1. DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION AND TRAINING
Revised Convention on the Recognition of Studies, Certificates, Diplomas, Degrees, and Other Academic Qualifications in Higher Education in African States (Addis Convention, 12 December 2014)
Select Committee on Education and Recreation
28 March 2018

2. PURPOSE
To brief the Select Committee on Education and Recreation on the Revised Convention on the Recognition of Studies, Certificates, Diplomas, Degrees, and Other Academic Qualifications in Higher Education in African States (Addis Convention 2014), as per the Announcement, Tablings and Committee (ATC) Reports of Tuesday 28 November 2017.

3. REQUIREMENTS TO SUBMIT AN INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENT TO PARLIAMENT
In terms of the requirements of Section 231 (2) of the Constitution of South Africa and sections 341 and 342 of the National Assembly Rules, the following are provided:
A copy of the Addis Convention
An explanatory memorandum which comprises the history, the objectives and implications of the agreement
Legal opinions by the Chief State Law Advisors (for Domestic and International Law)
A statement about whether the agreement contains any self- executing provision that will become Law in the Republic
Documents submitted on 15 November 2017

4. BACKGROUND The Addis Convention replaces the Arusha Convention of 1981
South Africa was not a signatory of the Arusha Convention
In a meeting of African States in Addis Ababa on December 2014 it was agreed to develop a revised Convention, (now called the Addis Convention)
The revised Addis Convention provides the general guidelines for the implementation of the recognition of studies, certificates, diplomas, degrees, and other academic qualifications in higher education in African States.
Internal and external stakeholder consultations took place in 2015
Opinions of the State Law Advisors for Domestic Law and International Law were obtained in 2015
Presentations to the SPCHD Directors-General Cluster took place in 2015 and 2016
Further internal and external consultations took place in 2016
The Addis Convention was presented by the Minister to Cabinet on 29 March 2017

5. BACKGROUND
The Minister of Higher Education and Training submitted a letter and the Convention to the Speaker of the National Assembly, requesting the Speaker’s assistance in the tabling of the Addis Convention to Parliament on 15 November 2017
The Department of Higher Education and Training was requested to present to the Portfolio Committee on Higher Education and Training on 14 February 2018
The Speaker of the National Assembly referred the Revised Addis Convention to the Select Committee on Education and Recreation for consideration and report as per the ACT of 28 November 2017
The presentation and briefing to the Select Committee on Education and Recreation takes place on 28 March 2018
All required documents as per the requirements of Section 231 (2) of the Constitution of South Africa and sections 341 and 342 of the National Assembly Rules, are submitted in the Committee’s pack.

6. CONSULTATION The following organisations have been consulted:
SAQA, the 3 Quality Councils, education and training providers (public and private), Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs), the National Skills Authority (comprising government, organised business and labour, public and private education and training, and community constituencies) and professional bodies/associations
The following Government Departments were consulted:
The Department of Basic Education, the Department of International Relations and Cooperative Governance, the Department of Home Affairs and the Department of Justice through the office of the Chief State Law Advisor

7. HISTORY
The Arusha Convention sought to provide an enabling environment across African States for higher education qualifications such as certificates, diplomas, degrees and other academic qualifications to be recognized by each other. This was enabled through accepting principles of harmonization and referencing of qualifications, which the signatories to the Arusha Convention agreed upon
In 2014, calls for amendments to the Arusha Convention arose, especially in the light of:
the launch of the Second Decade of Education for Africa (2006 to 2015) Plan of Action, which refers to higher education as one of seven areas of focus
The consideration of the paramount role that the systems of education can and must play in promoting continental integration through co-operation between higher education institutions

8. HISTORY
Reaffirmation of the World Declaration on Higher Education for the Twenty-First century: Vision and Action”
Developments in African States related to the development of National Qualifications Frameworks
More focus was placed on developments in the area of recognition of prior learning and articulation, mobility and access to lifelong learning opportunities

9. HISTORY South Africa participated in the 2014 Convention
Through the Department of Higher Education and Training and SAQA, South Africa had already provided initial written input into the first proposed revisions of the Arusha Convention, earlier in 2014
The revised Arusha Convention was adopted in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on 12 December 2014, renamed the “Addis Convention”, and signed by 17 Member States. South Africa participated in drafting the Addis Convention, but did not sign it
The Convention will come into force once 10 Member States have ratified it

10. OBJECTIVES OF THE ADDIS CONVENTION
The objectives are to:
Strengthen and promote inter-regional and international cooperation in the field of recognition of qualifications
Define and put in place effective quality assurance and accreditation mechanisms at the national, regional and continental levels
Encourage and promote the most effective use of human resources available in Africa
Speed up the development of countries and to limit the African brain-drain
Facilitate the exchange and greater mobility of students, teachers and researchers of the continent
Set up high-level joint training and research programmes
Improve and reinforce the collection and exchange of information
Contribute to the harmonisation of qualifications, taking into account current global trends

11. IMPLICATIONS OF THE AGREEMENT
Signing the Addis Convention:
Strengthens and promotes multilateralism and International cooperation
Ensures credible and reliable recognition of qualifications achieved across countries on the continent and safeguards those qualifications
Contributes to harmonisation of qualifications across the continent
Enhances South Africa as an educational destination for many countries because of the excellence of our research and higher education system (there are approximately foreign students studying at our Institutions).
Foreign students add value to our research productivity in projects such as the SKA project

