umalusi’s presentation to the portfolio committee on basic education 2009 / 10 annual report

Umalusi’s presentation to the Portfolio Committee on Basic Education

2009 / 10 Annual Report

14 October 2010

Dr Mafu S Rakometsi

Purpose / Mandate Summarised External Environment : Impact on Umalusi Organisational Performance per Unit Financial Information Current Issues and Way Forward Conclusion

Overview

Umalusi commenced with its new and extended mandate as a Quality Council for GFET on 1 June 2009.

Umalusi’s mandate is determined by two Acts namely, the National Qualifications Framework Act of 2008; and the General and Further Education and Training Quality Assurance Act of 2001 amended in 2008.

While it is now fully accountable for its new mandate its founding act, the GENFETQA Act no 58 of 2001 amended in 2008, allows for Umalusi to take on its mandate progressively subject to capacity.

Purpose / Mandate Summarised

Umalusi is tasked with the following:

Qualifications Develop and manage a sub-framework of

qualifications in collaboration with SAQA and the other two QCs supported by the necessary policies and processes

Monitor and report on the adequacy and suitability of qualifications and standards in general and further education and training

Purpose / Mandate Summarised 2

Quality Assurance

Develop and implement quality assurance policies that include:

Accreditation of private providers of education and training and assessment to offer qualifications on the GFET sub-framework of qualifications;

Quality assure assessments at exit points and certify learner achievement



Information

Maintain a database of learner achievements and related matters; and submit such data in a format determined in consultation with the SAQA for recording on the national learners’ records database – this requirement has remained the same

Research

While Umalusi has always grounded its work in research this function was only formalised under the new and extended mandate, which requires Umalusi to commission and publish research on issues of importance to the development and implementation of the sub-framework

Advice and Collaboration

Included in the amended mandate is the formalization of relationships which include:

Advice to the relevant Minister on matters relating to the GFET sub-framework of qualifications

Collaboration with the SAQA and other QCs in terms of the education and training system

Establishment of co-operative relationships with professional bodies

Advocacy of the sub-framework of qualifications


While maintaining the standard, routine quality assurance work, Umalusi has moved swiftly towards taking on all its new functions. However, the following aspects in the macro environment continue to impact on Umalusi:

The passing of the NQF Act in 2009; which has required changes in relationships and functions with bodies in the quality assurance landscape;

The amendment of the GENFETQA Act in 2008; which has required more capacity and a review of Umalusi’s positions and approaches;

The amendment of the Skills Development Act and the establishment of the QCTO with new approaches that impact on the work of Umalusi;

Amendment of the HE Act with approaches that impact on Umalusi’s work;

External Environment : Impact on Umalusi

The introduction of two new and high profile qualifications during this time, namely the National Senior Certificate to replace the old Senior Certificate, and the National Certificate: Vocational to replace the old National Technical Certificates, has had significant new work implications;

The splitting of the Education Ministry has placed Umalusi in the position of straddling the education and training system in respect of its quality assurance work, reporting lines and funding streams. This has effectively required the establishment of new and different relationships, and engagement with new priorities and demands.

External Environment : Impact on Umalusi

Umalusi believes that educational standards and quality are set and maintained through a combination of processes and interventions and designed its rigorous quality assurance regime for 2009/2010 to encompass the following:

Development of new qualifications (as identified); evaluation and benchmarking of existing qualifications and curricula (Intended curriculum) and issuing authentic certificates

Ensuring through external moderation processes, analyses and benchmarking that assessments at exit points are of an acceptable standard and that the examinations are conducted in a credible manner through verifying the national and provincial monitoring systems (Examined curriculum)

Umalusi’s Quality Assurance Regime 2009/2010

Ensuring that standardisation processes are reliable, consistent and standardisation decisions are upheld

Accrediting private institutions (schools, FET colleges and Adult Centres), and private assessment bodies to offer / assess the qualifications Umalusi certifies (Enacted curriculum)

Conducting research to inform and support quality assurance functions and to support “Advice to the Minister”

Umalusi’s Quality Assurance Regime 2009/2010

The role of QCC is to ensure and enhance the status and quality of the qualifications Umalusi certifies. Quality assuring the qualifications and their related curricula is QCC’s contribution to the overall quality of the certificate which Umalusi issues. This function also oversees the issuing and verification of certificates.

