1. Verification of Qualifications of Public Service Employees by the South African Qualifications Authority October 2009 Daniel Pienaar Verification of Qualifications of Public Service Employees by the South African Qualifications Authority October 2009 Daniel Pienaar

2. 2  Context  Background to the Verification of Qualifications  Objectives of Bulk Verification  Individual and Bulk Verification  Verification of Qualifications for Senior Level Appointments  SAQA Contacts  Dpsa contacts Presentation Outline

3. 3  In April 2009, the South African Qualifications Authority was tasked to be the sole verification institution that would be accepted for qualification verification in the public service, by the MPSA  Cabinet minutes of 15 April 2009 (item 3.8) Context

4. 4  Verification of qualifications in the public service have been undertaken for a significant period of time  A number of problem areas identified in how verification was undertaken  Verification of qualifications in the Public Service is pursued in a fragmented manner  Departments manages service providers individually - the seemingly the only deliverable is a report – process is assumed to be watertight  Agency methodology models often unknown  Difficult to aggregate data Background to Verification of Qualifications

5. 5  Services provided to Departments duplicated  Government could potentially be paying for multiple verifications of the qualifications for a single employee  This approach not beneficial to the Public Service over the long term  Leads to waste of resources and duplication of costs  Lack of a central repository and coordination point where Departments can access the results of qualifications already verified at no cost  Absence of a method whereby such results can be shared within government for improved decision making Background to Verification of Qualifications

6. 6  Circular issued in May 2009  Requests that qualifications be verified by a statutory body: South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA)  The Circular requests Departments to utilise SAQA for bulk and individual verification  Assist in increased reliability and ongoing maintenance of PERSAL data  Establish comprehensive database of qualifications of Public Service employees, accessible to all Departments Objectives of bulk verification

7. 7  Complements security checks to be undertaken i.t.o the National Vetting Strategy in the Public Service (Criminal records, citizenship, financial/asset, qualifications, previous employment  Circular on Bulk verification elaborates on verification of qualifications, does not replace Circular on the National Vetting Strategy  Verification of qualifications and security vetting they are separate but aligned processes Objectives of bulk verification

8. 8  Bulk verification should be undertaken by 1 November 2009 (letters to HoD’s, Sept 09)- for existing employees  Departments that have undertaken bulk verification need not repeat it as long as the data has been maintained (will be requested to provide data to the dpsa at a later date)  For individual verification existing agreements with service providers should be honoured, however as this is client (dept. needs driven) it is logical that this will cease immediately  Upon expiry, SAQA should be used to verify qualifications of new or potential employees  SAQA now verifies all qualifications Individual and bulk verification

9. 9  New arrangement for the National sphere  The MPSA has the responsibility to submit motivations by departments, for the filling of HOD and DDG posts to Cabinet  To facilitate this process national Executive Authorities must provide the MPSA with a Cabinet memorandum containing all relevant information, including verification of academic qualifications, two weeks prior to Cabinet meeting  After publication of the Circular, need for rapid verification of qualifications for senior level appointments  Instances where the appointment needs Cabinet approval Verification of qualifications of senior level appointments

10. 10  New arrangements contained in letter to HoD’s, Sept 09  Separate channel in SAQA arranged for verification of:  Deputy Directors General  Heads of Government Components  Chief Executive Officers of Public Entities  Directors General  Same day verification, exceptional circumstances 72 hours  Departments should undertake verification at least one month in advance of the scheduled interview date  Outcome: Provision of a Verification Report Verification of qualifications of senior level appointments

11. 11  SAQA will verify foreign qualifications  Outcome: Evaluation Certificate  Turnaround time connected to costing structure  Time of Departmental submissions for foreign qualifications to SAQA to be aligned with costing  MPSA only processes appointments if the qualifications are verified, and evaluation of foreign qualifications performed, by SAQA Verification of qualifications of senior level appointments

12. 12  Verification and evaluation checks of qualifications by other institutions not accepted  Provincial Governments adhere to internal policies and practices regarding DDG appointments and upwards  Can contact SAQA to follow a similar process Verification of qualifications of senior level appointments

13. 13  Departments to contact SAQA directly  Bulk & individual verification: Cleo Radebe / Yvonne Shapiro  Verifications@saqa.org.za Verifications@saqa.org.za  Tel: (012) 431 5155  Fax: (012) 431 5051  Verification of senior level appointments  Deputy Chief Executive Officer, SAQA  Joe Samuels  VerifyPublicService@saqa.co.za VerifyPublicService@saqa.co.za  Tel (012) 431 5027  Fax (012) 431 5039 SAQA Contacts

14. 14  Policy for verification of senior level appointments  Ministry for Public Service and Administration  Dumisani Nkwamba  (012) 336 1704  (021) 467 5120  082 885 9448  Dumisani.Nkwamba@dpsa.gov.za Dumisani.Nkwamba@dpsa.gov.za  Circular on bulk verification  Daniel Pienaar  Tel: (012) 336 1168  Fax: 086 691 1629  danielp@dpsa.gov.za danielp@dpsa.gov.za  hrp@dpsa.gov.za hrp@dpsa.gov.za Dpsa contacts

15. 15 End of Presentation Thank You