A Strategic Approach to Quality Assurance in Occupationally-Directed Education, Training and Development in South Africa

Dissertation by Johannes Petrus Nel submitted in fulfilment of the requirements of the degree Doctor in Philosophy in Leadership in Performance and Change. View or download the full dissertation in PDF format by clicking on the title above.

Quality assurance criteria for learning institutions: Article 30

Learning institutions and quality assurance bodies are welcome to use any information given in these articles to review and, if necessary, improve their own quality assurance pol...

Quality assurance criteria for learning institutions: Article 29

  Learning institutions and quality assurance bodies are welcome to use any information given in these articles to review and, if necessary, improve their own quality...

Education and Training: Whose got the Answer?

It is not even ten o’clock in the morning yet, and I have received so many fires for effect from the media that I am almost feeling depressed. Wits University decided to rethink, actually just scrap, their four year LLB degree. My first reaction was that they should not m...

Surviving In Challenging Times

Date: Friday, 09 May 2014 at 08:00 - Friday, 09 May 2014 at 11:00:00 Venue: Silverstar Hotel Cost: R200.00

The Quality Of Online Learning

It is true that the maintenance of quality of online learning, as professed by Paul Prinsloo, can be a challenge. However, online learning is not the most important determinant of quality in learning. The quality of learning is mainly determined by the course content; how t...

Research Presentation 19 March 2014

Click on the link below to download the slides for the Research Presentation that took place on the 19th of March 2014 at the Mentornet offices. Download slides now (click here) ...

SAQA does respond to equiries

I felt really dejected at the SAQA RPL Conference last week, Friday, when Dr Heidi Bolton, in her closing remarks, made a statement that I thought to be a pot shot at me and my book on RPL, entitled “The Concepts and Procedures Governing the Recognition of Prior Learning..

Quality Assurance Criteria For Learning Institutions: Article 28

Learning institutions and quality assurance bodies are welcome to use any information given in these articles to review and, if necessary, improve their own quality assurance pol...

The SAQA Conference on RPL: 23 to 26 February 2014

These notes are my impressions of the SAQA Conference and not the views of or endorsed by SAQA. I missed the Workshop on the first day because I never would have thought anybody in South Africa would schedule a workshop on a Sunday. The conference was very well o...

Quality assurance criteria for learning institutions: Article 27

Learning institutions and quality assurance bodies are welcome to use any information given in these articles to review and, if necessary, improve their own quality assurance pol...

Close them down! Discussion on the White Paper for post-school education and training

The following is an extract from page xvii of the White Paper for Post-school Education and Training: “Quality Councils should use external assessment to reveal poor performance (except in universities, where assessment is institution-based and moderated through peer-revi...

Quality assurance criteria for learning institutions: Article 26

  Learning institutions and quality assurance bodies are welcome to use any information given in these articles to review and, if necessary, improve their own quality...

Change the organisation: Comments on the White Paper for Post School Education and Training

You all know the story of the new manager who was given three envelopes by the outgoing old hand. The old hand suggested that he opened the envelopes, beginning with number one, every time he had a crisis at work. When it became time to open the first envelope, the note ins...

Is RPL less expensive than formal learning?

It is national policy that RPL must cost less than formal learning and the accompanying assessments. However, the process of RPL can be rather expensive and sometimes even require specialised instruments or tools. A fork lift operator cannot be assessed unless you have a fo...

Quality assurance criteria for learning institutions: Article 25

Learning institutions and quality assurance bodies are welcome to use any information given in these articles to review and, if necessary, improve their own quality assurance pol...

The White Paper and the Promotion of Lifelong Learning

We often find that the DHET make decisions that actually hamper the achievement of the strategic objectives of the National Development Plan, the New Growth Path, the Industrial Policy Action Plan and the Draft Human Resources Development Strategy for South Africa. ...

Quality assurance criteria for learning institutions: Article 24

  Learning institutions and quality assurance bodies are welcome to use any information given in these articles to review and, if necessary, improve their own quality...

Digital products taxed in SA from April: Treasury

Treasury has published new electronic services regulations, detailing which digital products and services will be subject to 14% VAT com...

Private Learning Institutions are said to charge exorbitant fees

We cannot allow this kind of misinformation to continue any longer. Yesterday night, 29 January 2014 on Freek Robinson (Kyknet) a certain doctor Somebody (I think her surname is van Staden, but I am not sure) claimed that private learning institutions ask quadruple (the wor...

Quality assurance criteria for learning institutions: Article 23

  Learning institutions and quality assurance bodies are welcome to use any information given in these articles to review and, if necessary, improve their own quality...

PRIVATE EDUCATION PROVISION

I’ve read the White Paper for Post-school Education and Training, issued by the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET). My initial idea was to write a report on the entire White Paper. However, my impressions will probably span quite a number of pages, so that...

Facilitation

Last week from the 28th of October to the 01 November I facilitated a course based on facilitate learning using a variety of given methodologies in Bloemfontein. The course was very successful. The learners who attended the course felt that it was very important and be...

Facilitate learning

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When the BEE stings

No doubt there are others who also play around with the kind of thoughts that I will raise in this article. My main argument, or null hypothesis, if you like, is this: BEE (just to keep it short) is the worst enemy of job creation in South Africa. Sunday evening ...

Quality Assurance Criteria for Learning Institutions: Article 22

  Learning institutions and quality assurance bodies are welcome to use any information given in these articles to review and, if necessary, improve their own quality...

Quality Assurance Criteria for Learning Institutions: Article 21

  Learning institutions and quality assurance bodies are welcome to use any information given in these articles to review and, if necessary, improve their own quality...

Skills Development Act Review: Comments on a speech by the Minister

I read the speech recently made by the Minister of Higher Education and Training and provided to us by Sylvia Hammond, with keen interest. As always the Minister makes a good point – his arguments are seldom unfounded if only one were to make the effort to figure out the ...

Quality assurance criteria for learning institutions: Article 20

  Learning institutions and quality assurance bodies are welcome to use any information given in these articles to review and, if necessary, improve their own quality...