(Qualifications: SC; NSC; N3; NCV 4; GETC: adults)

Qualifications, Curriculum & Certification Unit (QCC)

Qualifications, Curriculum & CertificationApril 2008 – March 2009 April 2009 – March 2010 Comments

Policy development:

Framework of Qualifications in General and Further Education and Training developed and consulted

Criteria & guidelines for development and evaluation of qualifications and curricula developed

Policy development:

General and Further Education and Training Qualifications Framework revised and resubmitted for regulation

The split in the ministries has delayed the regulation


Curriculum evaluated & benchmarked:

•NSC Maintaining Standards project supported

•GETC: Adults curriculum evaluation

•Foundation phase curriculum evaluation commenced (with SIR Unit)

Qualifications / curriculum developed, evaluated and benchmarked:

•Maintaining Standards research extended for NSC; a comparative study of NSC-NC(V) completed

•A new qualification the National Independent Certificate drafted for discussion

•Int benchmark of the NSC (with HESA) Conducted and completed (with SIR Unit)

All completed per plan – projects in this Unit are often conducted with the Research Unit


Certificates issued, (excluding subject certificates):

•778 445 certificates printed across qualifications

•171 858 certificates verified

Certificates issued, (excluding subject certificates):

•839 356 certificates printed across qualifications

•161 860 verifications undertaken

Completed as per plan

This function entails establishing, maintaining and improving standards and quality in assessment at exit points in General and Further Education and Training. In order to fulfil this function, Umalusi uses five key processes:

external moderation of question papers; verification of monitoring the conduct of examinations; external moderation of marking; external moderation of continuous assessment; and standardisation of assessment results.

(Qualifications: SC; NSC; N3; NCV 4; GETC: adults)

Quality Assurance of Assessments Unit (QAA)

Quality Assurance of AssessmentApril 2009 – March 2010 April 2009 – March 2010 Comments

Ext Moderation of Question Papers completed and reported on:

NSC: 338 papers (DoE + IEB + OAER )

ABET : DoE - 23 learning areas (23 X4 sets = 92 papers) IEB - 6 learning areas (6 X4 sets = 24 papers)

N2-N3: 25 papers

NCV level 2 : 40 papers ; NCV level 3: 28 papers

NCV level 3 ISAT (Integrated Summative Assessment task): 9

Ext Moderation of Question Papers completed and reported on:

NSC: 373 papers (DoE, IEB, OAER)

ABET : DoE - 23 learning areas (23 X2 sets = 46 papers) IEB – 7&8 learning areas (15 papers)

N3: 5 papers

NCV : 218 papers (level 2,3 and 4)

NCV level 2 (revised) ISAT (Integrated Summative Assessment task): 19NCV level 3 ISAT: 19 NCV level 4 ISAT: 17

Scarcity of suitably qualified people to appoint as external moderators (for NCV)

Quality Assurance of AssessmentApril 2009 – March 2010 April 2009 – March 2010 Comments

Moderation of marking completed and reported on:

NSC: 26 National (Centralised and On-site)

SC: 11 subjects

ABET: 4 learning areas across 9 PDE’s + IEB

N2- N3: 9 subjects

NCV level 2 : 8 subjects + 24 ISATs

NCV level 3 : 13 subjects + 13 ISATs

Moderation of marking completed and reported on:

NSC: 12 subjects (Centralised)

SC: 11 subjects

ABET: 15 learning areas across 9 PDE’s + IEB

N3: 4 subjects

NCV : 36 subjects (level 2,3 &4)+ 93 individual ISAT moderations (level 2,3 &4)

