Premier Conference on Corporate Governance

Samuel IsaacsChief Executive Officer

SAQA7 September 2010

Policy and criteria for Recognising a professional body and for Registering a professional designation for the purposes of the NQF Act of 2008

Overview of presentation

• Context• Purpose and objectives • Definitions• Scope• Policy and criteria for

recognising a professional body

• Policy and criteria for registering a professional designation

1. Create an integrated national framework for learning achievements

2. Facilitate access to and mobility and progression within education, training and career paths

3. Enhance the quality of education and training

4. Accelerate the redress of past unfair discrimination in education, training and employment opportunities

5. Contribute to the full personal development of each learner and the social and economic development of the nation at large

Objectives of the South African NQFCONTEXT

Providers

Ministry of Higher Education and

Training

National Skills Authority

Sector Education and Training Authorities

Learners

Statutory and non-statutory

professional bodies

SAQAQuality Council for Trades

and Occupations(QCTO)

Council on Higher Education

(CHE)

Ministry of BasicEducation

NQF Forum

General and Further Education

and Training Quality Council

(Umalusi)

Governance of the South African NQFCONTEXT

Academic

qualification

Professional

qualification

and/orRegistration

Granting of designation

Right to practiceOngoing retention

Including workplace experience

Competence assessment/ examination (formal or

informal)CPD, Code of ethics,

Fees

STEP 1 STEP 2 STEP 3

Example 1: Teacher

Example 2: Medical doctor

Example 3: Plumber

BSc & PGCE or BEd Registration with SACE CPD (150 points over 3 years)

MBCHB Registration with HPCSA CPD, Fees, Ethical Award of practice number

2-year apprenticeship Trade Test Compliance withor learnership towards Register with the Institute of industryNational Certificate Plumbing of SA requirements

Locating professional designationsCONTEXT

Professional bodies and professional designationsCONTEXT

2003 to 2007 2008 to 2010 2010/11

This policy and criteria outlines the manner in which SAQA recognises statutory and non-statutory professional bodies for the purposes of the NQF, as well as the manner in which professional designations from recognised professional bodies are registered on the NQF by SAQA.

Policy and criteria PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES

• Advance the objectives of the NQF• Promote public understanding of, and trust in, professions

through the establishment of a nationally regulated system for the recognition of professional bodies and for registration of professional designations

• Encourage social responsibility and accountability within the professions relating to professional services communities and individuals.

• Promote pride in association for all professions, including traditional trades and occupations.

• Promote the protection of the public by professional bodies from malpractice related to the fulfilment of the professional duties and responsibilities of professionals registered with them.

• Encourage international best practice for all professions in South Africa, including continuing professional development.

• Facilitate access to, and analysis of, data related to professions, including traditional trades and occupations for the purposes and use as prescribed by the NQF Act.

• Support the development of a national career advice system.

Policy and criteria DEFINITIONS

“NQF Act” means the National Qualifications Framework Act (Act No.67 of 2008).

“Occupational qualification” means a qualification associated with a trade, occupation or profession resulting from work-based learning and consisting of knowledge unit standards, practical unit standards and work experience unit standards.

“Professional body” means any body of expert practitioners in an occupational field, and includes an occupational body.

“Professional designation” means a title or status conferred by a professional body in recognition of a person’s expertise and right to practice in an occupational field.

“Provider” means a body that offers any education programme or trade and occupational learning programme that leads to a qualification or part-qualification on the NQF.

“Qualification” means a registered national qualification.

Policy and criteria SCOPE

This policy and criteria applies to all professional bodies in South Africa

In terms of Sections 28, 29, 30 and 31 read with paragraphs 13(1)(i)(i), 13(1)(i)(ii) and 13(1)(l) of the NQF Act, and notwithstanding the provisions of any other Act, a statutory or non-statutory professional body shall:

• Co-operate with the relevant quality council(s) in respect of qualifications and quality assurance in its occupational field.

• Apply in the manner prescribed by SAQA to be recognised as a professional body in terms of the NQF Act.

• Apply in the manner prescribed by SAQA to register a professional designation on the NQF.