Quality assurance criteria for learning institutions: Article 19

  Learning institutions and quality assurance bodies are welcome to use any information given in these articles to review and, if necessary, improve their own quality...

Quality assurance criteria for learning institutions: Article 18

  Learning institutions and quality assurance bodies are welcome to use any information given in these articles to review and, if necessary, improve their own quality...

Curriculum reform in higher education and capacity

I believe it would be better to respond to arguments in the CHE document, entitled “A proposal for undergraduate curriculum reform in South Africa: The case for a flexible curriculum structure” as I come across them rather than to read everything and prepare a consolida...

Writing and email is like a declaration of war

Have you noticed, people often don’t interpret you email messages the way you meant it? This often leads to the demise of friendships and healthy business relationships. Take Facebook (or Twitter, MXIT, Whatsapp, BBM, etc.) as an example. Someone may send thousands of mes...

Oversight for Gauteng, KZN higher learning

JOHANNESBURG - The higher education and training portfolio committee will conduct oversight visits ...

Will Extended Learning Improve The Graduate Output Of Higher Education Institutions?

The Proposal for undergraduate curriculum reform in South Africa: The case for a flexible curriculum structure, proposed by a Task Team of the CHE (August 2013) suggests three main changes to the current curriculum structure: Increase the duration

Quality assurance criteria for learning institutions: Article 17

  Learning institutions and quality assurance bodies are welcome to use any information given in these articles to review and, if necessary, improve their own quality...

E-Learning in Africa: Massive, online and free

Ccoming to a laptop near you, the Brazilian model of free online learning that could revolutionise African education.   Imagine if instead of paying to attend a university, you could watch lectures, access reading material and interact with othe...

Covering up poor quality in higher education

The CHE recently circulated a document, entitled “A proposal for undergraduate curriculum reform in South Africa: The case for a flexible curriculum structure.” As with almost all research reports by the CHE or task teams working for the CHE, the report is a professiona...

Quality assurance criteria for learning institutions: Article 16

  Learning institutions and quality assurance bodies are welcome to use any information given in these articles to review and, if necessary, improve their own quality...

Comments on the Report by the Ministerial Task Team on Performance of SETAs 2013

COMMENTS ON THE REPORT BY THE MINISTERIAL TASK TEAM ON PERFORMANCE OF SECTOR EDUCATION AND TRAINING AUTHORITIES 2013   Introduction. Government Gazette No. 36747 of 16 August 2013 has reference. Arguably the most important ...

Where was the CHE?

Sunday night, 25 August 2013, on Carte Blanche the putrid manner in which the exams and assignments of UNISA students are marked was discussed. I was not surprised, because a UNISA student phoned me some two months ago already, asking for help. He failed a practical assignm...

Quality only applies to others

I was honoured to be allowed to speak at the fourth Pan African Conference for TVET and FET Colleges Held in Cape Town last week. It was a great opportunity, especially to do some networking. However, that was not the main reason why I attended. The purpose of my presentati...

Quality Assurance Criteria for Learning Institutions: Article 14

  Learning institutions and quality assurance bodies are welcome to use any information given in these articles to review and, if necessary, improve their own quality...

Private Providers are asked to go away

I attended the Empowerment Session with Registered Private FET Colleges hosted by DHET in Pretoria this morning. As in the past the DHET speakers were diplomatic and well informed.  I only wish there were more private providers present, because the fifty-odd that were ther...

Quality Assurance Criteria for Learning Institutions: Article 13

  Learning institutions and quality assurance bodies are welcome to use any information given in these articles to review and, if necessary, improve their own quality...

Seta chief ‘is player and referee’

15 Aug 2013 23:59Tabelo Timse A board member is accused of exploiting insider knowledge to land a R26m contract. The mining qualifications sectional...

Colleges ‘too focused on quantity, not quality’ in training of artisans

by Staff Writer, August 16 2013, 09:12 WHEN it comes to training of artisans, the government’s further education and training (FET) colleges are too focused on quantity rather than quality, a private-sector competitor argued on Thursday. "What this ...

PROPOSALFOR THE FAST-TRACKING OF THE DESIGN OF OCCUPATIONAL CURRICULA

INTRODUCTION   The writing of occupational curricula is taking longer than initially anticipated, leading to discontent amongst stakeholders and rendering the process inefficient. The reason for the process being extremely time-consuming is, unfortuna...

Committee briefed on plans for police university

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MOOCs sounding a threat

by: John Ross From:

What does it mean to be South African?

In an earlier discussion in one of Mentornet's morning meetings, the following question also arose.  In where student's normally gets confused in which enthnic group they belong.  Whether it is black, african, white etc.  I came upon this artical posted by Prof. H. Rus...

Its hard work to work

I have to confess that I am still bruised by the intensity of some of your responses to my first letter to Jobless Graduates, where I tried to explain the reasons why you are still unemployed. But I see too many human shipwrecks to remain silent on this top...

Quality assurance criteria for learning institutions: Article 12

Learning institutions and quality assurance bodies are welcome to use any information given in these articles to review and, if necessary, improve their own quality assurance pol...

Nation faces higher education bubble

Too much is also not a good thing .......................   The number of university graduates in China has exploded. In 1997, 400,000 students graduated from four-year university programs. Today, Chinese schools produce more than 3 mill...

Quality Assurance Criteria for Learning Institutions: Article 11

  Learning institutions and quality assurance bodies are welcome to use any information given in these articles to review and, if necessary, improve their own quality...

What on earth is going on with the QCTO?

Silence, absolute silence. Nothing is happening, no progress, no feedback, no further curriculum design. In fact, the QCTO Manager with whom I had an interview some two months ago never even responded to my follow-up email. Since then I have not heard anything from the QCTO...

Quality Assurance Criteria for Learning Institutions: Article 10

  Learning institutions and quality assurance bodies are welcome to use any information given in these articles to review and, if necessary, improve their own quality...

Quality Assurance Criteria for Learning Institutions: Article 9

  Learning institutions and quality assurance bodies are welcome to use any information given in these articles to review and, if necessary, improve their own quality...

The APPETD is gaining monentum through workshops

Never could I have imagined that such a, well, uninspiring topic could be the theme of such a successful breakfast workshop. The APPETD arranged a breakfast workshop for Friday 19 July 2013 on “The establishment and approval of a professional body”. The Centurion Lake h...

