National Qualifications Frameworks:
Building Bridges between Education and Training Systems?
Experiences from Selected African Countries

 

by Hans Krönner, Germany

 H.Kronner@intervoc.de     •     www.intervoc.de

 

Acronyms

 

DoE	Department of Education (South Africa)
DoL	Department of Labour (South Africa)
EHEA	European Higher Education Area
FET	Further Education and Training (South Africa)
FETC	Further Education and Training Certificate (South Africa)
GET	General Education and Training (South Africa)
GETC	General Education and Training Certificate (South Africa)
GSE	General Secondary Education
HET	Higher Education and Training (South Africa)
ILO	International Labour Organization
NQF	National Qualifications Framework
SADC	Southern African Development Community
SAQA	South African Qualifications Authority
TVET	Technical and vocational education and training
UNESCO	United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
UNESCO-UNEVOC	UNESCO-UNEVOC International Centre for Technical and Vocational Education and Training

 

 

Abstract

For many years, there has been broad international consensus about the need for lifelong learning, both in the context of general education and of technical and vocational education and training.

Nevertheless, many education and training systems continue to maintain institutions, learning environments, curricula and patterns of accreditation and certification that distinctly separate “general education” from “vocational training”. This delineation typically starts at the level of secondary education.

National qualifications frameworks are currently being developed and introduced in a number of countries. These frameworks target lifelong learning environments that ensure articulation across heterogeneous education and training systems.

The objectives, the rationale and some basic characteristics of national qualifications frameworks in selected African countries are being presented, with particular reference to the articulation between general and vocational learning.

 

1 Introduction

1.1 The Scope of Lifelong Learning

Lifelong learning, or – as it is also addressed, “learning throughout life” –  encompasses a much broader range of options than do traditional forms and patterns of education and training.

	Range of Lifelong Learning
	from	to
Educational level	Primary education	Higher education
Learner	Initial training of youth	Further training of adults
Type	Formal	Non-Formal
Delivering agency	Public Sector	Private sector, employers
Monitoring	Government	Private (or none)
Place of learning	Schools and training institutions	Workplace, community, home
Delivery patterns	Classroom delivery	Open and distance learning, e‑learning, self-directed learning, mass media
Educational objective	Cultural, social and citizenship values; progression within the education system	Skills development, employability, transition to working life

The Scope of Lifelong Learning

 

1.2 The Inherited Delineation

In spite of the obvious diversity and complexity of arrangements available for lifelong learning, the structures of education systems are frequently divided into two major strands:

·         General education
that aims at preparation for life in general, and for progression within the education system, and

·         Technical and vocational education and training
that serves as a preparation for particular occupations, and to facilitate transition from the education system to working life.

This structural delineation can be found in curricula and programmes, in learning environments, in education and training institutions, in training of teachers and trainers, as well as in accreditation and certification systems. As a consequence, it also impacts on employment opportunities and remuneration.

However, more and more policy makers challenge this delineation:

“Yet too often, General Secondary Education (GSE) seems to have been designed almost exclusively to prepare young people for higher education, though in reality only a small selection enter institutions of tertiary learning. On the other hand, Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) at the secondary-level is seen as the domain of those others whose academic capabilities are deemed inferior. In such systems the acquisition of “knowledge” often remains distinct from the acquisition of “practical skills”. A secondary education system that maintains the distinction between the two streams must certainly fail to maximize the effectiveness of its graduates when they take their place in societies that increasingly require individuals to possess a combination of knowledge and practical and social skills.” (UNESCO 2005a:5)

The delineation originates from traditional European concepts and designs of education systems. It has been transferred to many countries in other world regions, in particular during the colonial period. It has had an unfortunate impact on education and training systems of many countries:

In developing countries, formal schooling for large parts of the young generation often does not reach beyond basic education. For the young people concerned, as a consequence, working life (or, even worse, unemployment) starts immediately following a period of general education, with no particular preparation for working life. For education systems in those countries, it is particularly important that secondary education is not reduced to preparing young people for progression within the education system, but that it also provides opportunity for learners to acquire vocational skills.

 

1.3 Overcoming social as well as educational segregation

Moreover, on the grounds of this unfortunate delineation, some education system became highly selective, as the example of South Africa illustrates:

“… a South Africa ruled by the apartheid regime with a racially fragmented education system, one in which black people faced severe difficulties when attempting to move to more senior levels within organisations…” (Keevy 2005:11)

Following the establishment of democracy in South Africa in 1994, the “transformation of education and training from a divided and unequal system to one that seeks to achieve systemic integration” (SAQA 2004:4) has been identified as a key for South Africa to overcome the social segregation of the past.

