3.8. Quality Assurance

The Quality Assurance unit has been delegated as a Quality Partner for the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO) to ensure quality assurance on accreditation and learning programmes within the mining and minerals sector is aligned in terms of the Occupational Qualifications Sub-Framework policy, and regulated occupations in terms of Mine Health and Safety Act.

Therefore, the primary roles and responsibilities, deliverables and targets are:

• Review or develop learning programmes for registration as occupational qualifications and support on learning materials development as a Development Quality

Partner (DQP) body. • Conduct development for assessment tool banks and assessment centre criteria for designated occupational qualifications in terms of the national standard as an

Assessment Quality Partner (AQP) body. • Perform SETA mandate on identifying and approval of workplace including conduct accreditation audits for skills development providers, and workplace approval including registration of assessors and moderators as a Quality Assurance Partner (QAP) body. • Conduct quality assurance on learner achievements for certifications including uploading into the National Learner Records

Database (NLRD). • Implementation of SETA strategic projects including national initiatives for the mining and minerals sector.

3.8.1. DEVELOPMENT QUALITY PARTNER (DQP) FUNCTIONS

The MQA as a Qualifications Development Partner (QDP) in terms of the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO) has a delegated function to review or develop learning programmes for registration on the Occupational Qualifications Sub-Framework (OQSF) and learning materials in accordance with national standard.

Further, it has a mandate to review or develop regulated learning programmes or learning materials as per the mining and minerals sector demand with collaboration and support of relevant stakeholders. During the period of the financial year there was a total of 138 learning programmes or materials reviewed or developed for occupational qualification, part-qualifications, or skills programmes including learnerships as follows:

• 39 new/revised learning programmes • 99 new learning material packs for occupational qualifications

3.8.2. ASSESSMENT QUALITY PARTNER (AQP) FUNCTIONS

The MQA as an Assessment Quality Partner (AQP) has roles and responsibilities in terms of the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO) delegated functions for specified occupational qualifications registered on the Occupational Qualifications Sub-Framework (OQSF). This is to ensure development of assessment tool banks and assessment centre criteria for designated occupational qualifications or part-qualifications in terms of national standard.

The MQA has a total of 43 occupational qualifications, including 18 part-qualifications as registered on the OQSF, 25 of which have been submitted for approval and 13 are still to be developed. During the period under review 7 assessment tools were submitted, 6 were under development and 2 qualifications were ready for the sector.

3.8.3. QUALITY ASSURANCE PARTNER (QAP) FUNCTIONS

The MQA, through its Quality Assurance (QA) unit, conducts integrated accreditation audits to skills development providers (SDPs) and workplaces for occupational qualifications, part-qualifications, learnerships and/or skills programmes as a delegated Quality Assurance Partner (QAP) body of the QCTO for the mining and minerals sector. This includes audits on registration of assessors and moderators.

For this function to be conducted, it requires collaboration with all stakeholders through an appointed and dedicated audit team, including subject matter experts or technical experts within the sector.

However, for the period under review the sector and unit were affected by covid-19 and it thus became necessary to amend trade test centres

and SDPs whose accreditations expired in 2021-2022, as directed or guided by QCTO memos. Therefore, the MQA developed and approved interim guidelines and procedures for the conduct of virtual quality assurance accreditation audits, follow-up or monitoring of the workplace for the period under review.

MQA has 216 training providers on primary and secondary accreditations whilst 352 are approved workplaces for learner placements on various learning programmes as at the end of the financial year.

Through the approved interim guidelines and procedures for the conduct of virtual audits, the MQA achieved 212 performances on accreditations and workplace approvals during the financial year of 2021- 2022. The achievement breakdown is as follows:

• 112 workplace approvals; • 72 new scope extensions and compliance audits including 5 HDSA training providers who were supported and benefited on discretional grants; and • 20 audits could be not recommended for approval thus the MQA endorsed 30 SDPs for accreditation extensions that lapsed under the lockdown period.

During the period under review 1 018 applications were received with 845 approved and processed. A total of 306 were newly registered as assessors, 160 were moderators, 47 assessors were granted scope extension, 114 assessors moved from one provider to another on various learning programmes, and 208 applicants have not yet registered due to pending information.

3.8.4. LEARNER COMPLETION AND CERTIFICATIONS

The MQA continues with responsibilities for the quality assurance of learner achievements (completions) including uploading into the National Learner Records Database (NLRD) and issuing of certificates for historically registered qualification and skills programmes for the mining and minerals sector.

The primary roles and responsibilities are as follows:

- Establish and maintain a database for the recording of learner achievements. - Provide support for the certification of learners and accredited providers. - Certify learners for skills programmes or qualifications achieved.

The MQA adhered to and maintained the National Learner Records Data (NLRD) including uploading learner achievements in terms of the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) standard. Therefore, green status in both league tables were achieved.

There was a total of 40 621 learner completions on various learning programmes within the sector as at the end of the 2021-2022 financial year. The table below shows the breakdown of various learner completions on various learning programmes:

Types Learner Completions Printed/Issued Certificated

Skills programmes statement of attainments

Non-artisan learnership qualifications *Artisan qualification completions 38 576 37 526

1 540 1 540

1 505 1 428

*Artisan Trades certifications are issued by QCTO through the National Artisan Moderation Body, whilst MQA continued with the trade test serial number allocations for only 12 of the 18 trade test centres and its associated administration within the mining and minerals sector.

The MQA participated in the DHET Centre of Specialisation Pilot Project as the lead SETA for Millwright and offers further support for the boilermaker, diesel mechanic and electrician trades, including ensuring a safe learning environment and programmes on approved workplaces for practical experience, and linking learners to employers allocated with grants for the project.

The MQA periodically conducts monitoring on quality learning delivery supported by designated Occupational Trades Convenors (OTCs) for trade.

During the period under review only 45 learners were linked to 10 employers (workplaces) who were approved and allocated with grants to support learners on 5 TVET college campuses approved as centres of specialisation.

The table below shows the breakdown of supported trades and TVET colleges linked with employers and learners on CoS:

TVET College Province Name of Trades Number of Supporting Employers Gert Sibande TVET College Mpumalanga Millwright 2 Ekurhuleni TVET College Gauteng Boilermaker 2 Majuba TVET College KwaZulu-Natal Boilermaker 1 Orbit TVET College North West Diesel Mech 3 Mfolozi TVET College KwaZulu-Natal Millwright 2