Quality Assurance Criteria for Learning Institutions: Article 8

  Learning institutions and quality assurance bodies are welcome to use any information given in these articles to review and, if necessary, improve their own quality...

The thin line between bribery and paying for services rendered

Now don’t get me wrong – Mentornet will never ever pay anybody a bribe for the simple reason that it is against the law. Problem is, now that the Minister of Higher education and Training in his infinite wisdom decided to channel almost all skills grants to public learn...

Quality Assurance Criteria for Learning Institutions: Article 7

  Quality area 2: Teaching and learning   Teaching and learning cannot be successful if professionally designed and developed training materials are not used. Learning programme design and development are two s...

Should private learning institutions lead the way in offering quality ETD?

In a Skills Universe message on 23 June 2013 Cas Olivier aired his view that private learning institutions are more flexible than public learning institutions and, as I understand it, private learning institutions should set the example in offering good quality ETD. If one ...

Quality Assurance Criteria for Learning Institutions: Article 6

  Learning institutions and quality assurance bodies are welcome to use any information given in these articles to review and, if necessary, improve their own quality...

Quality Regulator 'at The Extreme End'

n AUSTRALIA is an extreme example of a global trend whereby government takes away university control of quality assurance, says expert Ellen Hazelkorn.n n Professor Hazelkorn, head of the Dublin-based Higher Education Policy Research Unit, said the Tertiary Educ...

Setas must reduce dependency on private providers

Sector Education & Training Authority (Seta) bodies have been urged to move away from its reliance and funding of private providers in order to focus on and grow public sector educational resources. “There are some very good private providers who are doing ...

Establishment Of A Professional Body

Date: Friday, 19 July 2013 at 08:00 - Friday, 19 July 2013 at 10:30:00 Venue: Centurion Lake Hotel Cost: R100.00

Quality Assurance Criteria for Learning Institutions: Article 5

  Quality area 1: Institutional ethos and strategic planning   When evaluating the institutional ethos and strategic planning one would typically check the vision, mission, goals and objectives of the learning ...

Cida students deregistered, evicted from campus

Hundreds of students have been deregistered and evicted from Cida City Campus in Johannesburg after the institution filed for business rescue. Deregistered from the institution that promised them free tertiary education because they were from poor backgrounds but...

$30m Microsoft training scheme aims to get 3,000 South Africans into IT

An Microsoft initiative to train unemployed young people in IT has been given funding to expand in South Africa. The Development Bank of South Africa (BDSA) has awarded Microsoft South Africa a R145m ($15m) grant to invest in its St...

Quality Assurance Criteria for Learning Institutions: Article 4

  Learning institutions and quality assurance bodies are welcome to use any information given in these articles to review and, if necessary, improve their own quality...

William Shakespear understood the ETD Environment

If you were to read some of Shakespear’s plays you can easily get the impression that he knew that the ETD environment of the future would be turbulent and difficult to cope with. He probably understood that the work of the educationalist is an unthankful one, and he had ...

Quality Assurance Criteria for Learning Institutions: Article 3

  Quality area 1: Institutional ethos and strategic planning   The first quality area that needs to be evaluated is the institutional ethos and strategic planning. Here one would typically check the vision, mis...

Quality Assurance Criteria for Learning Institutions: Article 2

  The Structure of the Quality Assurance Instrument(s). Before a learning institution can be accredited one must ensure that it has the capacity to offer professional learning in the field for which it wishes to accredit. Most qualit...

Executing an Arabesque in ETD

I suppose it is kind of standard procedure for people in all countries to play power games, to eliminate the opposition, to push those that you regard as a threat to one side if you feel that they pose a threat to you and your source of income. The problem with this kind of...

Hesa Assesses Progress On Transformation

n Press Release: 10 May 2013n A three day Higher Education Transformation Colloquium ended in Bloemfontein onn Wednesday, 8 May 2013. The three-day event brought together a wide range ofn stakeholders including some Members of University Councils; Vice-Ch...

Quality Assurance Criteria for Learning Institutions: Article 1

All learning institutions, regardless of whether they offer higher education (HE), vocational education and training (VET), further education and training (FET) or occupational education and training (OETD) need a system in place by means of which the quality of learning of...

Teachers don’t know subjects

Durban - The fundamental problem with the schooling system was that most teachers had limited knowledge of their subjects and knew only marginally more than what they had to teach their pupils. This was despite year...

Increase work-based learning, says institute

ALEXANDER Forbes group chief executive Edward Kieswetter called for combined efforts in tackling challenges in education at his inauguration as the first chancellor of the Da Vinci Institute. The institute also stressed its view on the importance of work-based le...

The Launch of the Association of Colleges for South Africa Address by Minister of Higher Education and Training, Dr BE Nzimande

http://www.dhet.gov.za/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=wDsAc6BUC6k%3d&tabid=36 ...

Euro Mooc Opens Up For Business

n The first pan-European massive open online course initiative has been launched by the European Association of Distance Teaching Universities.n n  n n

Umalusi quality assurance

I followed the discussions on Skills Universe and one or two other platforms about the Umalusi quality assurance process and fee structure with quite some interest. It is important that private learning institutions work together in combating threats like this one and the A...

African Education Week focuses on eLearning and technology

The African Education Week Convention and Learning Expo is the meeting and trading platform for everyone who is passionate about improving the standard of education in Africa. Now in its seventh year, it's reported to be the leading educationa...

Issuing learners with laptop computers

Lack of trust often ruins opportunities. At the end of last year we decided to, in future, issue all learners who enrol for full qualifications with laptop computers. By doing this we would have saved substantially on printing costs, so we would have contributed to the prot...

Why the Mentoring Network?

Two private providers visited me earlier this week to discuss some burning issues with which most private learning institutions struggle. I explained to them that I established the Mentoring Network in response to advice given to me by a prominent manager at DHET whom I vis...

Massive online courses shouldn't be worth college credit

Survey details: "The Minds Behind the MOOCs" Professors teaching hundreds or thousands of students online has been all the buzz in academic circles, but the professo...