One might recall that Friedrich Engels, in Europe back in the 19^th century, had targeted the relationship between general education and vocational training: He considered general education as being the vocational training of the ruling class, while vocational training in turn played the role of general education for the ruled class (cf. Wollschläger 2002:3)

In industrialized countries, policy makers are likewise addressing the issue of delineation between education and training systems, even though the causes may be different. Increasingly, an overarching approach to education and training is seen as a prerequisite for lifelong learning. For Europe, the recent “Conference of European Ministers Responsible for Higher Education” coined it as follows:

“We underline the importance of ensuring complementarity between the overarching framework for the EHEA [European Higher Education Area] and the proposed broader framework for qualifications for lifelong learning encompassing general education as well as vocational education and training as now being developed within the European Union as well as among participating countries.” (Bergen 2005:2)

Apparently, the traditional segregation between general academic learning on the one hand, and vocational learning and skills development on the other hand, is being questioned in developing as well as in developed countries, though not always for the same reasons.

 

2  The Emergence of National Qualifications Frameworks

It is interesting to note that, irrespective of the underlying rationale and the historical roots, there seems to be a common response to this challenge: the development of overarching national reference frameworks for education and training systems, the so-called “national qualifications frameworks”.

 

2.1 What are National Qualifications Frameworks?

A national qualifications framework is

“the set of principles and guidelines by which records of learner achievement are registered to enable national recognition of acquired skills and knowledge, thereby ensuring an integrated system that encourages lifelong learning” (SAQA, http://www.saqa.org.za/, 20.02.2006)

A national qualification framework (NQF) is based on a system of credits for learning outcomes achieved. A learning outcome is essentially:

§         a capability developed in the learner

§         reflecting an integration of knowledge and skills

§         which can be understood, applied and transferred to different contexts.

The achievement of a qualification in such a system is not dependent on attendance at particular courses, but based on learning outcomes defined by full-time, part-time or distance learning, by work-based learning or by a combination together with the assessment of prior learning. The NQF is designed to:

§         Introduce a fair assessment system, which measures achievements against clearly stated national standards;

§         Establish a dynamic and flexible system able to adapt quickly to new developments in the labour market, workplace, education and training;

§         Encourage more people to participate in further education and training;

§         Develop learning which is relevant and responsive to the needs of the individual, the economy and society;

§         Promote access to learning;

§         Provide a variety of routes to qualifications, and

§         Provide national quality assurance. (Samuels in: UNESCO-UNEVOC 2001:14)

 

2.2 Views of International Agencies

The major United Nations agencies with an interest in education and training, UNESCO and ILO, have both addressed the issue of national reference frameworks for education and training.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), in its “Revised Recommendation on Technical and Vocational Education” adopted in 2001, suggests that:

“… policies … should be established … designed to implement the principle of lifelong education through the creation of open, flexible and complementary structures for education, training and educational and vocational guidance, regardless of whether these activities take place within the system of formal education or outside it.  Governments should consider establishing a system of equivalencies whereby credit is given for completion of any approved program, and recognition is granted to educational and/or professional qualifications and work experience.“  (UNESCO 2001 para 13)

National authorities should establish criteria and standards … applying to all aspects of technical and vocational education, including, to the greatest extent possible, non-formal education, for all forms of recognition of achievement. (UNESCO 2001 para 15)

The International Labour Organization (ILO), in its “Recommendation 195 Concerning Human Resources Development: Education, Training and Lifelong Learning” adopted in 2004, stipulates that:

“Members should … develop a national qualifications framework to facilitate lifelong learning, assist enterprises and employment agencies to match skill demand with supply, guide individuals in their choice of training and career, and facilitate the recognition of prior learning and previously acquired skills, competencies and experience; this framework should …  recognize regional and local differences, without losing transparency at the national level.”(ILO 2004 para 5)

Thus both agencies promote the concept of lifelong learning through the development of overarching national reference frameworks for education and training.

 

3 National Qualifications Frameworks in the SADC Region

3.1 Origin and Progress

In 1997, the Members of the Southern African Development Community[1] (SADC) agreed to cooperate in the

“…development of national examinations and accreditation systems to move vocational education and technical training systems towards harmonized, equivalent and eventually standardised certification.” (SADC 1997: Article 6 3. b iv)

While the initial approach of SADC had a clear focus on technical and vocational education and training only, it has soon been widened in scope to include the whole range of education.

When SADC member states first came up with these plans, they were aware that this process might well require a period for implementation of up to twenty years. Since 1997, mechanisms were developed that included the development of national qualifications frameworks, which would eventually lay the foundations of a regional qualifications framework.

