Question NW2829 to the Minister of Higher Education and Training

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21 November 2018 - NW2829

Profile picture: Van der Westhuizen, Mr AP

Van der Westhuizen, Mr AP to ask the Minister of Higher Education and Training

(a) How the National Qualification Forum (NQF) is constituted, (b) who is the chairperson of the forum and (c) what (i) is the role of the forum, (ii) are the topics that the forum has dealt with since its inception, (iii) advice or recommendations have emanated from the forum since its inception and (iv) are the reasons the NQF has not met since 1 January 2012?

Reply:

(a} The National Qualification Forum (NQF} is formally constituted through the NQF Implementation Plan 2011-2015 and the System of Collaboration which guides the mutual relations of the South African Qualification Authority (SAQA} and Quality Councils (QCs} as per the National Qualifications Framework Act, sections 13(1 }(f}(i} and 33. Members of the NQF Forum are the Chairpersons and Chief Executive Officers (CEOs} of the Councils/Boards of SAQA and QCs, the Minister of Higher Education and Training, Director-General of Higher Education and Training, and the Chairperson and secretariat of the Inter-Departmental NQF Steering Committee.

(b} The Chairperson of the NQF Forum is the Director-General of Higher Education and Training with SAQA performing the secretariat function.

(c}(i} The role of the NQF Forum is to provide opportunities for the Minister at a strategic level to raise concerns, plans and requests for research and information with SAQA and the QCs. The NQF Forum also provides an opportunity for the Minister to hear the views of the Chairpersons and CE Os of SAQA and the QCs, as well as their challenges and priorities.

(ii}- (iii) Since its inception, the NQF Forum has dealt with and provided recommendations, among others, on the following topics:

- Inter-Departmental NQF Steering Committee: It recommended that an InterDepartmental NQF Steering Committee be established to deal with all matters related to the NQF development and implementation, concerns and questions about the NQF, as well as matters referred to it.

- NQF Forum and related matters: It recommended that the NQF Forum be the vehicle through which complex issues are discussed collaboratively, promote common understanding and ensure the efficient development and implementation of the NQF.

- Determine policy on NQF matters: It recommended that the Minister should publish policies to "drive" the implementation of the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL} and ensure that articulation happened across the NQF system.

- Publish guidelines: It recommended that guidelines which set out government's strategy and priorities for the NQF be published providing a strategic remit including those for SAQA and the QCs.

- NQF Implementation Framework: It recommended the development of the NQF Implementation Framework.

- Determine a dispute resolution process: It recommended that a regulation be published by the Minister to ensure there is a mechanism in place to resolve disputes between the QCs and SAQA.

- Legislation and related matters: It recommended the setting up of the QCTO needed to be fast-tracked and receive funding from the fiscus.

- Private colleges and quality assurance: It recommended the consideration of the registration of skills development providers with the Department of Higher Education and Training.

- Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) and Credit Accumulation and Transfer (CAT): It recommended that dedicated task groups research CAT and RPL be set up, and the research consider credit transfer within the sub-frameworks.

- Level descriptors: It recommended that the existing level descriptors be submitted for public comment by SAQA by the end of July 201 O and this was subsequently published in 2012.

- Role of Umalusi: It recommended:

o Umalusi's funding model needs to be changed from a reliance on certification fees to quality assurance levies taken from Provincial education budgets.

o Memorandum of Understanding or Service Level Agreement between Umalusi, Departments of Basic Education, and Higher Education and Training was required;

o Umalusi should not be restricted to Level 4, and the delegated responsibility from the Council on Higher Education be considered.

- Policy strategies for coherence and integration: It recommended that the variety of policy strategies required for integration be referred to the NQF Steering Committee for its consideration and recommendations, and issues of nomenclature and terminology be addressed.

- Standard setting models of the three sub-frameworks: It recommended that SAQA should publish policy and criteria for the registration of qualifications and part qualifications.

Research across the NQF: It recommended that research must underpin policy developments and the further development and implementation of the NQF.

- Transfer of the Education and Training Quality Assurance functions from Sector Education and Training Authorities to the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations: It recommended that short-term delegations be implemented to maintain the status quo during the transitional period.

{iv) The NQF Forum took a decision that meetings would only be convened if there were NQF matters that required their attention. The NQF Forum convened on 14 June 2018 and 26 September 2018.

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