Higher education: A big price to pay

Is the investment in education worthwhile? What is your return on investment (ROI) in the long run and are you getting value for money? According to Peter Ayuk of the Milpark Business School, higher education institutions have an obligation to ensure they provide...

Standardisation

Standardisation is an international practice, and most, if not all, large-scale assessment systems use some form of standardisation. It is the moderation process that is used to mitigate the effect of factors other than learners’ knowledge and aptitude on their performanc...

Minister Nzimande Calls For New Cadre Of Seta Practitioner At Etdpseta Conference

n A new cadre of SETA practitioner needed for effective skills development and economic growthnn Pretoria, 25 March 2013 – Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs) cannot just be about dishing out millions of rand in train...

The problem with quality assurance in higher education

You know, sometimes we know so little that we don’t even realise how little we actually know. This is when we tend to regard our own perceptions as the only “truth” – we do not even consider the possibility that we might just not be entirely correct. And it is rathe...

The major stumbling blocks in the way of a truly articulated NQF

I was indeed honoured and privileged to be invited to the Second NQF Research Conference arranged by SAQA that took place from 4 to 6 March 2013 in Benoni. After all, Mentornet is just a tiny, insignificant private learning institution, so why should people listen to what w...

Schools to get technical

Zodidi Mhlana A technical education is the answer to the shortage of jobs in the country, says the Gauteng education department which on Wednesday launched the technical schools turnaround strategy. The idea is to encour...

Govt Gears Up To Meet Artisan Shortage

n 6 Mar 2013 13:50Submit a commentBizLiken CAPE TOWN: The present production rate of qualified artisans in South Africa falls far short of the required targets, says the Minister of Higher Education and Training, Dr Blade Nzimande.n However, government was makin...

Mentornet is still on track in our support for the NSDS III and NDP 2030

I cannot believe how difficult those who are supposed to implement the National Skills Development Strategy (NSDS III) and Skills Development Plan can make it for us to contribute. In 2010 Mentornet approached the ETDP SETA to offer our services to develop the training mate...

Nzimande holds talks with FET student bodies

01-3-2013   Pretoria – Higher Educat...

Education not a fit for job demand

THE number of unemployed graduates has remained stubbornly high despite the "fairly successful" graduate placement programmes of some higher education institutions, the South African Qualifications Authority has found. Statistics South Africa's latest quarterl...

The state of education - Angie Motshekga

Briefing statement by Minister of Education Angie Motshekga on the occasion of the post-State of the Nation Address Ministerial briefing on government priority: Education 26 Feb 2013 In his 2013 State of the Nation Address, Pres...

Drive to produce more teachers

THE first of four planned teacher training colleges to be reopened in the country was officially opened at Siyabuswa in Mpumalanga.   The teacher education training campus at Siyabuswa was formerly known as the KwaNdebele Teacher Training College.

Salient points discussed at the APPETD/QCTO workshop held on 25 February 2013

I guess what is important to me might not be important to others, so the notes I took might not be as important to you as they are to me. I will list them more or less in order of importance, but keep in mind this is based on my perception. Of course it would have been bett...

Private Learning Institutions are not making use of their opportunities

Yesterday morning (25 February) I attended one of the most valuable workshops ever. Most private learning institutions are uncertain and sometimes even scared of the changes that the QCTO holds for us. Rumours are rife, even political leaders make threats that already scare...

Obama wants cost to feature in accreditation scheme

They say that President Obama should look at the UK as a role model, but I wonder why they aren't making use of cheaper alternatives for higher education such as in South Africa like the FET Colleges? ...

Obama wants cost to feature in accreditation scheme

Executive orders: the announcements in Barack Obama's State of the Union address amount to 'the biggest change to federal higher education policy since 1972' Barack Obama aims to expose US colleges and universities to "competition from new, l...

Dept making strides for young, old FET students

20-2-2013 Pretoria – The Department of Higher Educati...

Is RPL worth anything?

“Naïve as they may now seem, the hopes placed on RPL in the transition to democracy were not misplaced. RPL speaks to the human aspiration to be seen and honoured for what one already knows, to be given access to new learning opportunities and to contribute to society th...

Another Clean 'bill Of Quality' For Mentornet

n Mentornet received a report from the Department of Higher Education and Training, signed by Dr P.M. Buthelezi, Director: Private FET Colleges dated 28 January 2013. I will not repeat the entire report. Suffice to say that the final outcome and recommendations read as follow...

Opening Pathways Between the Three South African National Qualifications Sub-Frameworks

Introduction.  I compared the “Higher Education Qualifications Sub-Framework as revised, dated January 2013, distributed by the CHE” with the “Background Document for the Joint Meeting of the Directors-General for Vocational Education and Training and the Dire...

Inside Higher Ed: Mooc mess

Maybe it was inevitable that one of the new massive open online courses (Moocs) would crash. After all, Moocs are being launched with considerable speed, not to mention hype. But Mooc advocates might have preferred the collapse of a course other than the one that was suspen...

Fund your studies wisely to ensure the best future

Don't start your first job under a dark cloud of debt.   Funding your tertiary studies may be the best way to improve your employability and earnings potential, but make sure you are able to do this without starting your first job under a dark clou...

DHET provides R2bn in FET bursaries

By: Joanne Taylor 5th February 2013 ...

Year Of The Artisan

n "Year of the Artisan" to help address critical skills shortagen 05-2-2013n Pretoria - Higher Education and Training Minister, Dr Blade Nzimande, has placed focus on the country’s need for more artisans by declaring 2013 as the “Year of the Artisan..

Minister Nzimande on Vocational Education and Training mission to Denmark

MEDIA STATEMENT: For immediate release Minister Nzimande on Vocational Education and Training mission to Denmark Pretoria, 16 January 2012 Minister of Higher Education a...

SA running out of time to tackle education woes

http://www.fm.co.za/politics/local/2013/01/17/sa-running-out-of-time-to-tackle-education-woes ...

New Seta grant regulations cause for concern

The new SETA Grant Regulations passed in December have unintended limitations and consequences which could have a detrimental impact on skills development as it fails to address a diverse skills need on a national level comments Suzanne Hatting. The changes to th...

