Glossary of Terminology
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Accreditation
This is the status accorded to training providers who have a quality management system in place to ensure the quality of learning programmes offered by the institution.
Alignment
This refers to the 'matching' of programmes to unit standards and qualifications registered on the NQF. This means that participants will have to provide evidence that they have met all the requirements specified in the unit standards or qualification the programme is aligned to if they wish to be awarded credits.
Credits
A credit value is allocated to every unit standard and qualification registered on the NQF. Credits indicate the notional hours of learning that the average learner would take to achieve one credit, with one credit being equal to 10 notional hours. Notional hours do not only cover formal 'classroom' sessions, but includes time spent on pre-study, assignments, individual and group work.
Credit-bearing programme
This is a programme that is aligned to a registered unit standard(s) and/or qualification, and participants who successfully complete the programme will gain credits on the NQF for the unit standard(s) or qualification completed.
ETQA
Education and Training Quality Assurance bodies are responsible for quality assuring the education and training of all programmes leading towards unit standards and/or qualifications registered on the NQF, as well as for the accreditation of training providers. Higher Education is quality assured by the HEQC, and all the SETAs also have an ETQA function.
FAIS requirements
The Financial Advisory and Intermediaries Services Act requires financial advisors to provide evidence of competence through completing a unit-standards-based learning programmes, or through formal assessment against unit standards. Participants can obtain FAIS credits for completing all or part of the National Certificate: Wealth Management (NQF level 5), and also for other USB-ED programmes that are aligned to FAIS-approved unit standards.
NQF
The National Qualifications Framework in an integrated framework on which all SAQA-approved qualifications and unit standards are registered, each with a unique ID number, level and credit value.
NQF level
All unit standards and qualifications are registered on a particular level, indicating the level of complexity of learning. There are 8 levels on the NQF, with a 'matric' being on level 4, a first degree on level 6 and a doctorate on level 8. [The new NQF Act proposes increasing the levels to 10.]
NLRD
SAQA registers all qualifications and unit standards on the National Learners' Records Database, where they can be accessed by the public through www.saqa.org.za. Details of learners who successfully complete unit standards or qualification are recorded against these on the NRLD.
National Certificate
Generic Management: This is a SAQA-registered qualification on the NQF. It is on NQF level 5, which is the level of our MDP. USB-ED is in the process of aligning the MDP and all level 5 USB-ED programmes to unit standards in this qualification. Once these are aligned, participants will be able to gain credits towards the qualification for unit standards successfully completed.
RPL
Recognition of prior learning is a process through which learners can be awarded credits on the NQF for learning achievements acquired through previous formal and/or informal learning, on condition that they complete a formal assessment against the unit standards or qualification they are applying for RPL.
SAQA
The South African Qualifications Authority is responsible for the registration of unit standards and qualifications on the NQF, and for overseeing the NQF.
SETA
The Sector Education and Training Authorities are responsible for promoting skills development within the 23 sectors of the economy. They also disburse grants from the skills levies paid by employers for learning programmes that meet specified criteria, e.g. for programmes aligned to registered unit standards and qualifications and for submission of a Workplace Skills Plans and Annual Training Reports.
Unit standards
These are statements of desired education and training outcomes and their associated assessment criteria registered by SAQA, together with the NQF level and credit value and an NLRD number that is unique to each unit standard.
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