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Today in its print edition, City Press publishes a special report on technical and vocational education and training (TVET) colleges – in partnership with Africa Check:
- We fact check a claim, made by DA MP Yusuf Cassim, that 60% of TVETs “remain” dysfunctional.
- We check if the ANC fulfilled a promise to enrol 1.5 million TVET students by 2019.
- Students tell us if TVET colleges are worth their time and money.
Here are tips, provided by the department of higher education and training, to make sure that your college and its courses are accredited.
Q: How can a reader who wants to enrol themselves/their child into a TVET college check whether it is accredited?
A: The institutions are required to display their accreditation certificates conspicuously, therefore students have to check the displayed certificate. An accreditation certificate reflects the physical address of the institution (confirmation of college accreditation) as well as the part-qualifications and/or qualifications that an institution is accredited to offer. Alternatively, students can check on the websites of the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO) and sector education and training authorities (Setas) or contact them directly.
Q: What is accreditation?
A: It is a process that an institution undergoes to determine if it has the capacity to fulfil a particular function in the quality assurance system or whether its educational programmes meet defined standards of quality.
Q: If a college is accredited, are its qualifications accredited as well?
A: The accreditation process is a comprehensive one in that it assesses the state of the institution in terms of the physical resources/buildings as well as curriculum delivery in terms of the required set standards. Should there be non-compliance issues identified, the accreditation will not be finalised until all requirements are met. Therefore, if an institution is accredited, so are the qualifications.
Q: Who accredits private TVET colleges?
A: The QCTO accredits qualifications and part-qualifications that fall under the Occupational Qualifications Sub-Framework (OQSF). The QCTO has delegated the function of quality assurance to sector education and training authorities (Setas) for a specific period of time. Umalusi accredits only private colleges for qualifications and part-qualifications that fall under the General and Further Education and Training Qualifications Sub-Framework (GFETQSF).
Q: Do public TVET colleges require accreditation?
A: Public TVETs are required to be accredited for offering OQSF part-qualifications and qualifications. They cannot offer any qualification that falls under the OQSF without accreditation.
Read stories from our previous collaboration with Africa Check, on sexual offences courts:
