Maragon 2

What prospective students should know before they sign up
Terminology related to education in South Africa can often be very confusing, particularly when learners and prospective students need to consider the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) and talk of accreditation and registration.
It is, however, very important that prospective students get to grips with the terminology, as not doing so can have serious implications down the line.
Dr Felicity Coughlan, from The Independent Institute of Education, said one of the most important aims of the NQF is to protect the general public from abuse by bogus education providers. By developing an understanding of the NQF, you can make assumptions about registration and accreditation, which makes it all much easier to understand because a qualification that is not registered or accredited is not on the NQF, so it really is your shortcut to working out what is real and what is not.
“South Africa has a register of all qualifications which is managed by the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA), and this register is referred to as the NQF,” she explained.
“We are fortunate in South Africa to have some really strict rules that educational institutions and training providers have to adhere to, so if you want to study there are a few simple questions to ask to which there are very clear answers. If an institution is not clear with you on the answers, the chances are you should be cautious about registering.”
Coughlan says that something can only be called a “qualification” if:
- It has a credit value of 120 as a minimum.
- It is registered on the NQF with an NQF ID (sometimes called a SAQA ID) number.
“The shortest possible qualification is therefore normally one year as it takes about a year of study to do 120 credits. A degree is normally at least 360 credits and so on. Without these two being in place, what you are studying is considered a short course and not a qualification, so it cannot be called a diploma or degree. So, if a South African institution is offering you a diploma for three weeks of study, it is not legitimate and warning lights should start flashing about that institution.”
Even when an institution does provide an NQF ID, one should still verify it independently by searching for it on www.regqs.saqa.org.za.
“Look up the qualification and check its level and credit value, as well as information about what it covers. You can then compare that information to the marketing material given to you by the training provider to make sure that the promises and reality match.”
- Prospective students can find a complete list of all registered private colleges and higher education institutions at: www.dhet.gov.za/SitePages/DocRegisters.aspx .
Why mathematics matters
In high school, the mathematics syllabus becomes more challenging than ever, and many learners may be tempted to ditch the subject in favour of something easier.
But Aaron Koopman, from The Independent Institute of Education, advises learners and parents to think very carefully before doing so, as a solid grounding in the subject can make a lifelong difference not only to one’s career prospects, but also to those areas of life which seemingly have nothing to do with numbers.
“At school we are told regularly that if we do not keep mathematics as a subject we will not gain access to a commerce or science degree of our choice. What we often do not hear is that apart from providing access to limited enrolment degrees, sticking with maths provides important life skills and a competitive advantage you won’t find anywhere else,” he said.
Koopman added that even those learners opting for maths literacy should continue to take the mathematical steps and processes seriously, as a solid grounding in maths truly sets one up for life.
“Maths teaches you so much, from the memory and recall skills you gained from learning your times tables, to the focus and concentration that mental arithmetic calculations strengthen, through to the most important skills of all related logic, reason and problem-solving.”
He said maths also enables you to understand sequencing and planning, starting at the right point and working methodically to get the right answer. And when it does not work out the way it should, it is one’s mathematical and analytical skills that help you to work through each step and figure out why things did not turn out the way they should have.
“maths also helps you develop persistence as you apply and discard solutions while trying to make sense of a problem. It is the bridge between the world we live in, think of the ‘story sums’ we started in our early grades – and the creative and brilliant solutions that lie behind the world’s best inventions.”
And very importantly, companies are increasingly looking for graduates with powerful thinking and troubleshooting capacity – just the competencies that are developed and nurtured through mathematics.
Additionally, anyone leading a team or department regardless of industry will need to be financially literate and able to manage sometimes substantial budgets.
Distinctions over the years
What prospective students should know before they sign up
Terminology related to education in South Africa can often be very confusing, particularly when learners and prospective students need to consider the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) and talk of accreditation and registration.
It is, however, very important that prospective students get to grips with the terminology, as not doing so can have serious implications down the line.
Dr Felicity Coughlan, from The Independent Institute of Education, said one of the most important aims of the NQF is to protect the general public from abuse by bogus education providers. By developing an understanding of the NQF, you can make assumptions about registration and accreditation, which makes it all much easier to understand because a qualification that is not registered or accredited is not on the NQF, so it really is your shortcut to working out what is real and what is not.
“South Africa has a register of all qualifications which is managed by the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA), and this register is referred to as the NQF,” she explained.
“We are fortunate in South Africa to have some really strict rules that educational institutions and training providers have to adhere to, so if you want to study there are a few simple questions to ask to which there are very clear answers. If an institution is not clear with you on the answers, the chances are you should be cautious about registering.”
Coughlan says that something can only be called a “qualification” if:
- It has a credit value of 120 as a minimum.
- It is registered on the NQF with an NQF ID (sometimes called a SAQA ID) number.
“The shortest possible qualification is therefore normally one year as it takes about a year of study to do 120 credits. A degree is normally at least 360 credits and so on. Without these two being in place, what you are studying is considered a short course and not a qualification, so it cannot be called a diploma or degree. So, if a South African institution is offering you a diploma for three weeks of study, it is not legitimate and warning lights should start flashing about that institution.”
Even when an institution does provide an NQF ID, one should still verify it independently by searching for it on www.regqs.saqa.org.za.
“Look up the qualification and check its level and credit value, as well as information about what it covers. You can then compare that information to the marketing material given to you by the training provider to make sure that the promises and reality match.”
- Prospective students can find a complete list of all registered private colleges and higher education institutions at: www.dhet.gov.za/SitePages/DocRegisters.aspx .
