Recognition of professional bodies and registration of professional designations

Recognition of professional bodies and registration of professional designations INAUGURAL SUMMIT FOR THE PROFESSIONALISATION OF COMMUNITY DEVEVELOPMENT October 2011 Jody P. Cedras

Overview Something about SAQA An understanding of professional training South African regulatory context Objectives Professional body relationships SAQA policy and criteria for the recognition of professional bodies and registration of professional designations Progress to date Questions & Answers

Something about SAQA Recognition of Prior Learning Articulation Credit Accumulation & Transfer Career Advisory Services Lifelong Learning International Relations National Learner Record Database Foreign Qualifications

Professional Training (traditionally) Preparatory stage: Attain a sufficient score at school in the requisite subjects. Attainment levels determine which profession a learner may enter; Stage One: Successfully complete a specified educational qualification e.g. degree, diploma or certificate. Stage Two: Gain structured workplace training & experience (required range and depth set by Professional Body); Stage Three: On successful completion of Stage Two, be assessed by the professional body for access to the profession (receive designation ). Stage Four: To gain and retain the right to practice, the person must remain up to date by doing CPD (continuing professional development) programmes and practicing ethically (code of ethics as set by professional body).

Stage 4 (Retention of designation) Stage 3 (Award of designation) Stage 2 (Structured workplace training) Stage 1 (Educational qualification) CPD, code of ethics Designation Workplace training Professional or Managerial (Degree) CPD, code of ethics Designation Workplace training Para-professional (Diploma) Compliance conditions Trade Test Workplace training Trade (Certificates) NOTE: Even if programme includes WIL most PB still require Stage Two Preparatory Stage Schooling Grades 10-12 & NCV Schooling Grades 0-9

Context SAQA Act of 1995 NQF Act of 2008 Higher Education Further Education and Training General Education and Training D e s i g n a t i o n s Higher Education Designations General and Further Education and Training Trades and occupations

Objectives Contribute to building the national education and training system Advance the objectives of the NQF Improved career advisory services Facilitate access to and analysis of data related to professions Encourage international leading practice and the raising of esteem for South African professions Promote understanding of, and trust in, professions Encourage social responsibility and accountability in professions Promote pride in association Promote the protection of the public

Relationships Applies to SAQA for recognition as a professional body and to have professional designations registered on the NQF SAQA Has the option to pursue international affiliation, but must still meet local requirements International affiliation Works with QC(s) in quality assurance and standards setting for formal qualifications registered on the NQF Professional Body Quality Councils Providers Cannot be accredited/registered as an education and training provider. It can however: register its employees on learnerships and act as a workplace provider for the delivery of learnerships recognise suitable education and training providers and be involved in the curriculation of learning programmes set and administer its own Board examinations

Policy and criteria for Recognising a professional body for the purposes of the NQF Act of 2008 Professional body means any body of expert practitioners in an occupational field, and includes an occupational body.

Policy for the recognition of professional bodies 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 May not be accredited as a provider Provide validated data compatible with the NLRD SAQA may remove the recognition status from a professional body

Criteria for the recognition of professional bodies Legally constituted entity with the necessary human and financial resources Governed either by a statute, charter or a constitution Constituted Protect public in relation to the services provided by its members And the associated risks Protect public Develop Award Monitor Revoke In terms of its own rules, legislation and/or international conventions Professional designations Submit a list of members In a form acceptable to SAQA Set criteria for CPD Promote CPD Monitor CPD Publish a code of conduct Operate a mechanism for investigating members that contravene the code of conduct Data CPD Code of conduct

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

Policy for the registration of professional designations Conferred by a professional body as a title, status and/or registration number Retention dependent on compliance with professional body 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

Criteria for the registration of professional designations Be submitted to SAQA by a recognised professional body in accordance with an application process determined by SAQA Be developed, awarded and subject to being revoked in terms of the rules, Act and/or international conventions applicable to the recognised professional body Submitted by a recognised professional body Developed and awarded in terms of own rules Be part of a progression pathway which may include an occupational pathway Be monitored in terms of the rules, Act and/or international conventions applicable to the recognised professional body Part of a progression pathway Monitored in terms of own rules

Criteria for the registration of professional designations Be linked to a validated database of the names of individuals awarded the professional designation. Include, as an initial requirement, an underlying qualification(s), which may include an occupational qualification(s) Database Underlying qualification(s) Include, as a general requirement, experiential learning and/or practical experience Include as a retention requirements continuing professional development (CPD) and adherence to a code of professional ethics/conduct. Experiential learning Retention requirements

Progress to Date CURRENT Draft policy and criteria developed 74 applications for pilots were submitted to SAQA by 15 August 2011 Pilot applications processed by SAQA and shortlist determined SAQA Qualifications and Standards Committee agreed on ten pilot bodies Piloting phase October 2011 to March 2012 Review of pilot phase and full roll-out Document process Site visits Data

References SAQA, 2011, Draft Policy and Criteria for Recognising a Professional Body and Registering a Professional Designation for the Purposes of the National Qualifications Framework Act of 2008, 26 March QCTO, 2011, Consultation with Professional Bodies, 21 October

Questions & answers

professionalbody@saqa.org.za