Quality Assurance
The Quality Council for Trades Occupations has in terms of Section 26I (2) of the Skills Development Act (SDA) of 2008 and the Council’s delegation policy delegated the quality assurance partner (QAP) functions to the Public Service Sector Education and Training Authority (PSETA). The delegation was conferred to the Public Service Sector Education and Training Authority as of 27 September 2012 and it is limited to the public service sector. The delegated functions are as follows:
- Accredit providers for the qualifications or part qualifications listed in the schedule in terms of criteria determined by the QCTO;
- Monitor the provision by providers of learning programmes leading to the qualifications or part qualifications in order to ensure that the criteria for accreditation contemplated in paragraph 4(a) are being complied with;
- Evaluate learner assessment and the facilitation of moderation of learner assessment by providers;
- Register assessors to undertake assessment for specified qualifications or part qualifications in terms of criteria determined by the QCTO;
- Certify qualified learners in accordance with the policy determined by the Minister in terms of section 26F of the SDA;
- Maintain a comprehensive learner information management system;
- Upload learner data to the NLRD according to the NLRD load specifications; and
- Perform such other functions consistent with the NQF Act and the SDA as the QCTO may from time to time allocate to the SETA in writing.
The delegation expires once the qualifications delegated to the PSETA are reviewed and replaced by qualifications developed and registered on the Occupational Qualifications Framework (OQF) or until the qualifications reach their registration end date and teach out periods or when the qualifications are withdrawn by the QCTO. The delegations is subject to the following terms and conditions
Objective
PSETA ETQA is responsible to quality assure training providers systems, processes, procedures, training delivery, support and oversee assessments and unit standards and qualifications development, in order to achieve high quality education and training in the public service sector as per the relevant legislation.
Monitoring of Providers
Monitoring is to be conducted in order to verify whether training provider adhere to PSETA requirements, the provider code of conduct, is implementing own quality management systems, and ascertain learner satisfaction. The following sites will be monitored.
Accreditation is the certification, usually for a certain period of time of a body or an institution, as having the capacity to fulfil a particular function within the quality assurance system set up by SAQA in terms of the SAQA Act, 1995.
SAQA accredits all Education and Training Quality Assurance bodies (ETQA’s) who in turn accredit Education and Training Providers.
Advantages of becoming an accredited provider:
- To provide quality training and development to learners
- To receive support from the relevant authority
- To be able to deliver education and training that leads to nationally registered Unit Standards and Qualifications. Accreditation therefore provides Education and Training Providers with a valuable tool with which they can market their services to potential clients.
Learners, departments and private companies who use the services of an accredited training provider are assured that the accredited training offered complies with the required standards for learning and assessment.
All learners are assured of a quality learning experience and that the credits they acquire will be nationally and internationally recognised.
Providers who qualify for accreditation with PSETA include those Providers who are not yet accredited by another ETQA and who intend to offers programmes based on the qualifications and/or unit standards that falls within the primary focus of PSETA.
If a provider is accredited by another ETQA but wish to extend scope to unit standards and qualifications falling under the primary scope of PSETA, the primary accreditation ETQA must be notified and the process of programme approval will be facilitated with PSETA by such ETQA.
Refer to PSETA ETQA policies and procedure documents for further clarity.
