Career Information -Understand the NQF

Introduction

The National Qualifications Framework (NQF) has a long-standing relationship with the labour movement dating back to the 1970s, when black trade unions demanded a living wage but were dismissed by employers on the grounds that their workers were unskilled. The assumption that followed was that training could improve workers' chances of better pay. Between 1980 and 1989, the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) formulated recommendations linking training to grading increments, and in 1991 its proposal was adopted by the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU).

The 1970s were marked by turbulence over the education system, and by 1980 that system had been widely rejected. This led to the formation of the National Education Policy Initiative (NEPI), which in 1992 proposed a framework supporting a non-racial, unitary system of education and training for all. In April 2001, the Ministers of Education and Labour reviewed the implementation of the NQF, and this review of the NQF and the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) lasted several years before official implementation in 2007. This gave rise to the three Quality Councils (for General and Further Education and Training, for Higher Education, and for Trades and Occupations), each responsible for developing qualifications and quality, and each consulting with SAQA on registration criteria.

Why does South Africa have the NQF?

In 1994, the new South Africa adopted the NQF as a means of educating people of all backgrounds and organising the education and training systems. Like the rest of the world, South Africa is subject to ever-changing global forces, and had to respond by creating a national education and training system that provides quality learning and promotes lifelong learning. When learners are aware of clear learning pathways that imply mobility and progression, they are more inclined to improve their skills and knowledge, leading to increased employment opportunities and a more intellectually capable nation that can succeed in a global economy.

The NQF formally records the credits assigned to each level of learning achievement and ensures the skills and knowledge acquired are recognised throughout the country.

Objectives of the NQF

The NQF aims to impose a single, combined national framework for learning achievements throughout adult life; to facilitate entry into education, training and career paths, as well as mobility and progression within them; to improve the quality of education and training in South Africa; to remedy past unfair discrimination in education, training and employment brought on by apartheid; and to contribute to the complete personal development of each learner, of society, and of the nation's economy.

SAQA manages a register of all qualifications, which is the NQF system. For a learner to obtain a "qualification", the credit value of the entire qualification must be at least 120 credits; a one-year qualification typically carries 120 credits, while a degree is normally 360 credits. Qualifications are only registered on the NQF once they have been checked for quality and accredited by the relevant Quality Council.

South Africa's three Quality Councils

Umalusi is responsible for school-level qualifications on the first four levels of the NQF (Levels 1 to 4). The Council on Higher Education (CHE) deals with higher education qualifications on Levels 5 to 10, offered by registered private higher education institutions and public universities. The Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO) manages vocational education and training from Level 1 to Level 6; there may be overlap with Umalusi and the CHE, but its focus remains trades and occupations, such as plumbing, cheffing and some accounting areas, offered by TVET colleges.

Understanding NQF levels

The basic premise of the NQF is that there are skills and competencies associated with each level, and as the levels increase, so does the level of difficulty. A doctorate is Level 10, while Grade 12 is Level 4. Only registered private and public institutions can offer qualifications on the NQF, with approval from the Quality Councils. For example, a learner who wants to become a chef would need to find an institution accredited by the QCTO and registered as a private or public TVET college with a qualification on the NQF.

NQF levels are present throughout schooling. From Grade 9 to Grade 12, a learner earns lower-level qualifications, and on completing matric they earn NQF Level 4.

| NQF Level | Qualification | How the level is achieved |

| Level 1 | Grade 9 | Successfully complete Grade 9 |

| Level 2 | Grade 10 | Complete Grade 10 |

| Level 3 | Grade 11 | Complete Grade 11 |

| Level 4 | Grade 12 (matric) | Successfully pass your matric final exam |

| Level 5 | Higher Certificate | Complete a higher certificate programme |

| Level 6 | National Diploma and Advanced Certificate | Complete a national diploma or advanced certificate |

| Level 7 | Bachelor's Degree and Advanced Diploma | Complete a bachelor's degree programme |

| Level 8 | Honours Degree and Postgraduate Diploma | Complete an honours programme |

| Level 9 | Master's Degree | Successfully complete a master's degree |

| Level 10 | Doctoral Degree | Successfully complete a doctoral qualification |

The ten skill areas the NQF focuses on

It is assumed that a learner acquires the following skills as they progress through the levels.

| Skill area | Description |

| Scope of knowledge | Level of understanding of what is being studied |

| Knowledge literacy | Application of that understanding |

| Method and procedure | Application of specific theories, techniques and methods |

| Problem-solving | Ability to think critically and find solutions to problems |

| Ethics and professional practice | Adhering to codes of conduct and understanding the values of society |

| Accessing, processing and managing information | Interpretation and analysis of information relating to what is being studied |

| Producing and communicating information | Ability to accurately communicate what has been learned, in words and writing |

| Context and systems | Understanding the systems and environment of the field of study |

| Management of learning | Ability to evaluate and take responsibility for one's own learning and that of others |

| Accountability | Proper use of resources and being accountable and responsible for one's own actions |

Conclusion

The NQF exists to measure certain intellectual and academic competencies, making career pathing easier and allowing learners of all ages to pursue their goals.