GOVERNMENT NOTICE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION The ...

1 ,5 OKTOBER2007 GOVERNMENTNOTICEDEPARTMENTOF EDUCATIONThe HigherEducationQualificationsFrameworkHI GHER EDUCATION ACT, 1997(ActNo. 101of1997) ,GraceNalediMandisaPandor,Minister ofEducation,hereby publishThe highereducation Qualifications Frameworkas set out in theScheduleas policy in terms ofsection3 of the HigherEducationAct, 1997 ( of 1997).Separateandparallelqualifications structures foruniversitiesand technikons havehindered the articulation ofprogrammesand transfer of students betweenprogrammesand :AProgrammeforthe TransformationofHigherEducation(1997),ac knowledgestheneed for a single qualifications frameworkapplicableto all development of this policy has benefited fromextensivediscussionandconsultationwi thinandoutside highereducationfollowing the publication by theCouncilon highereducation (CHE)ofA New Academic PolicyforProgrammesandQualifications inHigherEducation:DiscussionDocument(200 2).

2 Iexpressmyappreciationto theCHEand all others who contributed to the development of new qualifications framework has beendesignedto meet demandingchallengesfacingthe highereducationsystemin the quide highereducationinstitutions in the development of programmes and qualifications thatprovidegraduates with intellectualcapabilitiesand skills that can both enrich society :A!/Jil~. ,MPMinister ofEducationDate: 7 September2007 Reproduced by Sabinet Online in terms of GOVERNMENT Pr inter s Copyright Authority No. 10505 dated 02 February 1998 OFCONTENTSTHENEWFRAMEWORKINCONTEXT5A single qualifications framework for a diverse in higher education7 Qualifications, volumesoflearning of credits and and certificates and higher education14 Progressionwithinthe framework15 IMPLEMENTATIONAND TRANSmONALARRANGEI\ programmes compliance17 higher EDUCATION ' Diploma26 Master' Degree29 Reproduced by Sabinet Online in terms of GOVERNMENT Pr inter s Copyright Authority No.

3 10505 dated 02 February 1998 STAATSKOEI=lANT,5 OKTOBER2007 THENEWFRAMEWORIKINCONTEXTA singlequalificationsframeworkfora ,A Programmeforthe TransformationofHigherEducation(1997),pr oposeda singlequalificationsframework for a time, but this documentmakesgood on following policy documents:A qualification Structure forUniversitiesin SouthAfrica-NATEDR eport 116(99/02)GeneralPolicyfor Technikon InstructionalProgrammes-I\JATEDR eport 150(97/01)FormalTechnikon InstructionalProgrammesin theRSA-NATEDR eport 151(99/01)RevisedQualificationsFramework forEducatorsinSchooling,inNormsandStanda rdsforEducators( ,February,2000). Inaddition, the Criteria for theRcecognitionandEvaluationofQualificat ionsforEmploymentinEducationwill beamendedto ensureconsistencywith policy also provides thebasisfor integrating all highereducationqualificationsinto theNationalQualificationsFramework(NQF)

4 And itsstructuresfor standardsgenerationand thecoherenceof the higher educationsystemand facilitates the articulation of qualifications, therebyenhancingtheflexibility of thesystemandenablingstudents to move more efficiently over timefrom one programme to another as they pursue highereducationinstitutions requirespublicunderstandingof theachievementsrepresentedby higher qualifications framework is thusdesignedto be readilyunderstoodand to ensure a consistentuseof qualification titles and theirdesignatorsand new qualifications frameworkestablishescommonparametersandc riteria forqualificationsdesign and facilitates the comparability such commonparametersprogramme diversityandinnovation EDUCATION

5 Institutions willhaveamplescopeto designeducationalofferings torealisetheirdifferentvisions,missionsa ndplansand tomeet the varying needs of the clientsandcommunities by Sabinet Online in terms of GOVERNMENT Pr inter s Copyright Authority No. 10505 dated 02 February 1998 ,5 OCTOBER2007 The policy thus operates within the context of a single but diverse and all higher educationprogrammesandqualifications offered in South Africa by public and private highereducationqualifications framework is an integral part of this policy are the formal recognition and certification of learning achievementawarded by anaccreditedinstitution.

6 The South AfricanQualificationsAuthority(SAQA)stip ulates that the learningoutcomesof all South African qualificationsshould include critical cross-field or generic skills to promote lifelong learning as wellasdiscipline,domain-specific orspecialisedknowledge, skills and reflexivity. Theformatfor qualification specification, where appropriate, should include the title andpurpose of the qualification , itsNQFlevel,credits, rules ofcombinationfor itslearningcomponents,exit-leveloutcomes andassociatedassessmentcriteria, entryrequirements, forms of integratedassessment,and arrangements for therecognitionofprior learning and for moderation recognition of prior learningshouldenablepotential students.

7 Includingthose who had suffereddisadvantageinthe past to be admitted to particular higher educationprogrammesdependingontheirasses sedknowledge a purposeful and structured set of learningexperiencesthat leads toa bedisciplinebased,professional,career-fo cused,trans-, inter- or multi-disciplinary in nature. A programme hasrecognisedentry andexit points. All higher educationprogrammesand qualifications must have a corecomponent and may have a fundamental and or elective componentdependingonthepurposeof the programme or the qualification . The creditallocationfor core,fundamental and elective learning willdependon the purpose of the programme orqualification.

8 The internal organisation of programmes is otherwise notprescribedby this Ministry ofEducationhasoverallresponsibility for norms andstandardsforhigher EDUCATION , including the qualifications structure for the higher policy determines the qualifications structure for higher EDUCATION , which is theMinistry's prerogative. The Ministryrecognisesthatprofessionalbodies have adistinct role, derived from legislation or undertaken in terms of internationalprofessionalconventions andagreements,to setrequirements forprofessionalregistration, membership orlicensing,and to determine whether a particular qualification offered by aparticular higher EDUCATION institution meets the requirements for registration,membership policy does not deal withsuchmatters, which falloutside the responsibilityofthe Ministry by Sabinet Online in terms of GOVERNMENT Pr inter s Copyright Authority No.

9 10505 dated 02 February 1998 STAATSKOERANT, , this policyrecognisestheresponsibilityofthe South African QualificationsAuthority(SAQA)for registeringstandardsand qualifications in terms of theSAQAAct, 1995 (Act No. 58 of 1995) and the HigherEducationQuality Committee(HEQC)of theCouncilon highereducation 'sresponsibilityforqualit yassurancein highereducation in terms of the HigherEducationAct, higher EDUCATION (CHE)isalsoassigned the responsibility for thegeneration and setting of standards for all higher EDUCATION qualifications and forensuring thatsuchqualifications meetSAQA'scriteria for registration on theNQFinterms of section 1(f)(ii)

10 Of the for higher EDUCATION qualifications must have legitimacy,credibility and a common, well-understood meaning, and they must providebenchmarksto guide the development, implementation and qualityassuranceofprogrammesleading to qualifications. TheCHEwill put inplaceappropriatesafeguardsto ensure theintegrityofstandardsgeneration and framework incorporates anestedapproachto anestedapproachto standards setting, qualificationspecificationrequires amovement from generic to most genericstandardsare foundin mostspecificstandards are found in the programmesthatlead to qualifications.