Question 1

Will all professional bodies, which include professional associations/institutes, be required to apply to SAQA for recognition on the NQF?

Answer

If a professional body or a professional association wishes to be involved in the education and training environment and wishes to co-operate with the relevant Quality Council (QC) in terms of qualification development and quality assurance it must apply to SAQA for recognition. The three QCs are:

• The Council on Higher Education (CHE) for the Higher Education sub-framework
• Umalusi for the General and Further Education and Training sub-framework
• The Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO) for the Trades and Occupations sub-framework.

Question 2

What are the implications for a professional body that does not what to be recognised?

Answer

The professional body may continue to function as before,however the extent of its involvement in the formal education and learning environment will be limited.

Question 3

Can a professional body register members on learnerships?

Answer

Professional bodies may register its members and employees on learnerships as long as the professional body is not the accredited provider of the qualification coupled to the learnership.

Question 4

Why may a professional body not be an accredited training provider?

Answer

Potential problems may arise when professional bodies have to quality assure their own offering to learners and assess the learner. An additional area of conflict could arise when a professional body, which is also an accredited provider, is required to accredit other providers for the qualifications it already offers.

Question 5

In light of the fact that professional bodies may not be accredited as education and training providers, will professional bodies be able to continue offering training as part of their members’ continual professional development (CPD)?

Answer

Professional bodies will be allowed to offer training as part of their CPD offerings to members. However, where such training leads to a registered qualification or part qualification the training must be conducted by an accredited provider.

Question 6

How will SAQA manage the recognition of more than one body or association in a sector?

Answer

SAQA will encourage co-operation and collaboration between the different bodies or associations across a sector. If no resolution can be found in this manner, SAQA will consider each application on its own merit.

Question 7

Can a designation be used by more than one professional body?

Answer

No, the policy requires that the same professional designations cannot be registered by more than one recognised professional body in South Africa.

Question 8

Must the underlying qualification to a professional designation be an NQF registered qualification?

Answer

Yes, the underlying qualification to a designation must be an NQF registered qualification.

Question 9

Can the registration of a professional designation take place in the absence of an underlying qualification/s?

Answer

No, there must be a registered underlying qualification/s in order for a designation to be registered on the NQF. 

Question 10

Can a part-qualification or/and NQF aligned skills programme be regarded as an underlying qualification?

Answer

The term qualification includes part-qualifications. This therefore implies that the underlying qualification of a designation can be linked to a part-qualification registered on the NQF.

Question 11

Will a professional designation be registered at an NQF Level?

Answer

A professional designation will not be registered at a specific NQF level. However, the underlying qualifications of all professional designations will be registered at a specific NQF level.

Question 12

Can a professional designation be linked to more than one underlying qualification?

Answer

A professional designation can be linked to multiple underlying qualifications. It is the responsibility of the professional body to determine which NQF registered qualification(s) are suitable to be regarded as underlying qualification(s) for the designation.

Question 13

What is the role of the Quality Councils (QCs) in recognising professional bodies on the NQF?

Answer

SAQA is the only body that recognises professional bodies and registers professional designations. If a professional body wishes to contribute to qualification development and quality assurance it must co-operate with the relevant QC. The relevant QC will be determined by the type and level of the qualification.

Question 14

Will the Organising Framework of Occupations (OFO) be used to determine titles of professional designations?

Answer

It is the professional body that will determine the titles of designations. However, the titles of underlying qualifications for professional designations in the Trades and Occupations sub-framework may be aligned to the OFO.

Question 15

Can a person hold more than one professional designation and will all of these be recorded on the NLRD?

Answer

A person can hold any number of professional designations, each awarded by a different professional body. The NLRD will be able to record more than one designation per person.

Question 16

Different professional bodies are at different stages of development. Will SAQA be able to assist either aspiring or newly created professional bodies in terms of establishing themselves and adhering to the criteria of recognition?

Answer

SAQA will be able to give advice to aspiring or newly created professional bodies.

Question 17

What will the costs to the professional body be in terms of applying to be recognised as a professional body and registering professional designations on the NQF?

