overarching theme of “The NQF as a socially inclusive and cohesive system”, the six speakers were asked to prepare papers on the following three sub-themes:
International qualifications frameworks developments
Here the interaction between Jim Gallacher (Co-director, Centre for Research in Lifelong Learning, Glasgow Caledonian University, Scotland) and Samuel Isaacs (Executive Officer, SAQA) offers a useful insight into the role of national and regional qualifications frameworks (NQFs) in introducing change and providing new opportunities for learners. Their papers show that the challenges faced in South Africa are not unique. In particular they show that the international NQF discourse includes numerous debates on similar challenges as well as the ways in which they were addressed.
The NQF as a community of practice/trust
Collectively, Molapo Qhobela (Chief Director, Higher Education Policy, Department of Education) and Ben Parker (previously with the University of Kwazulu Natal, now Strategic Operations Manager, Umgungundlovu FET College) offer a wealth of experience of the South African education and training system. In their papers they build on the notions of communities of practice (Etienne Wenger) and communities of trust (Michael Young) and ask to what extent the NQF can be seen as such.
The NQF as a social construct
While the “social construct” interpretation of the NQF was often heard in the early years of NQF development and implementation in South African (Isaacs and Cosser), such voices seem to have receded. Under this sub-theme Yusef Waghid (University of Stellenbosch, Education Policy Studies) and Mary Metcalfe (University of the Witwatersrand, School of Education) consider whether the NQF can legitimately be referred to as a “social construct” or whether it is a process which is still in the making. "
compare the NQF in South Africa with NQFs in other countries. This report is a contribution to the ongoing debate on different forms of NQFs. The report is structured into three sections. The first is an attempt to reach a common understanding of a CAT system, including the perceived benefits for such a system; the
second looks at credit accumulation and transfer as these occur in or alongside existing and emerging NQFs; and the third reflects on the possibility of the South African NQF as a CAT system, including possible obstacles and challenges that may limit such a development.
a variety of presentations and papers from South Africa, Ireland, Scotland, Germany and various African countries. The first paper by Tuck, Hart and Keevy suggests ways in which the outcomes
of the National Qualification Framework (NQF) Impact Study can inform qualification framework development in Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries. This lengthy but very informative discussion on National Qualifications Frameworks from an international perspective will be of interest to many readers. Heyns and Needham explore the notoriously difficult topic of “integration”. They try to unravel on three levels ranging from macro to micro what is meant by an integrated NQF. This presentation at the conference was particularly well attended suggesting that there is still much debate around this topic that forms such an important part of NQF implementation.
The paper by Brian Forbes focuses on assessment strategies in the higher education sector. His paper is an excellent example of how many NQF principles can be applied both in education and training. The paper by Christoph Vorwerk explores another important topic, namely that of essential embedded knowledge. Vorwerk argues that the important role of embedded knowledge has been neglected when designing NQF unit standards.
The last three papers were commissioned by SAQA and relate to the third annual Chairperson’s Lecture held at Gallagher Estate, Johannesburg on 14 September 2004. The papers by Jonathan Jansen and Botshabelo Maja are responses to a paper by Gary Granville, which was published in Volume 6:1 of the SAQA Bulletin. A third paper by Edward French presents not only a summary
of these three papers (i.e. those by Granville, Jansen and Maja) but also offers a significant critique of the common theme, namely the NQF Impact Study. Collectively these papers present diverse opinions of SAQA’s approach to measuring the impact of the NQF and encourage more debate around this important initiative.
Education and Training: Quo Vadis?, was prepared by Mr Botshabelo Maja and Ms Susan Meyer. This paper and invited responses to it were presented at the annual SAQA
Chairman’s Lecture on 9 April 2003. The complete paper and responses are contained in this edition of the SAQA Bulletin.
Apart from a few minor editorial changes the responses have been reproduced in the form in which they were presented at the lecture.
The first paper entitled Understanding systemic change in building a South African Education and Training System: lessons learnt in overseeing the NQF, is based on a presentation in March 2003 by Samuel Isaacs at a local conference hosted by the Delta Foundation. It discusses the systemic change that the South African system is undergoing, and especially the role played by the NQF and SAQA. The paper gives a comprehensive description of the legislative framework in which the NQF is being implemented and relates the role of SAQA to other role players in education and training. The first part of the paper will be particularly valuable to someone who is not involved daily with the NQF. The second part of Isaacs’s paper unpacks the deeper underlying systemic issues that have confronted SAQA during NQF implementation. Some of these include: the effect of a combination of high pressure and high support; the relationship between leadership, management and transformation; the threat of underlying power issues.
