Progress report on the issuing of outstanding National Certificate

Vocational certificates

Presentation to the Portfolio Committee on Higher Education and Training

03 June 2015

Presentation Outline

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1. Legislation and Policy

2. Background

3. Challenges

4. Backlog Status

5. Conclusion

• General and Further Education and Training Quality Assurance (GENFETQA) Act, 2001 (Act no. 58 of 2001, as amended 2008)

- The Department of Higher Education and Training is the national assessment body for Vocational and Continuing Education and Training qualifications

- A Quality Council approves the publication of the results of learners and takes responsibility for the certification of learners

• National Qualifications Framework (NQF) Act, 2008 (Act No. 67 of 2008)

- Umalusi is the Quality Council for the General and Further Education and Training

• In terms of national policy, certificates should be issued within 3 months after the release of results

Legislation and Policy

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• Following the introduction of Report (191) programmes in 1998, the Council of Education Ministers resolved that the entire Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) College examination function should become a national competency

• The then Department of Education introduced a new qualification in the form of the National Certificate (Vocational) in 2007, which would also be resulted and certified at the national level

• Examinations for TVET Colleges are conducted seven times a year and twice for Adult Education and Training, with candidates being resulted and certificated in each of these nine examination cycles

Background

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• In order to fulfil the responsibilities inherent in being the examining body, the Department relies on Information Technology services from the State Information Technology Agency (SITA) to operationalise the national examination processes of TVET Colleges

• This includes amongst others, the registration of candidates for examinations, to the issuance of results and certification of candidates

• On completion of an examination cycle, all candidates have a legitimate expectation to receive their complete and correct statement of results, and a certificate if they have met the full requirements of the qualification

Background

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• From 2007 to 2010, the assessment body processed, resulted and issued certificates for the National Certificate Vocational qualification

• In 2010, Umalusi was requested by the Minister to fulfil its certification responsibility as mandated in the GENFETQA Act, which required Umalusi to certificate candidates for the 2007-2009 period

• Negotiations was undertaken with Umalusi on the process to be followed

• Enhancements were made to the examination information system, managed and maintained by SITA, to incorporate Umalusi’s certification requirements

Background

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• Instability of datasets submitted by SITA to Umalusi, which is then rejected by the quality assurance and certification body

• Inappropriate Information Technology systems at SITA for the National Certificate (Vocational) [NC(V)] qualification

• Allocation of insufficient human resources by SITA for the TVET College examination system resulting in delays in rectifying identified errors

• Resulted in the backlog of NC(V) certification from 2007 - 2011• Several engagements have taken place between the

Department, Umalusi and SITA• A management plan was developed to resolve the backlog of

certificates• SITA has made numerous commitments, however they have

been able to honour these commitments

Challenges

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• All Report 190/1 candidates for Business and Engineering Studies are issued with their qualifications within 3-months

• 496 544 NC(V) certificates have been issued since the backlog project began in 2012

• In the main NC(V) candidates who have completed their full qualification in a single examination cycle have been certificated to date

• The outstanding certificates are owed to candidates who have completed their qualification across more than one examination cycle due to the examinations information system being unable to combine the subject results from different examination cycles when a candidate qualifies for certification

Progress on Key Performance Indicators Backlog Status

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• From March 2015 to April 2015, 30 545 NC(V) certificates have been issued

• As at 30 April 2015: 103 195 NC(V) certificates were still outstanding – November 2007 to Supplementary 2012: 15 099

certificates– November 2012 to Supplementary 2014: 88 096

certificates• November 2013 and 2014 data is currently being processed

for certification• The datasets for the 103 195 NC(V) certificates is currently

being verified and based on the feedback from Umalusi, more definitive timelines will be set to finally address this backlog

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Backlog Status

Progress on Key Performance Indicators November 2007 - Supplementary 2012

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Exam Cycle Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 Total

200711 26 26200803 140 140200811 94 281 375200903 299 397 696200911 935 949 38 1 922201003 624 191 7 822201011 1 446 1 356 280 3 082201103 723 301 98 1 122201111 921 2 742 1 115 4 778201203 791 823 522 2 136

Total 5 999 7 040 2 060 15 099

Progress on Key Performance Indicators November 2012 - Supplementary 2014

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Exam Cycle Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 Total

201211 2 159 3 868 4 084 10 111

201303 2 490 1 655 3 284 7 429

201311 15 612 15 392 11 029 42 033

201403 13 782 9 530 5 211 28 523

Total 34 043 30 445 23 608 88 096

• Since 2012, 496 544 certificates have been issued with 103 195 certificates still being processed

• The students affected by the problem do have statements of results and the Department, on request, provides students with letters confirming that they comply with the requirements for the issuance of a certificate

• Potential employers and institutions of higher learning are provided with the necessary verifications and supporting letters on request so that students are not disadvantaged

• The Department continues working closely with the State Information Technology Agency (SITA) and Umalusi to resolve this backlog

• Through a procurement process, the appointment of a Service Provider is being finalised

Conclusion

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Thank You