Implementing RPL: AgricultureLoffie Naude18 September 2014

Purpose Objectives Scope

Terms RPL in South Africa

RPL and the NQF

Policy priorities

Responsibilities for

implementation

Transitional arrangements

1 2 3

4 5 6

7 8 9

NQF & RPL

RPL case studies

Projects

Looking forward

NQF and RPL

The NQF is a single integrated system which comprises of three co-ordinated qualifications sub-frameworks:1. General and Further Education and Training Qualifications Sub-framework (GFETQSF) overseen by Umalusi2. Higher Education Qualifications Sub-framework (HEQSF) overseen by the CHE3. Occupational Qualifications Sub-framework (OQSF) overseen by the QCTOThe sub-frameworks were determined on 14 December 2012 and amended on 30 August 2013; the sub-framework policies for the GFETQSF and HEQSF were determined on 2 August 2013 (the OQSF policy will be finalised in the near future)

The NQF

National Qualifications Framework

Level Sub-framework and qualification types

10 Doctoral DegreeDoctoral Degree (Professional)

*

9 Master’s DegreeMaster’s Degree (Professional)

*

8 Bachelor Honours DegreePostgraduate Diploma

Bachelor’s Degree

Occupational Certificate (Level 8)

7 Bachelor’s DegreeAdvanced Diploma

Occupational Certificate (Level 7)

6 DiplomaAdvanced Certificate

Occupational Certificate (Level 6)

5 Higher Certificate Occupational Certificate (Level 5)

4 National Certificate Occupational Certificate (Level 4)

3 Intermediate Certificate Occupational Certificate (Level 3)

2 Elementary Certificate Occupational Certificate (Level 2)

1 General Certificate Occupational Certificate (Level 1)

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* Qualification types beyond Level 8 on the OQSF have not been determined

“Of all the expectations placed on the NQF, the aspiration for a system of prior learning was perhaps the most significant”

Study Team on the Implementation of the NQF, April 2002

RPL since 2011• RPL implemented by over 253 providers• SAQA is currently assisting with over 20 organisational RPL initiatives,

with potential to reach 200,000• 22 of 23 HEI implementing (12 have decentralised models, 10

centralised)• RPL known in the following sectors: Manufacturing and Engineering/

Chemical Industry/ Mining Industry/ materials Handling Equipment/ Banking sector/ Financial Services/ Business Practice/ Wholesale and Retail sector/ Labour broking/ Education and Training/ Public Service/ Media; Print, radio, TV/Public Service/Real Estate

• NAMB is championing ARPL (seven steps towards becoming an artisan, including RPL)

• Estimated numbers: 51,000+Back

Existing SAQA RPL Policy (2002, 2003)Ministerial RPL Task Team

New National RPL Policy2013SAQA RPL Reference Group

SAQA Research Partnership with UWC

SAQA website, NQF website, RPL portal

COORDINATED APPROACH TO RPL

Strategic RPL projects

RPL Conference 2014

RPL Policy Implementation Plan 2014-2019

WHAT IS RPL?Principles

and processes through

which

Prior knowledge and skills are

Made visibleMediatedAssessed

for the purposes of

Alternative accessAdmission

RecognitionCertification

Further learningDevelopment

FORMS OF RPLRPL for access

RPL for credits

Alternative access route for those that do not meet formal entry requirements

Applies to accredited providers and workplaces

Credits for, or towards, a

qualification or part qualification registered on the

NQF

The revised National Policy for RPL Implementation

PURPOSE• Position RPL in relation to NQF principles and

priorities• Ensure that implementation is achieved by:

• a comprehensive, quality-assured, resource-driven approach

• ensuring quality assurance and benchmarking of RPL overseen by SAQA and the three Quality Councils

• addressing barriers• Recognising different kinds of RPL/

purposes for RPL • Providing for national co-ordination

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OBJECTIVES• Provide for implementation of RPL (resourcing,

effective delivery, quality assurance)• Enable shared understanding, holistic RPL• Enable sector criteria/ institutional policies • Set national guidelines for implementation, and

gathering/documenting/reporting RPL• Enable candidates to attain recognition for

personal development, access, or progression in learning or work

• Recognise roles of the various role-players• Enable national coordination of RPL by SAQA