Hawks shut down bogus Limpopo college

Make sure your training provider/FET College is all legit!!   A bogus further education and training (FET) college which operated for at least 12 years was closed down in Seshego near Polokwane

From Global Warming to Climate Change

INTRODUCTION There has been quite a furore about global warming for probably the past decade or so. As people noticed that the effect of changes in the environment is not always “warming”, “climate change” became a more popular descriptor of what is happe...

High Cost Of Tertiary Education In Sa

n Cash-strapped parents are turning to financial institutions to get study loans so that their children can go to university as the costs for tertiary education continue to rise sharplyn At the University of Pretoria, a three-year undergraduate Bachelor of Administrati...

The importance of cognitive thinking for the improvement of our educational system

These days you often hear people, especially psychologists and educators, talking about cognitive thinking. It clearly is the flavour of the month, even though it is nothing new. And as is usual with newly invented or newly discovered terminology people sometimes misuse and...

Nzimande launches a study on state skills demand

Higher Education and Training Minister Blade Nzimande has launched a study to find out the state of skills demand and supply in the country.   Nzimande says the research is the first in the world and will bring the country to where it can plan better ...

Big varsity shut-out

Tens of thousands of matriculants will be turned away from tertiary education institutions because the number of applicants far exceeds available places. And almost 45% of the pupils who passed the matric examination last year will not qualify f...

Afrikaans institution 'against our constitution'

A year after its establishment, officials at a tertiary institution specifically targeting Afrikaans speakers have hit back at critics who have labelled the institute as "exclusive". Akademia, a private institution registered with the Departme...

QUICK FACTS ABOUT POST-SCHOOL EDUCATION AND TRAINING IN SOUTH AFRICA IN 2013

http://www.dhet.gov.za/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=svTvUZwJhUI%3d&tabid=36 ...

The enduring fallacies that plague official skills policies

No policy changes in the past two or more years show evidence that we will soon be seeing skilled workers emerge at the rate all producers of goods and services in the economy believe is required. The sooner policymakers and their backroom advisers accept this commonsense c...

IBM ups skills development initiatives

IBM ups skills development initiatives By Admire Moyo, ITWeb's portals deputy editor.

UK universities award students exam-free degrees

Its is debateable on how genuine this form of testing might be?   UK universities award students exam-free degrees

Do Higher Education Institutions Facilitate Job Creation?

Dr Roy du Pré of the Vaal University of Technology prepared a report entitled “The Philosophy of a University of Technology in South Africa: An Introduction” that was published in KAGISANO, Universities of Technology distributed by the CHE (Issue No 5, summer 2006). On...

Setas, industry body to drive skills development

The Wine Industry Network for Expertise and Technology (Winetech), an organisation that coordinates research, training and technology transfer in the wine industry, hopes to form a steadfast partnership with sector education and training authorities (Setas), the FoodBev Set...

MINISTERIAL MEDIA BRIEFING on The Further Education and Training (FET) Colleges Turnaround Strategy

To view the actual Ministerial Media Briefing on" The Further Education and Training (FET) Colleges Turnaround Strategy" that took place on the 14th November 2012 in Parliament, Cape Town, click on the link below:   http://www.dhet.gov.za/LinkClick....

Higher Education MoU signed with Malaysia

The Australian and Malaysian higher education sectors will forge closer and stronger ties after a new Memorandum of Understanding on Higher Education was signed in Perth today. Minister for Tertiary Education, Senator Chris Evans, today joined Malaysian Minist...

FET grads are highly employable – Minister

Siyabonga Mkhwanazi   Higher Education and Training Minister Blade Nzimande says Further Education and Training (FET) colleges are producing more graduates who are employed in various industries. Nzimande said y...

Namibian tertiary institutions behind in e-learning

WINDHOEK – Namibian tertiary institutions need to improve the way they communicate and market curriculums, as well as educational programmes using available information and communication techn...

Targets are set for FET Colleges

Johannesburg - A target has been set of four million students at further education and training colleges (FET) by 2030, Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande said on Wednesday.

Nzimande unveils turnaround plan for SA's 50 FET colleges

The Department of Higher Education (DHET) on Wednesday tabled a turnaround strategy for South Africa’s 50 further education and training (FET) colleges, which span over 260 campuses. Many of these colleges were not only underperforming, but had failed to align ...

FET Colleges' turnaround strategy bearing fruit

SA: FET colleges’ turnaround strategy bearing fruit

Keeping the APPETD on our side

It took me fifteen years before I decided to become a member of the APPETD. The APPETD was established in 1997 as a national body representing the interests of private providers. In time the APPETD has come to be recognised as a reputable body that works towards maintaining...

Is it time for an Apex Quality Assurance Body?

In his presentation at the Third Pan African TVET and FET Colleges Conference in Cape Town on 8 November 2012 Minister Blade Nzimande announced that he will change the collective name of FET (Further Education and Training) Colleges to VET (Vocational Education and Training...

Minister Blade Nzimande spoke at the third Pan Africa TVET and FET Colleges Conference

It is always much easier to criticize what speakers say rather than to look for constructive arguments that can lead to or testifies to progress. I intentionally decided to look for positive points in the Minister of Higher Education and Training’s presentation at the thi...

Universities Feed Back on Nzimande and his Higher Education Amendment Bill

Universities round on Nzimande and his Higher Education Amendment Bill   By pushing through "devastating" legal amendments that will allow him to interve

FET Colleges to offer maritime courses

Compiled by the Government Communication and Information System Date: 02 Nov 2012 Title: FET colleges to offer maritime courses -------------------- By Dennis Cruywagen Cape Town - As part of an initiative to reduce ...

5th International Banking Conference - Dr. Nzimande's overview of the Department of Higher Education and the role of SETA's

5th International Banking Conference – Keynote Address by Dr B.E. Nzimande MP, Minister of Higher Education and Training 1 November 2012 The Chairperson of the BANKSETA Board Board Members Management and Staff of th...