Successfully completed

Quality Assurance of AssessmentsApril 2008 – March 2009 April 2009 – March 2010 Comments

CASS completed per plan and reported on:

NSC: 30 subjects across DoE, IEB and OAER

ABET: 2 Fundamental learning areas (LLC: English

and Mathematical Literacy) across 9 PDE’s and IEB

NCV: 21 level 2 and level 3 subjects sampled across PDE’s

CASS completed per plan and reported on:

NSC: 30 visits (11 subjects) across DoE, IEB and OAER

ABET: 14 learning areas across across 9 PDE’s and IEB

NCV: 36 individual subjects moderations (level 2,3 &4) sampled across PDE’s

NCV ICASS moderation processes disrupted due to labour unrest at some FET Colleges.

Verifying monitoring conduct of exams completed and reported on:

NSC: 217 sites; ABET: 64 sites

N2 - N3 & NCV: 51 sites

Verifying monitoring conduct of exams completed and reported on:

NSC: 250 sites; ABET: 47 sites

N2 - N3 : 18 sites

NCV : 52 sites + 9 PDE’s state of readiness


Quality Assurance of AssessmentsApril 2008 – March 2009 April 2009 – March 2010 Comments

Standardisation completed and reported on:

NSC: DoE- 56 subjects;

IEB -56 subjects incl. non-official languages;

OAER - 27 subjects

N2- N3: 393 subjects (4 exams)

NCV level 2 : 54 subjects


ABET: DoE 23 learning areas (2 exams)

IEB 6 learning areas (2 exams)

Standardisation completed and reported on:

NSC: DoE- 57 subjects;

IEB -58 subjects incl. non-official languages;

OAER - 24 subjects

N2- N3: 292 subjects (4 exams)




ABET: DoE 23 learning areas (2 exams)

IEB 8 learning areas (2 exams)


The evaluation and accreditation function is responsible for the accreditation and monitoring of private institutions offering the qualifications Umalusi certifies. The unit evaluates,

The ability of education and training providers to implement registered qualifications and approved curriculum that Umalusi certifies; and

The capacity of providers and assessment bodies to conduct practical, internal, and external assessment of learner achievement, leading to the issuing of registered qualifications by Umalusi.

Evaluation and Accreditation Unit

(E&A)

Evaluation and Accreditation of Private Providers

Provisional Accreditation and MonitoringApril 2008 – March 2009 April 2009 – March 2010 Comments

Independent Schools:

•450 monitored; 150 new provisionally accredited

Independent Schools:


The ratio of schools monitored and new applications will increasingly invert

Private FET Colleges:

•86 monitored; 91 new learning sites provisionally accredited

Registration:

•197 Umalusi sites recommended to DoE

•171 SETA providers processed and referred to DoE

Private FET Colleges:

•386 sites monitored; 58 new provisionally accredited

Registration:

•236 Umalusi sites recommended to DHET

•486 SETA providers processed and referred to DHET

As more colleges become compliant, the rate of registration will decrease

AET Centres:

•23 monitored; 7 new centres provisionally accredited

AET Centres:


Evaluation and Accreditation of Private Providers

Institutional Site Visits

April 2008 – March 2009 April 2009 – March 2010 Comments

Independent Schools - site visits:

•229 completed

Independent schools – site visits:

•76 completed

A large number of independent schools are fully compliant with Umalusi’s criteria and consequently are being monitored, not site visited to verify compliance

Private FET Colleges site visited:

•203 completed

Private FET Colleges site visited:

•220 completed

Ongoing process to verify full compliance with Umalusi’s provisional accreditation criteria

Private AET Centres site visited:

• 7 completed

Private AET Centres site visited:

• 16 completed

As above

•Resubmission of regulatory framework for accreditation – awaiting regulation

•Resubmission of regulatory framework for accreditation

AVET policy published (DHET) Awaiting independent school regulatory framework for sign off from DBE