Policy and criteria for Recognising a professional bodyfor the purposes of the NQF Act of 2008

Policy RECOGNITION OF PROFESSIONAL BODIES

“Professional body” means any body of expert practitioners in an occupational field, and includes an occupational body

Proliferation of

professional bodies within

the same sector will be discouraged

Professional bodies

affiliated with international

awarding bodies must meet South

African criteria

Recognised for an initial period of 5

years, renewable for subsequent 5 year periods

Designations registered on

the NQF in accordance with SAQA policy and

criteria

Provide validated data

compatible with the

NLRD

SAQA may remove the recognition

status from a professional

body

Criteria RECOGNITION OF PROFESSIONAL BODIES

• Protect the interest and the professional status of its members

Protect members

• Protects the public interest in relation to services provided by practitioners and associated risks

Protects public

• Show evidence of inherent social responsibility, working in public interest and advancing the objectives of the NQF

Advance the NQF objectives

• Represent, and where applicable, also regulate, a recognised community of expert practice

Represent community of expert practice

• Develop, award and revoke designations in terms of its own rules, legislation and/or international conventions

• Monitor designations• Manage the revocation of designations, as

well as disciplinary matters, appeals and complaints in a transparent manner

Manage professional designations

• Applies peer judgment in decision making

Peer judgment

Criteria RECOGNITION OF PROFESSIONAL BODIES

• Legally constituted entity with the necessary human and financial resources

• Governed either by a statute, charter or a constitution

Legally constituted

• Set criteria for, promote and monitor continuing professional development (CPD) for its members to meet the relevant professional designation requirements

Monitor CPD

• Monitor compliance with an agreed code of conduct and/or ethics, including criminal record screening where applicable

Implement a code of conduct

• Co-operate with the relevant QCs in respect of qualifications and quality assurance in its occupational field

Co-operate with QCs

• Be involved in the development of a body of specialised knowledge taking due cognisance of national and international benchmarks

Specialised knowledge

• Not be accredited as a provider by a QC

• Not be registered as a provider with the Department of Higher Education and Training

Not be a provider

• Show evidence of a fully functional information management system compatible with the NLRD

Information management

Policy and criteria for Registering a professional designation for the purposes of the NQF Act of 2008

Policy REGISTRATION OF PROFESSIONAL DESIGNATIONS

Conferred by a professional body as a title, status and/or registration

number

Retention dependent on

compliance with

professional body

requirements

Registered separately

from a qualification

Same designations

cannot be registered by

more than one professional

body in South Africa

Designations awarded through

international awarding

bodies must meet South

African requirements

Verifications are the

exclusive responsibility

of the professional

body

SAQA may deregister a professional designation

“Professional designation” means a title or status conferred by a professional body in recognition of a person’s expertise and right to

practice in an occupational field

Criteria

• Be submitted to SAQA by a recognised professional body in accordance with an application process determined by SAQA

Submitted by a recognised professional body

• Be developed, awarded and subject to being revoked in terms of the rules, Act and/or international conventions applicable to the recognised professional body

Developed and awarded in terms of own rules

• Be monitored in terms of the rules, Act and/or international conventions applicable to the recognised professional body

Monitored in terms of own rules

• Be part of a progression pathway which may include an occupational pathway

Part of a progression pathway

REGISTRATION OF PROFESSIONAL DESIGNATIONS

Criteria

• Be linked to a validated database of the names of individuals awarded the professional designation

Linked to a database

• Include, as an initial requirement, an underlying qualification(s), which may include an occupational qualification(s)

Underlying qualification(s) as requirement

• Include, as a general requirement, experiential learning , recognition of prior learning and practical experience

Experiential learning as requirement

• Include as a retention requirements continuing professional development (CPD) and adherence to a code of professional ethics/conduct

Retention requirements

REGISTRATION OF PROFESSIONAL DESIGNATIONS

Policy and criteria OPPORTUNITIES FOR PUBLIC COMMENT

Where can I find the draft policy and criteria document?• Download from www.saqa.org.za• In the Government Gazette• Request a copy from professionalbody@saqa.org.za• Approach your professional body/association

How do I submit comments?• Email to: professionalbody@saqa.org.za• Fax to: 012 431 5144• Post to: SAQA, Postnet Suite 248, Private Bag X06, Waterkloof, 0145• Deliver to: 1067 Arcadia Street, Hatfield, Pretoria

What is the due date?• Submission must reach SAQA before close of business on 15 October 2010

What happens thereafter? • Comments will be considered by the Professional Bodies Reference Group • Changes will be made• The final document will be presented to the SAQA Board and thereafter to the Minister

of Higher Education and Training for approval• Implementation is planned for the 2nd quarter of 2011

Policy and criteria for Recognising a professional body and for Registering a professional designation for the purposes of the NQF Act of 2008

Premier Conference on Corporate Governance

Samuel IsaacsChief Executive Officer

SAQA7 September 2010