(research, support, advocacy, mainstreaming)

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SCOPE• Provides for the role of SAQA in co-ordinating the

development of RPL policies and practices across all sub-frameworks of the NQF in co-operation with:• the three Quality Councils• education institutions and skills development

providers• workplaces• assessment sites• recognised professional bodies• RPL practitioners

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TERMSRPL – the principles and processes through which the prior knowledge and skills of a person are made visible, mediated and assessed for the purposes of alternative access and admission, recognition and certification, or further learning and developmentRPL practitioner – a person that functions in one or more aspects of RPL provision (including policy development, advising, portfolio course design and facilitation, assessment and moderation, administration, monitoring and evaluation, research and development)

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RPL IN SOUTH AFRICA• The RPL process is multi-dimensional and multi-

contextual and holistic• RPL may be carried out at any level of learning and

at any NQF level• The following principles are important:

• The focus is on what has been learned, not on the status of the institution/organisation/place where the learning was obtained.

• Credit is awarded for knowledge and skills acquired through experience and not for experience alone.

• Prior learning is made explicit through assessment and/or other methods

• Candidate guidance and support, preparation of evidence, appropriate teaching and learning, mentoring and assessment are key.

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RPL & THE NQF• NQF qualifications/part-qualifications may be

awarded in whole or in part through RPL---must include provision for alternative entry-level requirements so candidates can be admitted to study towards the qualification, or part-qualification, through RPL

• No distinction (other than for data analysis) can be made between achievements obtained via RPL/ conventional means

• Providers must record/ submit RPL data through the relevant QC

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POLICY PRIORITY 1:QUALITY ASSURANCE OF RPL• Establishment of and adherence to

policies, standards, processes, and associated practices

• Standardised practices must grow within sectors (one approach may not work across different contexts)

• Quality indicators such as fitness for purpose, transparency, and fair outcomes – are needed

• Integrity of processes and outcomes needs to be protected

POLICY PRIORITY 2:RESOURCING OF RPL• Includes direct and indirect physical,

infrastructural, human, financial capacity to build and maintain sustainable mainstream RPL

• Opportunities must be created for equitable access to RPL (redress)

• Government/ other subsidisation of RPL must be identified by SAQA

• Private sector RPL needs to be encouraged

• Consistent pricing of RPL needed • Sharing RPL facilities, staff, expertise

across institutions is encouraged

POLICY PRIORITY 3:EFFECTIVE DELIVERY OF RPL• Delivery must take cognisance of lessons

learned (in research, practice)• RPL for returning-to-learning youth and

adults is encouraged and needs to be resourced in collaboration with all relevant stakeholders

• RPL needs to be expanded with targets in workplaces and institutions of learning

• RPL as tool for transformation needs to benefit those speaking all languages, not only the dominant language(s)

POLICY PRIORITY 4:NATIONAL RPL COORDINATIONResearch

• Conduct• Coordinate• Disseminate

Professionalisation

• Initiate• Encourage• Guide• Support

Strategic projects

• Identify• Initiate• Major industrial sector• Public sector• Sector-specific centres• Community education and training

Support and advice

• Conduct • Monitor• Evaluate• Benchmark

Advocacy

• Marketing• Public perception of RPL• Conference in 2014

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SUMMARY: SAQA RESPONSIBILITIES • Develop national policy and criteria• Co-ordinate the sub-frameworks of the NQF,

including the alignment of sub-framework policies on RPL, and articulation across the system

• Recognise professional bodies and register professional designations (specification of an RPL route is a requirement for listing of professional designations)

• Oversee the national coordination of RPL

SUMMARY: QUALITY COUNCIL RESPONSIBILITIES• Develop RPL policy for the sub-framework,

monitor/evaluate implementation (providers)• Collaborate/ foster relationships with SAQA, NAMB,

SETAs, professional bodies and others• Facilitate and monitor enabling agreements, and

training of RPL advisors, facilitators, assessors, moderators, and administrators