Evaluation and Accreditation of Assessment Bodies

April 2008– March 2009 April 2009 – March 2010 Comments

Accreditation of assessment agencies:

•4 new applicants supported through development programme

•2 AET assessment bodies

•2 Vocational assessment bodies

Accreditation of assessment agencies:

•3 new applicants were evaluated

The difficulty in finding capable private assessment bodies for adult and vocational education and training resulted in a reconceptualisation of the assessment system for private providers

Monitoring of assessment agencies:

•Independent Examinations Board (IEB)

•Onafhanklike Afrikaanse Eksamensraad (OAER)

Monitoring of assessment agencies:

•Independent Examinations Board (IEB)

•Onafhanklike Afrikaanse Eksamensraad (OAER)

Concluded per plan

Evaluation of the assessment system:

•Evaluation of the assessment system for the National Certificate: Vocational

•Project concluded – report published

Evaluation of the assessment system:

•Requested improvement plans from all Provincial Departments of Education (PDEs) in respect of the National Certificate: Vocational

Poor response from PDEs

The mandate of the SIR unit is to conduct research as identified by the needs of the organisation and report on the key indicators of quality and standards in general and further education and training; the establishment and maintenance of databases; to lead statistical research and analysis; and to inform and provide statistical support for the work in other units. The SIR Unit also plays a role in organizational and professional development at Umalusi.

Statistical Information and Research Unit

(SIR)

Statistical Information and Research

April 2008 – March 2009 April 2009 – March 2010 Comment•Quality indicators (for Umalusi mandate) conceptualised

•A framework of quality indicators approved and data collection commenced


Research commissioned:

•Foundation Phase comparative curriculum evaluation

•Int benchmark of the NSC (with HESA)

Research conducted:•GETC curriculum; Foundation phase conducted and completed

•Int benchmark of the NSC (with HESA) Conducted and completed (With QCC)


Research completed in a given financial year is published only in the next financial year

Research Conducted:

•Maintaining Standards research conducted and fed into 2008 standardisation

•Practical Assessment: Best Practice

•Evaluation of the GETC: Adults Curriculum

Research Published:

•Maintaining Standards: National Senior Certificate 2008

•The relation between knowledge and practice in curriculum and assessment•Inspecting the foundations, a report on the GETC for adults (with QCC)

•2 Seminar reports

Management Support Structures (MSS)

Management Support Structures ensures that: Strategic plans are in place and that the organisation carries out its remit Corporate Governance Advocacy of Umalusi’s work Stakeholders relationships

Management Support StructuresApril 2009 – March 2010 COMMENTS

•Strategic and business plans developed, implemented and monitored

New planning cycle developed and organisational reports published as required

Policies developed and implemented after Council approval

Performance evaluated and monitored quarterly

•Organisational governance maintained

Council meetings conducted, committees supported and services rendered

•PR and communications strategy implemented

Communication strategy implemented per plan

•Stakeholder relationships established and managed

Relationships forged and maintained with political structures, DBE, DHET and other statutory and quality assurance bodies

Information Technology Systems

April 2008 – March 2009 April 2009 – March 2010 Comments

Hardware procured and installed with SLA’s

•3 HP printers; 7 personal computers; 2 servers; 325 Computer components; 15 laptops; 35 network points

Hardware procures and installed with SLA’s

•0 printers; 25 personal computers; 6 servers; 450 computers components; 7 laptops; 0 network points

•Two break-ins resulted in the replacement of 10 computers and 16 screens

Software licensing up to date•7 different applications

Software licensing up to date•13 different applications

Pastel and Pervasive SQL; VIP; Inveloper e-Application platform ; Backup Exec; Symantec Anti-Virus; Microsoft System Centre; Microsoft SQL; Microsoft Exchange; Microsoft Windows Software Update Service (WSUS); Microsoft Visual Studio; Softcon Access Control; Datatex Amathyst voice recording; Kaseya Discovery and Audit.

