Triple E Training is ready to provide FLC and ABET/AET that supports the QCTO [https://www.qcto.org.za/] and SAQA’s [https://www.saqa.org.za/] new mandate.
As early as 2010, the QCTO was being primed to handle all of SAQA’s occupational-related qualifications. This process is expected to be completed in 2023 and will have far-reaching implications on the training system and industry.
Under the current system, SAQA is responsible for the NQF [https://www.westerncape.gov.za/service/national-qualifications-framework-nqf-qualifications-and-unit-standards]. The NQF system establishes standards for qualification across all levels of education and training.
According to the NQF Act, SAQA advances the objectives of the NQF. It also oversees further development of the framework and coordinates sub-frameworks. Refer to section 13 of the NQF Act [https://www.gov.za/documents/national-qualifications-framework-act].
Meanwhile, the QCTO is tasked with administering the OQSF [https://www.dhet.gov.za/NQF%20Directorate%20Documents/OQSF%20Policy%202021.pdf]. The OQSF establishes standards for qualification in specific occupations.
According to the QCTO, its vision is to qualify a skilled and capable workforce. It achieves this by administering the accreditation, implementation, assessment and certification of occupational qualifications to meet industry standards. Vocational certification employing learnership, internship and apprenticeship programmes are the cornerstone of South Africa’s skills creation system. This enables the QCTO to address skills shortages.
Notably, the QCTO will now also govern quality assurance processes. This will ensure that individuals are equipped with relevant and transferrable competencies to enhance lifelong employability. These include learners, professionals, workers, unemployed South Africans and those individuals who are not in employment, education and training.
Qualifications from SAQA to QCTO
Transferring occupational-related qualifications from SAQA to QCTO makes sense. This is considering the QCTO’s specific focus on occupational qualifications. SAQA, on the other hand, has always had a broader mandate that covers all education and training. It focus on occupational qualifications has, thus, been diluted.
Importantly, the QCTO has also always been more closely aligned with the Department of higher Education and Training [https://www.dhet.gov.za/] than SAQA.
It is, therefore, also responsible for ensuring the provision of quality FLC [SAQAhttps://www.qcto.org.za/foundational-learning-competence-framework-(flc).html]. FLC is directed at learners in occupational qualifications registered at NQF Levels 2, 3 and 4. It is also a compulsory component for all new qualifications that have been developed by the QCTO at NQF Levels 3 and 4. However, learners who hold certain qualifications are exempted from this requirement. These include National Senior Certificates; Senior Certificates; National Certificates (Vocational); and Qualifications at NQF Level 2. All of these qualifications need to include passes in in any variety of maths and English at NQF Level 2 and above.
FLC differs to ABET/AET. ABET/AET teaches individuals how to read and write. FLC, on the other hand, imparts the ability to use literacy and numeracy skills to learn. Therefore, FLC is the logical step after ABET/AET for many individuals who want to obtain an occupational qualification.
Responsibilities of SAQA and QCTO
Clearly defining the responsibilities of SAQA and QCTO will improve the quality of occupational qualifications in South Africa. It will also make it easier for people to access the skills that they need to succeed in the labour market.
ABET/AET and FLC are enabling many South Africans to attain a qualification at a NQF Level. This is by equipping them with foundational communication and maths skills. Bear in mind that due to education inequality, many South Africans do not possess these foundational skills. This restricts them from meaningfully participating in a modern economy, while also improving their own circumstances.
A person in possession of an ABET/AET Level 4 certificate has English literacy and maths skills at a NQF Level 1. This is sufficient to perform entry level or general work. They are also adequate to continue learning. Some individuals may opt to complete adult matric or National Certificate (Vocational) courses as the next step in their learning journey. These paths all lead to a qualification at an NQF Level 4. Many individuals who have completed ABET/AET progress to university to complete a degree.
FLC, on the other hand, is geared specifically at people who want to pursue occupational training. The Foundational Communication skills that FLC imparts includes knowledge of language and thinking processes that are required to communicate effectively in the workplace.
Meanwhile, FLC’s Foundational Mathematical Literacy teaches minimum generic numeracy skills. This provides an adequate foundation to cope with the mathematical demands of occupational training. Individuals with these skills are also able to engage meaningfully in real life situations that involve maths.
Literacy of SAQA and QCTO
There are notable differences between the literacy skills taught by SAQA’s ABET/AET and QCTO’s FLC.
Communication in ABET/AET focuses on teaching English reading, writing and verbal communication skills. Depending on the ABET/AET Level, individuals learn the letters of the alphabet and how to distinguish them. They also study punctuation and paragraphing and how to write sentences. Moreover, they learn basic sentence structure explaining subject, verb and object. Individuals also learn parts of speech and the role that they play in writing effectively. They also learn how to collect and evaluate information in written text.
Meanwhile, FLC’s FC consists of writing; speaking and listening; visual literacy; language structure and use; study skills; and workplace terminology. FC focuses on imparting the ability to use reading, writing and speaking skills to covey meaning in a logical and orderly manner. Individuals who have completed FC know how to extract relevant information from a text. They are also able to infer meaning and make deductions; develop logical arguments; and organise their thinking. This is in addition to being able to extract key messages from an extended piece of writing.
These are the language skills and thinking processes that are required to communicate effectively in the workplace. It also provides the basis in the language of learning and teaching, namely English. Learners who have completed FLC also have the oral, reading and writing skills that they need to cope with formal occupational training.
Maths of SAQA and QTCO
There is also a difference between the maths skills taught by SAQA’s ABET/AET and QCTO’s FLC.
The focus areas of FLC’s FM include number and quantity; finance; and data and chance. This is in addition to measurement; space and shape; and patterns and relationships.