• Ensure consistency in RPL policy application• Support co-ordinated development of generic RPL

toolkits and instruments • Ensure no distinction between conventional and RPL

achievements • Conduct and oversee RPL-related research

SUMMARY: RESPONSIBILITIES OF PROVIDERS• Progressively develop capacity to implement RPL,

ensure staff capacity, effective planning, funding• Collaborate with SAQA, NAMB, the Quality Councils,

professional to advance RPL implementation, monitoring, evaluation

• Incentivise and support the registration and CPD of RPL practitioners

• Provide advice, counselling and other support services for RPL candidates throughout

• Establish an appeal process for RPL • Ensure an equitable fee structure • Develop an information management system

SUMMARY: RESPONSIBILITIES OF PROFESSIONAL BODIES• Comply with national policy and criteria for the

recognition of professional bodies and the registration of professional designations

• Include an RPL route as an integral requirement for attainment of professional designations

• Collaborate with SAQA, the Quality Councils and the relevant providers to incentivise and advance quality RPL provisioning

• Progressively develop and enhance capacity to initiate and support RPL provision in accordance with this policy

SUMMARY: RESPONSIBILITIES OF RPL PRACTITIONERS• Adhere to requirements set out in this policy and

determined by the relevant bodies and governance structures, which may include a Quality Council, a workplace and a professional body

• Meet professional requirements, including participation in continuing professional development activities, to be developed and agreed with the community of RPL practitioners, relevant bodies and governance structures through the national coordination of RPL as set out in this policy

SUMMARY: RESPONSIBILITIES OF RPL CANDIDATES• Accept co-responsibility as an equal partner in the

RPL process.• Expect to be treated without unfair discrimination.• Respect the processes and procedures of institutions

and workplaces.

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TRANSITIONAL ARRANGEMENTS• The Criteria and guidelines for the implementation

of RPL developed in 2004 by SAQA will be replaced by new guidelines as soon as these have been developed.

• This policy comes into effect on the date of its publication(March 2013).

• This policy replaces The recognition of prior learning in the context of the South African NQF policy developed in 2002 by SAQA.

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PROJECTS

SAQA STRATEGIC RPL PROJECTSSAPS band members in partnership with Trinity College London

Department of Public Service Administration Marine Industry Association of South Africa (MIASA) in cooperation with NAMB

Community Development Practitioners in partnership with Department of Social Development, Department of Cooperative Governance, ETDP SETADENOSA and Nursing Colleges

Education Labour Relations CouncilGame Rangers in partnership with Rhodes University, the World Wildlife Federation (WWF) and SANParks

Grain Silo industry with DeloitteCorrectional services to develop an RPL model for offenders towards NCV, and N courses e.TV Support to SASCOC for SA Coaching Framework developmentSupport to the SANDF war veterans

Looking forward

A FOCUS ON IMPLEMENTATION• With stability in the system, as confirmed by the

White Paper on PSET, SAQA will have the opportunity to focus on implementation

• This will include:• Monitoring and evaluation• Interventions where required (e.g. for RPL, short

courses, international qualifications)• Strategic partnerships• Strong emphasis on advocacy and

communication

ALTERNATIVE ACCESSProcess

Leveling

QUALIFICATIONASSESSMENT

INFORMAL LEARNINGWORKPLACE EXPERIENCELIFE EXPERIENCEFORMAL LEARNINGUNIVERSITYTVET COLLEGESCHOOL

• AgriSETA?• Department of Agriculture?• Unions?• OR• RPL Centre with collaboration between all relevant entities?

WHO WILL BE THE DRIVER?

LEARNER-CENTREDNESS• The learner is at the centre of the RPL process – human dignity• RPL provides opportunities for further development• RPL aims to redress past imbalances• RPL provides support to learners towards success• RPL is a change agent

LEARNER-CENTREDNESS

• For a while it is possible for an outsider to build a man’s house but an outsider cannot give a man pride and self-confidence… Those things a man has to create for himself by his own actions. He develops himself by what he does…by making his own decisions, by increasing his understanding of what he is doing and why; by his own full participation – Julius Nyerere.

LEARNER-CENTREDNESS

Systemic issuesOrganisational issuesFundingPersonal factorsTransfer of knowledge

RPL CHALLENGES

RPL is a boundary shifting agent aiming at recognition of knowledge gained informally and non-formally – addressing the educational needs of all workers

RPL AS CHANGE AGENT

THANK YOU!