In 2001, SADC developed criteria to determine the progress made with national qualifications frameworks. At present all member states are engaged in NQF development as follows: (SADC 2005:17-18)

Engagement of SADC Member States in NQF Development[2]

 

3.2 The Example of South Africa

We will take an exemplary look at the structure of the NQF in South Africa, the most advanced country in SADC in terms of NQF development.

The basic design of the South African qualifications framework currently presents eight levels that are clustered in three bands (http://www.saqa.org.za, 20.02.2006). An adaptation to ten levels is currently being considered.

Structure of the National Qualifications Framework (South Africa)

 

3.3 An Integrated Approach

The concept of the South African qualifications frameworks was initially inspired by the competency approach in vocational education (England, Scotland). However, from the very outset, the South African national qualifications framework followed a highly unified approach. Both educational and vocational qualifications are included without any distinction being made between them:

“…a further reason for the establishment of [the South African] NQF is to provide a coherent structure for education, a means by which divisions between sectors of learning and the variety of providers of education can be bridged and the division between “theory” associated with general education and “application” associated with vocational education and training can be diminished.” (Oberholzer 1994:3)

Likewise, the Namibian national qualifications framework covers the whole spectrum of general education and vocational training activities, offered by variety of providers, including training at the workplace in industry.

For both countries, it is right to say that their NQFs pursue integrated approaches to academic / general education on the one hand, and technical and vocational education and training on the other hand, thus integrating of theory and practice. It is particularly interesting to note that the NQFs in both countries explicitly include training at the workplace.

 

4 Standards, Levels, Descriptors

In order to ensure coherence of qualifications levels across education and training systems, national qualifications frameworks need to incorporate standards, levels and descriptors that serve the following key purposes:

“Level descriptors are broad, generic, qualitative statements against which specific learning outcomes can be compared and located. Thus, sets of level descriptors can be used in a general way to determine the pegging of qualifications and standards on a framework. But because they describe learning across domains, disciplines, fields and learning pathways, level descriptors must be general and at the same time specific enough to serve their purpose. They must provide a clear understanding of the meaning of learning attainment corresponding to each level on the NQF.” (SAQA 2001b:33)

In order to illustrate the nature of level descriptors, here is an example for the South African national qualifications frameworks, Level 4:

A learning programme leading to the award of a qualification or unit standards at NQF level 4 shall develop learners who demonstrate with regard to: (a)   applied competence - (i)             a fundamental knowledge base of the most important areas of one or more fields or disciplines, in addition to the fundamental areas of study; (ii)            an informed understanding of the key terms, rules, concepts, established principles and theories in one or more fields or disciplines; (iii)          an understanding of the organisation or operating environment as a system within a wider context; (iv)           an ability to apply essential methods, procedures and techniques of the field or discipline; (v)            an ability to apply and carry out actions by interpreting information from text and operational symbols or representations; (vi)           an ability to use their knowledge to solve common problems within a familiar context; (vii)         an ability to adjust an application of a common solution within relevant parameters to meet the needs of small changes in the problem or operating context; (viii)        an ability to motivate the change using relevant evidence; (ix)          a basic ability in gathering relevant information, analysis and evaluation skills; and (x)            an ability to communicate and present information reliably and accurately in writing and verbally;   (b)   autonomy of learning - (xi)          a capacity to take responsibility for their own learning within a supervised environment; (xii)         a capacity to take decisions about and responsibility for actions; (xiii)       a capacity to evaluate their own performance against given criteria; and (xiv)        a capacity to take the initiative to address any shortcomings they find.

Level Descriptors, Level 4 (South Africa)
(SAQA 2003:5-6)

In order to ensure coherence across education and training, the above descriptors make it clear that the qualifications frameworks covers theoretical knowledge as well as applied, technical or operational skills.

 

5 Promoting Quality Assurance and Learning Throughout Life

In defining levels and standards and in providing descriptors, a NQF inevitably supports quality assurance in education and training.

Other than assessment in traditional education and training systems, a NQF acknowledges learning achievements rather than attendance of courses of particular education and training institutions. Knowledge and skills are being assessed no matter whether they have been acquired in formal or in informal settings, at school or at the workplace, in classes, via mass media, or through open and distance learning.

As a logical consequence, acquisition of knowledge and skills is no longer intrinsically linked to particular periods in life. Students at school, adult workers undergoing on-the-job training as well as out-of-school youth are being granted equal access to recognition of prior learning, thus underlining the concept of learning throughout life.

Thus. national qualifications frameworks do not only build bridges between education and training, but they are also laying foundations for a new paradigm for learning, assessment, certification and quality assurance.