Positive report for skills sector

Positive report for skills sector Fri, 02 Nov 2012 15:31 Share

All varsities finally account to Nzimande

All varsities finally account to Nzimande November 4 2012 at 02:59pm By BONGEKILE MACUPE

Feedback on the urgent meeting for Private FET Colleges by DHET

I attended the meeting arranged by DHET held on Tuesday 30 October 2012 to brief Private FET Colleges on the implications of the Interim Guidelines on the Registration and Accreditation of Private Providers Offering Qualifications or Part-qualifications in the Trades and Oc...

National Skills development strategy

National Skills development strategy National skills development strategy in disarray Thu, 25 Oct 2012 08:53 ...

STATEMENT ON THE PROPOSED CENTRAL APPLICATIONS SYSTEM

Directors: M.S. Badat; A.C. Bawa (Chairperson); R. Botman; C. de la Rey; T. Eloff; J.D. Jansen; M.R. Kgaphola; M.S. Makhanya; M.W. Makgoba; F. Mazibuko; L.V. Mazwi-Tanga; P. Mbati; N.M. Mokgalong; I. Moutlana; T.Z. Mthembu; G.L. Nongxa; B.P. O’Connell; N. ...

Framework for Cooperation in the provision of Career Development in SA

Follow this link: http://www.dhet.gov.za/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=x1wGSzEoIT0%3d&tabid=36 to view the content for the "Framework on the Cooperation in the provision of Career Development Services in South Africa. ...

Will private learning institutions survive the new threat?

You can regard this report as mere speculation or scenario building, and your decision can have rather serious implications for the survival of your learning institution if you own one or is employed by one. In the “interesting” times in which we live it is very importa...

AG slams ‘Scrooge’

The Department of Higher Education and Training has been criticised by auditor-general Terence Nombembe for under-spending by more than R877m on its National Skills Fund (NSF). The auditor-general said in a report tabled in Parliament on Thursday that while th...

Setas now at risk of being closed down

Follow the link below to view the article "Red lights flashing for SETAs" posted on the DA website, posted by Annelie Lotriet, Shadow Minister of Higher Education and Training on 16 October 2012.

Debrief on the HRD Expo: 9 to 11 October 2012

Mentornet had a stand at The Star HRD EXPO in Sandton arranged by the Institute for International Research for the sixth time in a row over the period 9 to 11 October 2012. This year Mentornet is already 21 years old, so we used this as our marketing focus. As in the past w...

Comments on the Policy and Criteria for Recognition of Prior Learning

The SAQA Board approved a Policy and Criteria for the Recognition of Prior Learning (Government Notice No. 35747 dated 5 October 2012). The “Glossary of Terms” is probably the best section of the document and one can relate to the definitions. This should not be underes...

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT ON THE VAT STATUS OF MENTORNET (PTY) LTD

Mentornet (Pty) Ltd was registered as a Private FET College in terms of the FET Colleges Act, 2006 (Act No. 16 of 2006) and related regulations on 21 October 2011. Mentornet also applied for and was provisionally registered by DHET to offer a number of FET qualifications th...

Coherence in Learning Programme Design

Any learning programme needs to be designed, developed and offered in a coherent manner if it is to achieve a central learning objective, and a learning programme cannot be coherent if the foundation on which it rests does not provide for coherence. As we all know, the “p...

Speech by the Director-General of the Department of Higher Education and Training at the CEPD Annual General Meeting held on 20 September 2012

http://www.dhet.gov.za/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=J6SMANwg050%3d&tabid=36 ...

The Department of Higher Education has commissioned the "Human Sciences Research Councel"

http://www.dhet.gov.za/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=I%2bA9WRdIM%2bI%3d&tabid=36 ...

INTERIM GUIDELINES ON THE REGISTRATION AND ACCREDITATION OF PRIVATE PROVIDERS OFFERING QUALFICATIONS AND PART-QUALIFICATIONS IN THE TRADE AND OCCUPATI

The Joint Communiqué of 2012 issued by the DHET, SAQA, QCTO and Umalusi is quite succinct and clear. At first glance the decision that Private SD Providers who wish to offer OQF qualifications and part-qualifications need not register with the DHET while those that are alr...

No more free laptops

Ah jee, some people just take longer than others to adapt to the changes in the environment. Mentornet started giving our learners laptops for free simply because it is to our advantage. To begin with, we print more than 500 000 pages per month on manuals, workbooks, exam ...

Standard For The Publication of The Master List of Education Institutions In The Post-School Sector

The Master List of Educational Institutions was published by the Minister of Higher Education and Training in The Government Gazette.   http://www.dhet.gov.za/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=DCG5r0TmnD0=&tabid=36 ...

Student presenting thesis via Skype

Students presenting thesis via Skype September 4 2012 at 11:21am By Julia Zappei

Technical Careers Expo in October 2012

Technical Careers expo in October highlights opportunities 3 Sep 2012 08:56

Comments On The Draft Policy On Professional Qualifications For Further Education And Training College Lecturers

The Minister of Higher Education and Training, Mr. Blade Nzimande has published the draft Policy on professional qualifications for further education and training college lecturers for public comment.   See the link below to the draft:  

University's Non-E.U. Students Face Deportation

University's Non-E.U. Students Face Deportation By D.D. GUTTENPLAN Published: September 2, 2012

Skills and vocational training needs rethink on qualifications

Skills and vocational training need rethink on qualifications 31 Aug 2012 14:54 - Stephanie Allais   ...

New World for 2030 Matrics

New world for 2030 matrics August 30 2012 at 10:52am By Michelle Jones

Paying a visit to the QCTO

I visited the QCTO in the DHET (Sol Plaatjies) building in Schoeman street, Pretoria on Tuesday 28 August 2012 and was received by Ms Busi Mtintsilana, Quality Assurance Manager. The purpose of the visit was to discuss how the QCTO will do verification of internal moderatio...

Verification the QCTO way

In a previous article on verification of assessment in higher education I mentioned that I will write further articles on verification in further education and training (FET) as well as occupationally-directed education, training and development (OD ETD) once I manage to sp...

UCT finds "The cure" to malaria

The University of Cape Town's Science department on Tuesday announced it has found a single dose cure for malaria.

