Verifying achievements using the National Learners’ Records Database (NLRD) Yvonne Shapiro Director: NLRD at the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA)

Presentation Outline What the NLRD is, and what it does Types of verifications o Step by step o Fee structures Contact details Questions and discussion

What is the NLRD? The integrated information system that facilitates the management of South Africa’s National Qualifications Framework (NQF) – the first such system in the world

The two main functions of the NLRD To provide policy makers with comprehensive information to enable informed decision-making To provide learners and employers with proof of qualifications obtained

The two main streams of the NLRD Qualifications and unit standards, and all of the resources that support them (such as NQF levels, Organising Fields, SGBs) Learners and their achievements, and all of the resources that support them (such as ETQAs, Providers, Assessors)

Verifications utilise NLRD Stream 2: Learners and their Achievements

Data Flow to the NLRD (Learners and Achievements) ETQA ETQA (e.g. CHE) SAQA - NLRD (e.g. universities) Providers

Three Types of Verifications 1.Pre-Appointment Verifications – internal for the specific Department or Provincial Cabinet 2.Pre-Appointment Verifications – to be presented to National Cabinet (this type is optional for Provinces) 3.Bulk Verifications of existing staff complement Each type is mentioned in detail on the agreement that is signed with the client

Internal Pre-Appointment Verifications, Step by Step 1.Submit the request, using the Excel template, to Definition of a record: one line per person per qualification

Internal Pre-Appointment Verifications, Step by Step 2.SAQA may request: ◦ Clarifications or corrections (e.g. ID Numbers) ◦ Copies of Matric certificates for pre-1992 ◦ Copies of other certificates 3.Respond to any SAQA requests 4.SAQA will research all of the records that are not part of what is already directly on the NLRD

Internal Pre-Appointment Verifications, Step by Step 5.Receive the report from SAQA (appeared in some of the earlier reports – now removed)

Pre-Appointment Verifications for Cabinet, Step by Step 1.Submit the request, using the Excel template, to

2.SAQA may request: ◦ Clarifications or corrections (e.g. ID Numbers) ◦ Copies of Matric certificates for pre-1992 ◦ Copies of other certificates 3.Respond to any SAQA requests 4.SAQA will research all of the records that are not part of what is already directly on the NLRD Pre-Appointment Verifications for Cabinet, Step by Step

5.Receive the report from SAQA continues …

Bulk Verifications, Step by Step 1.Submit the request, using the Excel template, to Definition of a record

Completed sample (can be up to hundreds of thousands of records)

Bulk Verifications, Step by Step 2.SAQA will run computer programs to do the matching 3.Receive the report from SAQA: An Excel spreadsheet showing the qualifications found on the NLRD – this completes Phase 1 4.Phase 2 will entail SAQA doing the necessary field-work to verify the qualifications not already found directly on the NLRD

Information that will be reported on in Phase 1 University achievements: 1986 to 2008, as well as a large number of earlier records, especially 1965 to 1985, and some going right back to 1914, and noting that 2006 to 2008 are from DoE and are still being audited Former Technikon achievements: 1999 to 2005  Note: Technikons became, or joined, universities from 2005 Senior Certificate: 1992 to 2008 SETA and ETQA achievements: up to August 2009 These are South African qualifications, plus a very small number of foreign ones

Fee Structure Internal pre-appointment: R30 per record. Each submission must be for less than 125 records. Pre-appointment for Cabinet: R30 per record, with a minimum cost of R100 per letter (i.e. per person). Each submission must be for 6 people or fewer. Bulk including the new Phase 2: R30 per record, with a minimum fee of R6000 per submission (and a further R6000 if 125 or more of these are Matric verifications). The submission can be any size. Invoicing will be on completion of each submission. Payment is expected within 30 days of invoice date.

A fourth type of verification (for information …)

Transcript, for a learner, of own enrol- ments and achieve- ments (this is at no cost to the learner)

Contact Details Internal pre-appointment, Bulk, or own transcript: Cleo Radebe, , Pre-appointment Verifications for Cabinet: Joe Samuels, , or Yvonne Shapiro, ,

Questions and Discussion