NQF Trends Report shows average increase of 3.3% per year in learning achievements over a 20-year period
The South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) will launch its 4thNational Learners’ Records Database (NLRD) Trends report titled Pathway Trends: Qualifications Awarded and Learners’ Movement across the South African Education and Training System, 1995 – 2014 on 9th March 2017.
The report reveals that there has been an overall increase in qualification achievements over the 20-year period from 1995 to 2014 despite numerous challenges in South Africa’s education and training system.
In fact, there has been an increase of 3.3% year-on-year in qualification achievements – this is higher than South Africa’s current economic growth. This increase in qualification achievements is reflected in all three sub-frameworks of the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) known as General and Further Education and Training, trades and occupations, and in higher education, with highest increase is in the GFETQSF.
The Trends Report also gives a breakdown of qualification achievements by gender, population group, NQF Level, as well as by qualification type.
It shows that there has been an increase in the number of qualification achievements by women:
· In General and Further Education and Training – 194 234 in 1995 to 283 293 in 2014;
· In non-nursing occupational qualifications – a handful in 1995 to 31 934 in 2014; and
· In higher education – 33 347 in 1995 to 116 547 in 2013.
There number of qualifications awarded to black learners has also grown in the period under review:
· In General and Further Education and Training qualifications – 49 415 in 1995 to 453 691 in 2014;
· In non-nursing occupational qualifications – 10 in 1995 to 46 094 in 2014; and
· In higher education – 32 312 in 1995 to 147 006 in 2013.
“SAQA calls on researchers to conduct in-depth qualitative research to examine the reasons behind the trends over the period 1995 to 2014, and also explore reasons for the mismatch between more qualified people and the seemingly high unemployment rate,” says SAQA CEO Mr Joe Samuels.
A fact sheet on Early Childhood Development (ECD) qualification achievements will also be released. This fact sheet shows that more learners have achieved qualification achievements in the Occupational Qualifications Sub-Framework (OQSF) than in all the other Sub-Frameworks.
The fourth Trends Report together with the ECD Fact Sheet will be launched at the Protea Hotel OR Tambo at 16:00 on Thursday 9 March 2017.