Shaping The Future Of South Africa's Youth

I came upon this books published by 17 different authors explaining the future of post school education and training and the crisis we might face if more emphases is not placed on the importance of post school education.  This book gives a very brought overview on the curr...

Accredited versus non-accredited learning

Itebogeng Madumo really kicked over a beehive when he posed the question on Skills Universe: “Is it advisable to use non-accredited training providers?” Responses to his question came fast and furious – clearly this is still a contentious issue about which everybody w...

Policy And Criteria For The Registration Of Qualifications And Part-Qualifications On The Nqf

n SAQA has posted a new notice that is now open for public comments.nn See the notice posted by SAQA by folling this link: Policy and Criteria for the Registration of Qua...

Case Study 4: The need for education and training in quality assurance of ETD

I recently sent the following email to a Quality Assurance Manager: “Hello Mr …… Mentornet submitted an application for accreditation by means of memorandums of understanding with several other ETQAs/Setas on 8 June 2011. To this day we did not receive any ...

Comments on the Policy and Criteria for the Registration of Qualifications and Part Qualifications on the NQF as Approved by the SAQA Board

Thank you very much for the opportunity to comment on the Policy and Criteria for the Registration of Qualifications and Part-qualifications on the NQF as Approved by the SAQA Board dated 27 July 2012. Probably the strongest point of this document is that it is quite flexib...

The ITS Examination Administrator’s Conference

ITS Evula (Pty) Ltd invited Dr Hannes Nel of Mentornet to act as the key note speaker at the annual Examination Administrator’s Conference that took place over the period 13 and 14 August 2012. The venue was the NH Lord Charles Hotel in Somerset West, a most suitable venu...

WHEN THE ASSESSMENT SYSTEM FAILS THE STUDENT

I believe most of us know of instances where lecturers or other staff members of learning institutions actually collaborate with students to cheat in examinations. This also happens after the examinations, for example where assessors are instructed by their superiors to inf...

Russia to send graduates abroad on government expense

Russia to send graduates abroad 2012-08-09, Published By : Wais Wafa    

Fake Teachers Exposed

Ninetey-six teachers who have been found teaching with fake certificates in KwaZulu-Natal may still face the wrath of the law even though the education department has decided not to lay criminal charges. The department says it opted against prosecution because...

Anger as FET college calls off semester

Anger as FET college calls off semester Aug 8, 2012 | McKeed Kotlolo | 10 comments HUN...

Is the QCTO a closed system?

There is an article entitled “HOW WILL THE QCTO DO SO MUCH? WITH QUALITY PARTNERS!” on page 3 of the QCTO NEWS, Newsletter dated January 2012 Volume 1: Issue 1. I predicted in 2007 already that, regardless of what the structure of the QCTO will be, they will not have th...

Contextualising training materials

It is rather frustrating when consultants who evaluate training materials on behalf of quality assurance bodies claim that the materials have not been contextualised when clearly they do not know how materials should be contextualised to begin with. Quality assurance bodies...

Billions invested in FET Colleges

Billions invested in FET Colleges Wednesday 1 August 2012 19:14 SABC 22-year-old Beauty Thoka is studying at an FET college.(SABC...

FET Colleges as viable alternatives

Government wants to sell the idea of FET colleges as viable alternatives.   Government wants to sell the idea of FET colleges as viable alternatives.  Minister of Higher education Blade Nzimande explains: “There are many r...

OPEN LETTER TO THE APPETD

Dear Mr Segopolo, Thank you for the opportunity to explain what Mentornet as a private provider expects from the APPETD. Perhaps the best way to go about this would be to explain to you why we joined the APPETD only now, and also only provisionally, since if the APPETD does...

Northern Cape to host Department of Labour's Job Fair

30 July2012 The vision of contributing to the creation of decent employment through inclusive economic growth is expected to gain its momentum when the Department of Labour (DoL) continues with Jobs Fair event in Kimberle...

OPEN LETTER TO THE MINISTER OF HIGHER EDUCATION AND TRAINING

Dear Minister MAKING EDUCATION FASHIONABLE I found the speech that you made in KwaZulu-Natal at the National Congress of the ANC interesting, but also alarming in some respects. However, before I continue I would like to emphasise that this letter is n...

Comments on the Draft Higher Education and Training Information Policy

I received a copy of the Higher Education and Training Information Policy, General Notice 520 of 2012 only last week from the APPETD who placed it on Skills Universe. Comments should have been submitted not later than 2 June 2012, which is of course not possible. However, e...

Digital resources: researchers need better access and more training

One of our facilitators recently had the comment of students being able to just search for certain subjects in handbooks and quickly and easily being able to pin point the exact subject, without really reading and scanning through tex...

Verification In Higher Education

We sometimes discuss issues without really knowing exactly what it entails and how it should be done. Take verification (external moderation) as an example. We recently discussed this on Skills Universe and The Mentoring Network web site (www.iNtgrty.co.za

Minister Nzimande's Mandela Day 2012

Media Alert - Minister Nzimande's Mandela Day 2012 ...

PRIVATE FET REGISTER, 11 JULY 2012

THE LIST OF REGISTERED PRIVATE FET COLLEGES [UPDATED ON 11 JULY 2012]   http://www.dhet.gov.za/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=1CQb6DqLweY=&tabid=36 ...

Quick tip: The cost of getting it wrong...

Quick tip: The cost of getting it wrong...  

Spar Womens Race

Date: Saturday, 25 August 2012 at 02:00 - Saturday, 25 August 2012 at 05:00:00 Venue: Supersport Park Cost:

WHO TOOK THE COOKIE IN THE COOKIE POT?

WHO TOOK THE COOKIE IN THE COOKIE POT? Politicians have always used blame as a way of getting at their opponents and predecessors. After all, it is much easier than always doing things right. Some of you probably know the story of the manager who gave his success...

THE NEED FOR TRAINING IN QUALITY ASSURANCE OF ETD

THE IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATING AND TRAINING QUALITY ASSURANCE PRACTITIONERS: CASE STUDY 3   A quality assurance body once wrote the following feedback on a learning programme that we designed and developed and applied to have accredited: ...

