Accreditation
Accreditation is the certification, usually for a particular period of time, of a person, body or institution as having the capacity to fulfil a particular function within the quality assurance system set up by South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA).
Provider
A provider is an education and training body (institution/organisation, company, centre, collaborative partnership, or consultancy) which delivers learning programmes that culminate in specified National Qualifications Framework (NQF) standards or qualifications.
Getting accreditation
“With the type of training school you want to provide you would need to contact Services Seta to apply for accreditation”, explains Caroline Eva at SEQA, Pretoria.
Services Seta’s website offer a user-friendly website that covers both general areas as well as information specific to employers, training providers and learners.
Services Seta
“If you wish to apply for accreditation, all you have do is to apply online”, says a Services Seta representative. Seta will check your submission on the website and if you need help your assessment document, they will assist telephonically.
You will need to prepare your own learning programme manual, facilitator’s guide, assessor and moderator memorandum, plus submit your CV and identity document.
If everything is in order, you are first awarded provisional accreditation and once you have started submitting your learners’ details, which will be checked through the Quality Assurance of Learner Achievements (QALA) process.
If your results are what’s expected you receive full accreditation.
How to register a training college
The most important body that you have to comply with is the South African Qualification Authority (SAQA).
SAQA controls the comprehensive education system approved by the Minister of Education for the classification, registration, publication and articulation of quality-assured national qualifications.
SAQA will guide you through the entire process required to register and become an accredited training institution. Before you approach them, you must have registered your business and have a business plan in place as this information is required to complete the relevant application with SAQA.
SAQA
As a provider of training for the Information Technology sector, regulations are listed under the category “Seta ISETT”.
Criteria for accreditation
SAQA require that you show that you have necessary financial, administrative and physical resources to operate the college. You will have to have policies and practices for staff selection, appraisal and development.
SAQA will also need you to have in place the correct policies and practices for learner entry and you will have to show how you intend to achieve the desired outcomes using the procedures recommended by SAQA in order to teach students so that they receive an accredited qualification.
Contact SAQA who will explain in detail how to achieve the specified regulations and standards in order to be granted accreditation so you can operate a registered and respected training college.