Qualifications Frameworks as a global phenomenon: Some challenges for a ‘third generation’ of national qualifications frameworks

National qualifications frameworks New Zealand National Qualifications Framework Ethiopia National Qualifications Framework NQFs Regulatory/mandatory Tool for national policy implementation Establishing national standards and regulations Regional/Transnational qualifications frameworks RQFs Voluntary/inclusive Tool for translation and assessing comparability of qualifications– communication between countries Transnational Qualifications Framework for the Small States of the Commonwealth SADC Regional Qualifications Framework

UNITED STATES of AMERICA GREENLAND ALASKA (USA) ICELAND SWEDEN RUSSIA CANADA NORWAY FINLAND ESTONIA DENMARK LITHUANIA LATVIA REPULIC OF IRELAND UNITED KINGDOM NETHERLANDS GERMANY POLAND BELARUS BELGIUM CZECH REPUBLIC UKRAINE AUSTRIA SLOVAKIA HUNGARY KAZAKHSTAN FRANCE SWITZ. ITALY ROMANIA MONGOLIA BULGARIA UZBEKISTAN PORTUGAL SPAIN GEORGIA KYRGYZSTAN UNITED STATES of AMERICA GREECE TURKEY TURKMENISTAN TAHKISTAN NORTH KOREA SYRIA CHINA SOUTH KOREA JAPAN MOROCCO TUNISIA IRAQ IRAN AFGHANISTAN ALGERIA PAKISTAN WESTERN SAHARA LIBYA EGYPT NEPAL MEXICO SAUDI ARABIA UAE OMAN INDIA VIETNAM TAIWAN CUBA MAURITANIA MALI MYANMAR NIGER LAOS GUATEMALA CHAD HONDURAS SENEGAL SUDAN YEMEN THAILAND NICARAGUA PHILIPPINES COSTA RICA GUINEA BURKINA CAMBODIA PANAMA VENEZUELA NIGERIA GUYANA LIBERIA COTE D’IVOIRE GHANA CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC ETHIOPIA SRI LANKA COLOMBIA SURINAME FRENCH GUIANA CAMEROON UGANDA SOMALIA MALAYSIA ECUADOR GABON CONGO KENYA DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO TANZANIA PAPUA NEW GUINEA BRAZIL INDONESIA PERU ANGOLA BOLIVIA ZAMBIA NAMIBIA ZIMBABWE MOZAMBIQUE MADAGASCAR PARAGUAY BOTSWANA AUSTRALIA REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA CHILE URUGUAY ARGENTINA NEW ZEALAND

A ‘third generation’ of NQFs

Generation gap 1st and 2nd generation Early motivations Explicit goals Establish national standards and improve quality Increase coherence of subsectors TVET, HE and GE Increase access and promote lifelong learning Compare and recognise qualifications Reform the education sector 3rd Generation New motivation Globalisation Regional integration New pressure/accelerating factors Momentum of globalisation Global convergence

What we’ve learnt A qualification framework cannot solve all the education and social problems Qualifications frameworks shift the balance of power The subsectors will vigorously (and passively!) resist ‘harmonisation’ A qualification framework can become a large and slow moving bureaucracy that hampers innovation Prescriptiveness does not improve quality it improves compliance

Limiting factors: Structures for governance: divergent political views of the need for change Complexity of qualification systems: trade off between risk of destabilisation and ineffective piecemeal changes. Institutional structure: e.g. weak co-operation between education institutions, world of work, ministries, parastatals Economic constraints: especially shortage, or ineffective allocation, of resources Social barriers e.g. parity of esteem between TVET and HE, low public opinion of private provider qualifications

What problems do we want to address with the NCQF? Career ‘dead ends’ Out-of-date irrelevant qualifications Inconsistent assessment standards Low public confidence in qualifications No means of recognising qualifications from other countries Some Botswana qualifications are not recognised in Botswana Lack of international recognition of Botswana qualifications No framework of reference for curriculum development and credit transfer Qualification system is too complex and people don’t understand how it works

What are the benefits we want from the NCQF? Increase lifelong learning – no more ‘dead ends’, more ‘second chances’ Increase relevant demand-led education and phase out out-of-date, irrelevant qualifications Increase consistency in assessment standards Increase public confidence in qualifications Increase local recognition of Botswana qualifications Increase mobility of qualified people Increase international recognition of Botswana qualifications Participate in regional co-operation and development Make the qualification system easy to understand

Levels South Africa Namibia Mauritius Lesotho Seychelles TQF 10 PhD 9 Masters Degree 8 Postgraduate Diploma Professional Bachelor PG Cert & Dip PG Diploma Honours Degree Bachelor with Honours 7 Bachelor Certificate - (may be called Graduate Certificate) Advanced Diploma Diploma (may be called Graduate Diploma) Graduate Certificate and Diploma 6 Diploma Diploma (may be called Higher or Advanced National Diploma Advanced diploma Advanced/Higher Diploma Advanced Certificate Certificate (may be called Higher or Advanced) Associate Degree Foundation Degree 5 Higher Certificate Higher School Certificate National Certificate 4 National Certificates Voc.& Tech Certificate National Vocational Certificate National Trade Certificate 2 Certificates A level National Senior Certificate 3 Namibia Certificate Cambridge Certificate National Trade Certificate 3 Trade Test c Certificate III 2 Namibia JC Certificate National Trade Certificate Foundation Junior Certificate Secondary Certificate Certificate II 1 General Education and Training Certificate Primary Education system Primary Certificate I

EQF Level s Ethiopia Botswana Levels SADC ten level QFs Example Qualification from General and Higher Education 8 9 10 PhD 7 Masters degree 6 Graduate Diploma or Certificate Bachelor degree 5 Diploma 4 3 Advanced Secondary 2 Senior Secondary 1 Junior Secondary Certificate - Access 2 Entry 2 Primary School Leaving Certificate Access 1 Entry 1 Adult Basic Education

Advice from the ‘experts’ Keep it simple Avoid extreme standardisation / prescriptiveness Build on existing practice but challenge outmoded approaches Take it slowly, but not too slowly! Build relationships, compromise, balance interests Be pragmatic – what matters most is that it works! Make it fit your local context And don’t lose sight of the Big Picture! Failure to grasp the implications is the biggest pitfall! THANK YOU!