Why We Will Not Rent From Avis

After booking with Avis on one of our courses the following unfortunate events occurred which brought us to the decision not to use Avis rental cars again: Our facilitator arrived Sunday night late in Durban and went to Avis to receive her rental car. She was inf...

The role of the verifier

It is important that all the assessment activities, including the design and development of assessment instruments, conducting assessment, managing assessment and doing the administration that goes with assessment is done professionally. The reason for this is quite obvious...

The importance of educating and training quality assurors

A quality assurance body once wrote the following feedback on a learning programme that we designed and developed and applied to have accredited: “Ensure that you submit evidence of a copy of the assessor(s) registered with the … SETA.” ...

Will qualifications that are not re-registered be lost for ever?

I had some mixed feelings when I heard that some qualifications and unit standards, currently registered in the NLRD, will not be re-registered if they were not used to date or if no learning institutions accredited to offer them. One can understand that qualifications that...

Who May Use The Saqa Logo?

Mentornet received a site visit by Ms Penny van der Byl (I misspelled her surname in previous communications for which I apologise) on Thursday 24 May 2012. Ms van der Byl pointed out to us that the rules for using the SAQA logo on certificates and marketing documents have ...

The difference between special needs and barriers in assessment

Some academics and quality assurance practitioners differentiate between disabilities and barriers in assessment. In fact, quality assurance evaluators sometimes insist that one should differentiate between the two in your policies and procedures. Purists feel that the diff...

Mentornet Gets A Clean Bill Of Health

On Thursday 24 May 2012 the ETDP SETA/ETDQA sent Ms Penny van der Bijl to do a quality audit on Mentornet. Ms van der Bijl was more than able to do the evaluation. However, it would have been nice if the ETDP SETA would have sent one or two of their own full-time staff to v...

Breakfast Workshop On The Use Of Training Materials Designed And Developed By Mentornet

Date: Friday, 15 June 2012 at 08:00 - Friday, 15 June 2012 at 11:00:00 Venue: Mentornet Conference Center, 308 Piet Hugo Street, Wierdapark, Centurion, 0157 Cost: R300.00

Re-registration of NQF registered qualifications

The SAQA Board, at the request of the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO) and the Council on Higher Education (CHE), has taken a decision to re-register all the qualifications and unit standards that reach the end of their registration period on 30 June 2012. ...

The Importance Of Educating And Training Quality Assurance Practitioners: Case Study 1

A quality assurance body once wrote the following feedback on a learning programme that we designed and developed and applied to have accredited: “The provider used one type of criteria [sic] that test [sic] the theory only. In the PoE there is [sic] memorandum which is t...

Virus On The Etdp Seta Network

My IT Manager brought it to my attention that there probably is a virus in the ETDP SETA Datanet. Newly entered data as well as historical data on learners sometimes just disappear. In some instances the same data re-appears after a few days, but not always. In one instance...

How Can Learners Develop Their Knowledge Or Skills?

HOW CAN LEARNERS DEVELOP THEIR KNOWLEDGE OR SKILLS? According to research, as cited in Killen (2000), it has shown that “no single teaching strategy is effective all the time for all learners”.  The reason is that facilitating and l...

Who was the first to accredit?

There are two private learning institutions that I know of who claim that they were the first in South Africa to accredit as private leaning institutions and they always bring this up at almost every meeting, conference or function where they are given an opportunity to spe...

Education And Training Of Quality Assurance Practitioners

It is important that post graduate studies, especially on doctoral level, contribute to the current pool of knowledge available in the particular discipline. Inevitably such research reveals deficiencies in the current knowledge and practices. My D. Phil studies focused on ...

Responsible tutoring

I have heard lecturers saying things like the following: “Student so-and-so should actually have achieved 100%, but I will never give a student more than 75%.” “I am not here to pass students; I am here to fail them.” ..

Student guidance and support

A few weeks ago I visited a professor at a university to discuss my latest book on Leadership in Quality Assurance of ETD. On my way to his office I walked past a lecture room where the lecturer was sitting at a table in front of the class, reading from a book. Perhaps it w...

FET College Lecturers

I was honoured to have been invited to attend a SAQA Research Seminar on Thursday 15 March 2012 at the CHE offices in Pretoria. The full title of the seminar was “Over-arching findings from a three-year study of FET College Lecturers: Biography, Knowledge, Pedagogy.” Th...

Visit to the Western Cape

I visited three learning institutions in the Western Cape over the period 6 to 9 March 2012 with the purpose of marketing the services and products that Mentornet have to offer. After all, in the Green Paper for Post-school Education and Training the Minister of Higher Educ...

Comments on the Integrated NQF

Introduction. General Notice number 913 calls for comments on the integrated NQF for Further Education, Higher Education and Occupational Education and Training. It took me a while to work through the document with the result that I probably missed the cut-...

Qaulity Assurance In Higher Education

Last week I had a rather interesting discussion with a Quality Assurance Manager at the Council on Higher Education. My argument is that there is room for improvement in the quality learning offered by higher education institutions, especially universities in So...

Roald Has Been Hooked

Well, there you have it. Another one bites the dust! Roald, our IT Manager, got married last week and he and his bride is currently on honeymoon. Roald will only be back two weeks from now, so if anything goes wrong with iNtgrty before he is back we have nobody ...

The Appeals Process

One way in which fairness in assessment can be assured is by allowing students to appeal against the results of their assessment if they feel that it is not a true reflection of their knowledge and/or skills. Students can argue that the results are not valid, the assessment...

Response to the Green Paper for Post-educational Education and Training - full report

Introduction. I would like to congratulate the Minister of Higher Education and Training and his staff members on preparing a brilliant analysis of the education, training and development (ETD) environment. The team clearly did immense research and came to ...

Response to the Green Paper

I placed some notes on the Green Paper for Post-educational Education and Training under "Artricles". I also posted the full feedback report for those who are interested in more detail information separately. Do you think the Minister of Higher Education's initative to p...

Response to the Green Paper

My response spans 24 pages and I will put it on the Mentornet web site next week for those who might be interested. Here are some salient issues from the response: Renaming FET Colleges as Vocational Education and Training Colleges (VET Colleges) will proba...