Answer

SAQA will not charge professional bodies for the recognition of professional bodies or registration of professional designations on the NQF. However, SAQA reserves the right to recover costs in instances where unnecessary and wasteful costs are incurred.

Question 18

Can a professional body that regulates an industry apply for recognition as a professional body on the NQF?

Answer

A professional body which regulates an industry and which wishes to be involved in the education and training environment can apply for recognition as long as it adheres to the criteria. It will, however, be critical to demarcate the different roles the professional body will play, so that members and other organisations understand the different roles, who performs each role, and what the parameters of the locus of control is for each function.

Question 19

Will internationally recognised professional designations be registered on the NQF by SAQA?

Answer

If an internationally recognised professional designation adheres to the policy and criteria it can be registered on the NQF by SAQA.

Question 20

Will international qualifications which are not registered on the NQF be recognised as underlying qualifications for professional designations?

Answer

The underlying qualification for a professional designation must be an NQF registered qualification. Professional bodies using international qualifications must therefore take the necessary steps to ensure that these qualifications are registered on the NQF.

Question 21

To what degree will good corporate governance be measured when considering an application by a professional body for recognition on the NQF?

Answer

SAQA will, during the evaluation of an application for recognition, assess, amongst other things, the governance structure, the management structure and the sustainability of the professional body.

Question 22

What will happen to a registered professional designation once a recognised professional body is either de-recognised or ceases to exist?

Answer

The designation/s of a professional body which looses its recognition status will be de-registered. The records of the holders of the designation will reflect a de-registration date and no new records will be added against the specific designation. Records of holders of de-registered designations will not be removed from the NLRD.

Question 23

Will an applicant to a designation be able to apply for recognition of prior learning (RPL) to achieve the underlying qualification?

Answer

An applicant can achieve the underlying qualification through RPL. However, the RPL of the underlying qualification/s must be managed by an accredited provider.

Question 24

Will Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs) play a role in recognising professional bodies and registering professional designations?

Answer

SAQA is the only organisation that can recognise professional bodies and register professional designations for the purposes of the NQF Act. SETAs may however opt to support its members where appropriate.

Question 25

How will the data uploads to the NLRD take place?

Answer

Professional bodies will be required to regularly upload data against the “Specifications for Professional Bodies’ Load Files for the National Learners’ Records Database”. EduDex, a data validation utility, will be provided free of charge to professional bodies by SAQA and workshops will be offered on how to implement the load specifications.

Question 26

Will SAQA be verifying for third parties the data related to professional bodies and professional designations?

Answer

No, the responsibility to verify the awarding of a designation to its members remains the responsibility of the professional body.

Question 27

What will happen to professional designations which have already been registered on the NQF as qualifications?

Answer

SAQA will interact with the professional body in instances where professional designations have already been registered as qualifications on the NQF to correct the problem.

Question 28

How will SAQA manage the process if public comment in regard to applications for recognition is received from third parties?

Answer

SAQA will interact with the applying body and, if necessary, the relevant sector as a whole, should comments be received during the public comment phase. The SAQA Board will however make the final decision and an appeal process will be put into place.

Question 29

What will happen when a registered qualification which is coupled to a professional designation is changed?

Answer

SAQA will put measures in place to notify professional bodies of changes which providers may make to underlying registered qualifications.

Question 30

What is the difference between statutory and non-statutory professional bodies?

Answer

The primary difference between the two is that statutory bodies are mandated by legislation. However, in terms of recognition under the NQF Act, both statutory and non-statutory bodies may apply to SAQA.

Question 31

What are the timeframes for the recognition and registration process?

Answer

The pilot process takes place between August 2011 and March 2012. The pilot process will inform the further developments of the recognition and registration processes. Applications for recognition by professional bodies not involved with the pilot project will commence from April 2012.

Question 32

Will there be a continuous monitoring system of the professional bodies once recognition and registration has taken place?

Answer

Regular data uploads to the NLRD will be required and monitored by SAQA.  Complaints will also be investigated by SAQA. Further, professional bodies will be expected to keep SAQA informed of changes to the professional body or its registered designations.