Information Technology Systems

April 2008 – March 2009 April 2009 – March 2010 COMMENTS

Programming

•MIS development•Certification system NCV L 4 developed and NSC system implemented

Programming •MIS maintained;•Certification system maintained;

• Resulting system developed and implemented


Network support

•High availability solution in place for crucial servers. Disaster Recovery Plan in process of development

Network support

•Disaster Recovery strategy and plan developed and agreed upon


Finance, HRD & Admin SupportApril 2008 – March 2009 April 2009 – March 2010 Comments

Finance, SCM and buildings

Unqualified audit (history of organization)

Creditors were paid within 30 days

Building Improvements - R 1,040 m

Undercover parking bays converted into additional office space, security was enhanced with CCTV and palisade fencing.

Finance, SCM and buildings

Unqualified audit (history of organization)

Creditors were paid within 30 days

•Building improvements – R125,000

•Security was enhanced; razor wire installed, Trellidors installed to all entrances, additional CCTV mounted and overnight Security Guards now stationed at Umalusi house

The organization has sound financial management controls as evidenced by clean audits

Physical and electronic assets of the organization are well secured despite 2 break-ins

Human resources

Bursaries to staff – R 56 156

In house training – R 89 185

Short courses – R 39 024

All 74 staff benefited

Human resources

Bursaries to staff – R 58 039

In house training – R 58 908

Short courses – R 348 053

All 80 staff benefited

Staff development and wellness prioritized

Financial Performance 2009/10

Revenue Amount

Certification, verification and accreditation 33,394,307

Department of Education Grant 16,494,000

Interest and other income 2,554,424

Total Income R 52,442,731

Expenditure R 52,391,296

Surplus R 51,435

Financial Position 2009/10

Assets

•Property & equipment 14,037,128

•Intangible assets 72,102

Current Assets

•Trade & other receivables 4,894,810

•Cash & cash equivalents 25,768,174

TOTAL ASSETS R44,772,214

Equity

Accumulated surplus R39,160,441

Liabilities

•Trade & other payables R5,611,773

TOTAL EQUITY & LIABILITIES R44,772,214

Total Income 2000/1 ( actual) to 2013/14 ( budget)YEAR INCOME BUDGET DoE GRANT GRANT %

2000/01 R 6,150,786 0 0

2001/02 R 7,027,948 0 0

2002/03 R 13,757,861 R 1,513,000 11

2003/04 R 18,076,902 R 3,050,000 17

2004/05 R 23,547,626 R 12,869,000 55

2005/06 R 28,603,979 R 7,690,000 27

2006/07 R 32,972,345 R 10,286,000 31

2007/08 R 36,013,566 R 12,652,000 35

2008/09 R 46,434,368 R 16,044,000 35

2009/10 R 53,843,713 R 16,494,000 31

2010/11 R 68,812,141 R 17,350,000 25

2011/12 R 82,022,943 R 18,391,000 23

2012/13 R 91,644,338 R 19,311,000 21

2013/14 R 101,650,807 R 20,469,660 20

Funding model: With the declining grant percentage Umalusi has proposed to DBE for a move from a certification fee to a Quality Assurance Levy or an increase in the certification fees

Reporting to DBE: has resulted in lack of consultation and unfunded mandates from DHET in the area of qualifications development, and review namely assessment and qualifications offered in FET colleges and adult education

Current Issues and the Way Forward

Consultative processes continue with the Departments of Basic and Higher Education, SAQA, QCTO and HEQC, and related stakeholders through the NQF Forum

Thanks to the Portfolio Committee Chairperson, Ms F I Chohan and her members for their support

Conclusion

umalusi’s presentation to the portfolio committee on basic education 2009 / 10 annual report

Documents

new mandate

umalusis mandate

amended mandate

extended mandate

training purpose mandate

training quality assurance

genfetqa act

founding act