12. IMPLICATIONS OF THE AGREEMENT
South Africa’s reputation as a leading country in SADC and in Africa in Mutual Recognition of Qualifications agreements which enable regional and continental mobility of students, is enhanced
South Africa is acknowledged as having a well-established National Qualifications Framework and implementation system, which includes the DHET structures and committees and SAQA
Provides a credible and accountable mechanism to manage the recognition of studies, certificates, diplomas, degrees and other academic qualifications in higher education between other African States and South Africa

13. ORGANISATIONAL AND PERSONNEL IMPLICATIONS FOR THE DEPARTMENT
The Department’s NQF Directorate performs NQF-related functions, such as monitoring and evaluation and oversight roles; and chairing of the Mutual Recognition of Qualifications Committee which deals with bilateral agreements and conventions such as the Addis Convention and the SADC Regional NQF
The Department has the Inter-departmental NQF Steering Committee, which is chaired by the DDG: Planning, Policy and Strategy, which deals with all NQF-related matters
As the implementation of the Convention happens, it is envisaged that there will be an increased workload, on the Department
This will have organisational and personnel implications, which will need to be quantified once the scale of implementation is agreed to in South Africa.

14. ORGANISATIONAL AND PERSONNEL IMPLICATIONS
SAQA has well-established and functioning Directorates for foreign qualifications evaluation, verification of qualifications and for international liaison, in accordance with the requirements of the NQF Act, section 13 (1)
SAQA has well developed processes for the implementation of the Addis Convention through these directorates
As the implementation of the Convention is envisaged to increase the present workload, additional organisational and personnel implications are envisaged.
This will be quantified once the scale of implementation for South Africa is quantified.

15. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
The functions associated with the implementation of the Addis Convention are already embedded in the current organizational structure of both DHET and SAQA (Branch Planning, Policy and Strategy which includes the NQF Directorate and the International Relations Chief Directorate)
The current work performed includes the participation in the initial stages of implementing the Addis Convention
The costs associated with the oversight and monitoring and evaluation of implementation will need to be covered by the allocation to the Department
It is envisaged that in future, additional responsibilities, such as advocacy and the development of national policy and guidelines to effect implementation, that may be required to be performed by the Department and/or SAQA, will require funding.
National Treasury will be approached at the appropriate time for additional funding.

16. COMMUNICATION IMPLICATIONS
The Minister of Higher Education and Training submitted the request for ratification of the Addis Convention by South Africa to Parliament
The Minister of Higher Education and Training will communicate and engage with all affected parties
Both the Department and SAQA will communicate the content and implementation plans for the Addis Convention to all stakeholders and have workshops to communicate the implementation of the convention
Once the convention has been ratified, the Department will use the channels in the Department and of the GCIS for communication

17. IMPLICATIONS FOR VULNERABLE GROUPS
The White Paper for Post-School Education and Training (2013) proposes the development of an internationalisation policy
A draft Internationalisation Policy has been developed by the department, and is currently being consulted upon
This draft Policy recognises the global trends of migration and mobility of peoples, including vulnerable groups
The Convention provides an enabling framework for the implementation of the international Migration White Paper recommendations, which seeks to enhance the mobility of people, and specifically students, between countries

18. OPINION FROM THE OFFICES OF THE CHIEF STATE LAW ADVISORS
The State Law Advisors at the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development advised that the Convention is consistent with the Domestic Law of the Republic and the Constitution
The Office of the Chief State Law Advisor: International Law advised that the Convention does not violate International Law; and that following Parliamentary approval the instrument of ratification must be deposited with DIRCO, where after it will be sent to UNESCO
They advised that the NQF Act, No. 67 of 2008, read together with the Higher Education Act, No. 101 of 1997 is consistent with the requirements of the revised Addis Convention

19. STATEMENT ON SELF-EXECUTING PROVISIONS
The Addis Convention has no self-executing provision, and therefore it may be tabled for ratification in Parliament in terms of the section 231 (4) of the Constitution, to be enacted into law
The implementation of the Addis Convention is enabled through the NQF Act, No. 67 of 2008, as it is already supported by the provisions made in the NQF Act, No. 67 of 2008
The NQF Act, (Act 67 of 2008) section 8 (1) to (4) provides for the responsibilities of the Minister who has the overall executive responsibility, inter alia, for the NQF, SAQA, the three QCs, and must uphold the coherence and public credibility of the NQF
The NQF Act, section 13 (1) (m) gives SAQA the responsibility to verify qualifications and to evaluate foreign qualifications
South Africa’s well established NQF system, its NQF steering mechanisms such as those in the department and in SAQA will enable the activities to be managed through these structures.

20. STATEMENT ON SELF-EXECUTING PROVISIONS
The Department is satisfied that the following articles from the revised Addis Convention can be complied with:
Article II.2: We have the mechanisms to achieve the goals of the Article II
Article IV.13: We receive funding from the Fiscus for the regulatory and implementation bodies
Article V.1: South Africa will sign and ratify the Convention, as a Member State of the Africa Region

21. RECOMMENDATION
It is hereby requested that the Select Committee on Education and Recreation approves a presentation to Parliament for ratification the Revised Convention on the Recognition of Studies, Certificates, Diplomas, Degrees, and Other Academic Qualifications in Higher Education in African States (Addis Convention, 12 December 2014), and approves the depositing of the instrument of ratification with UNESCO by DIRCO

22. Thank You