The Isaacs paper covers a broad range of NQF-related issues and sets the scene for the next two papers by Merlyn Mehl and Jonathan Jansen that evaluate the documents that were recently released by the Departments of Education and Labour. In 2003, SAQA commissioned Mehl's paper The National Qualifications Framework: Quo Vadis? and Jansen’s paper Meta-evaluation Study: The Review of the South African Qualifications Framework (SAQA) and the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) with the brief to conduct a meta-evaluation study (an evaluation of an evaluation as explained by Jansen) of the recent reviews of SAQA and the NQF. Jansen and Mehl are both recognised academics and have been involved with the NQF since its conceptualisation in the early 1990s. The two papers represent their personal views and are not necessarily those of SAQA nor of the institutions with which they are associated.
A brief background to these two evaluations is useful. NQF stakeholders and partners were given the opportunity to submit comments on both documents. In 2002, the first round of public comments on the Report of the Study Team on the Implementation of the NQF resulted in the publication in 2003 of the Consultative Document by the Departments of Education and Labour. The Consultative Document is significantly different from the Report of the Study Team, as the two responsible ministers admitted in the foreword to the Consultative Document:
It is with great pleasure that we are able to publish an initial joint response from the Departments of Education and Labour to the Report of the Study Team on the Implementation of the National Qualifications Framework (April 2002).
We appreciate that this work has taken far longer than expected and that a number of people and process have been inconvenienced in the delay. So much is at stake and so many people will be affected by the outcomes that considerable care had to be exercised in its preparation.
Given that some important proposals in this inter-departmental document differ substantially from those in the Study Team’s Report it is only fair to give interested parties an opportunity to comment on them before final decisions are made (Consultative Document, 2003:ii).
By the time this edition of the SAQA Bulletin was published the public comment phase for the Consultative Document had been completed. Extensive comments (including those of SAQA) had been received by the joint departmental Task Team who was responsible for drawing up the Consultative Document. Except for the sense of urgency conveyed above by the ministers, there seemed to be no clear indication of the way forward.
It is against this background that SAQA commissioned Jansen and Mehl to undertake evaluations of the Consultative Document. The two evaluations are interesting reading and although structured differently, convey a similar message. This is that the Task Team for the Consultative Document has moved ‘well beyond’ the narrow ambit of the terms of reference for the original Study Team whose only task was to speed up the implementation of the NQF by conducting a focused study:
The Ministers explicitly stated that the study was not aimed at reversing the establishment and goals of the NQF (Report of the Study Team, 2002:3).
Jansen’s paper is a meta-evaluation of the Consultative Document. Mehl uses a broader systemic approach, but nonetheless also addresses the main proposals contained in that document.
The last two papers go beyond the current NQF debates and focus on the architecture of qualifications within South Africa and the assessment and recognition of prior learning.
The paper by Nadina Coetzee , entitled Education and Training in South Africa after a decade of democracy, was presented in September 2003 at the 15th Annual Conference of the European Association for International Education held in Vienna. As was the case with Isaac’s paper, Coetzee’s paper gives a particularly useful overview of South Africa’s transition from past education practices and includes a discussion on the establishment of the NQF. The detailed description of the current education and training structure complimented by an annexure providing a linear comparison between the previous fragmented structure and the NQF is particularly valuable for the informed reader.
The final paper by Ronel Heyns is entitled Developing models for the assessment and Recognition of Prior Learning. The paper was presented in September 2003 at the Qualifications Africa Conference held in Midrand. It is of a technical nature and will be of particular value to individuals and education and training providers who are faced with the challenges of implementing RPL. Heyns gives extensive examples of how credits can be obtained for qualifications and part qualifications in the context of the NQF. She describes ‘equivalence of learning’ and the identification of appropriate ‘fit-for-purpose’ assessment instruments. This paper builds on the work done in two other SAQA publications, The Recognition of Prior Learning in the context of the South African National Qualifications Framework and Criteria and guidelines for the implementation of RPL in the context of the South African NQF .
Thanks to GDN and AACRAO (American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers).
Panel members:
Pankaj Mittal, Secretary General of the Association of Indian Universities (AIU)
Manuela Geleng works for the European Commission where she is currently the Director for Skills in the Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion.
Borhene Chakroun Director of Policies and Lifelong Learning Systems Division at UNESCO-HQ.
Alex Kaplan leads IBM’s global work on the application of emerging technologies