Individuals who have completed FLC’s FM are able to respond to mathematical-related information that is presented in a variety of ways. This enables them to solve problems in real contexts. They are able to define the problem and devise and execute a solution. Thereafter, they are able to evaluate the results and justify their method and solution. In solving problems, individuals will be able to apply a host of skills. These include identifying or locating relevant information; ordering; sorting; comparing; counting; estimating; computing; measuring; modelling; interpreting; and communicating.
Meanwhile, ABET/AET focuses on imparting basic maths skills. These include addition, subtraction, multiplication and division and the ability to work with percentages, fractions and decimals. Individuals also learn how to interpret the visual representation of data and solve for an unknown variable.
Learners who have completed ABET Level 4 English and maths will be able to cope with FLC. Those individuals who have only completed ABET Level 3 may also enrol for FLC. However, their English literacy and numeracy skills need to be of a sufficient standard. This is determined by a placement assessment, a fundamental component of any well-coordinated ABET/AET and FLC programme.
Transition from SAQA to QCTO
There is another important benefit of the transition of occupational qualifications from SAQA to QCTO. It will result in quality, standardised national qualifications. This is considering that only QCTO-accredited skills development providers may offer occupational and part qualifications, as well as occupational skills programmes. They must, therefore, comply with the QCTO’s minimum criteria.
Notably, this will also raise the standard of FLC. Until just recently, there were no accredited FLC programmes. Companies, therefore, did not have a means of accurately gauging the quality of the many FLC training programmes on offer in the market. This is despite the importance of this training.
Triple E Training is one of the first private training providers to have its FLC accredited by the QCTO. Among the first providers of FLC, Triple E Training immediately set the standard for quality for this type of adult literacy and numeracy training. This includes the comprehensive training material and quality assurance procedures that the company developed specifically for FLC. The company is also known for the overall quality of instruction that learners receive from its skilled and experienced facilitators. These have been widely adopted throughout the training industry as the norm for FLC.
Meanwhile, providers of ABET/AET are accredited by Umalusi [https://www.umalusi.org.za/]. Umalusi sets and monitors general and further education and training in the country.
Notably, the SETAs [SETAs of South Africa (nationalgovernment.co.za)] do not quality assure providers for occupational qualifications. The SETAs report to the QCTO and are licensed until 2030. They will continue to administer the annual WSP/ATR [Libraries: WSP-ATR Templates | LGSETA : Local Government Sector Education Training Authority]. Moreover, they allocate grants and funding and the phasing out of legacy qualifications. Under the QCTO, they will also serve as Degree Qualification Profile and Assessment Quality Partners for occupational qualifications.
Responsibility from SAQA to QCTO
Moving responsibility from SAQA to QCTO has involved extensive coordination.
Many QCTO qualifications are already available. However, there is still uncertainty around qualifications that are yet to be re-aligned and replaced.
The registration end date for all “historical” qualifications is 30 June 2023. There is a year-long phase out period which enables learners to enrol up to and including 30 June 2024.
The QCTO’s qualifications are informed by occupations in various sectors. They have three components, namely knowledge, practical and workplace. Learners need to complete all of these to obtain an occupational qualification.
Functions from SAQA to QCTO
The transfer of functions from SAQA to QCTO has been met with some resistance from a few stakeholders. Some people are concerned that QCTO will not be able to effectively manage the OQSF on its own. They are, thus, concerned that this will lead to a decline in the quality of occupational qualifications in South Africa. Others are worried that the transfer of functions to QCTO will lead to job losses at SAQA. Nevertheless, government is committed to the process as it believes that it will, indeed, raise the quality of occupational qualifications. Leading providers of FLC and ABET/AET also support this opinion.
In 2021, the Minister of Higher Education and Training [https://www.dhet.gov.za/SitePages/LeadershipMinister.aspx] approved the phase out of the remaining NATED Report 191 N1 – N3 programmes. He also established the NATED N1 –N3 Phase Out Task Team (NPOTT). Refer to https://arasa.org.za/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2022/02/NATED-Phasing-Out-N1-N2.pdf.
The approval follows a process of consultation with various stakeholders. This is in addition to an analysis of public comments which were sought through a Government Notice gazetted and published in November 2020. Refer to https://gazettes.africa/akn/za/officialGazette/government-gazette/2020-11-06/43872-part-1/eng@2020-11-06. However, these dates were not feasible due to delays in some internal and external processes that needed to be undertaken.
https://gazettes.africa/akn/za/officialGazette/government-gazette/2021-10-29/45401/eng@2021-10-29 clarified the implications of the transitional arrangements for pre-2009 qualifications and unit standards, as well as occupational and part qualifications.
The learner registration end date for pre-2009 qualifications and unit standards on the OQSF is 30 June 2023. Meanwhile, the learner enrolment end date for pre-2009 qualifications and unit standards is 30 June 2024. The learner achievement end date for pre-2009 qualifications and unit standards on the OQSF is 30 June 2027. These dates are also applicable for old trades as part of pre-2009 qualifications.
SAQA and QCTO’s mandate changes
The accreditation periods for pre-2009 qualifications will also cease as part of SAQA and QCTO’s mandate changes.
This means most if not all pre-2009 qualifications accreditation will expire on 30 June 2023 and the teach-out period until 30 June 2027. All qualifications registered on the NQF must be aligned to the new NQF Level Descriptors by 30 June 2023. This will ensure coherence in learning. It will also enable the allocation of qualifications to particular levels to assess their compatibility and parity of esteem.
Triple E Training is a leading provider of FLC and ABET/AET. Learn more about our skilled and experienced team, as well as our approach to adult literacy and numeracy training. www.eee.co.za
