By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Higher Education Minister Buti Manamela says his department will gazette targeted extensions for pre-2009 qualifications next week, as it moves to phase in a modern occupational qualifications system.
Manamela was speaking at a media briefing in Pretoria on Thursday.
The extensions, expected to be published in the Government Gazette on Monday, form part of transitional arrangements under the Directive on Transitional Arrangements for Pre-2009 Qualifications, which was published on 3 June 2024 under the National Qualifications Framework Act (Act 67 of 2008).
Manamela said substantial progress had been made through collaboration between the DHET, the South African Qualifications Authority, Quality Council for Trades and Occupations, SETAs, public institutions, Skills Development Providers and industry stakeholders.
To date, 948 occupational qualifications and part-qualifications have been registered on the National Qualifications Framework.
When the directive was issued, 1,475 pre-2009 qualifications had reached their registration end date.
Following consultation with stakeholders, 630 qualifications were approved for learner enrolment extension, while the remaining qualifications were deregistered because they had no learner enrolment or had been replaced by occupational qualifications.
He stated that the transition to occupational qualifications was intended to create a skills system that better reflects workplace requirements, technological advancements, and the needs of the economy.
Manamela stressed that qualifications already obtained by students would remain valid.
“Let me state from the outset that this transition is not about invalidating qualifications that people have worked hard to achieve, nor is it about diminishing the value of learning that has already taken place,” he said.
Manamela said learners currently enrolled in affected qualifications may continue their studies within the approved transitional arrangements, while accredited Skills Development Providers should familiarise themselves with the applicable extension periods and teach-out requirements.
The department has also issued separate teach-out arrangements for NATED Report 190-1 programmes because of their continued relevance in the education and training landscape.
“Students currently enrolled in N4 to N6 programmes should therefore continue with their studies as planned and should not be concerned that their qualifications will lose recognition,” Manamela said.
The department is working with SETAs, industry partners and other government departments to facilitate placement opportunities that will allow qualifying students to complete their National N Diplomas.
The list of qualifications approved for extension will be published in the Government Gazette and on the SAQA website, together with the affected qualifications and their replacement occupational qualifications.
Manamela said government would grant extensions of up to three years for regulatory unit standards that continue to underpin statutory and industry programmes, to allow regulators and industries time to review programme requirements and transition to replacement occupational skills programmes.
For trades, he said no further extension would be required where occupational qualifications had already been developed and implemented. However, targeted transitional arrangements of about one year may be considered where replacement occupational qualifications have not yet been fully developed or implemented.
The department has appointed a technical task team to oversee and coordinate the transition process.
Manamela said the team would identify and resolve implementation bottlenecks, monitor progress against clear timelines, and coordinate workstreams dealing with communications, legal and regulatory matters, SETA coordination, data management, assessment to certification, quality assurance, TVET rollout, funding norms and monitoring and evaluation.
The move forms part of a broader shift towards occupational qualifications, which combine classroom learning with workplace-based training.
SA Qualifications Authority (SAQA) CEO Nadia Starr reiterated that already-obtained qualifications would not be worthless.
“All qualifications in SA that are quality assured and achieved legally have to be loaded onto the SA Qualifications Authority’s National Learner Record Database, and so we have a national repository that holds all achievements in perpetuity. And so qualifications remain recognisable. Older qualifications will never be worthless,” said Starr.