JOHANNESBURG, June 12 — South Africa will gradually phase out hundreds of outdated qualifications and replace them with occupational qualifications as part of efforts to better align skills development with labor market needs, Higher Education and Training Minister Buti Manamela said on Thursday.
Speaking at a briefing in Pretoria, the country’s administrative capital, Manamela said the reforms form part of a broader overhaul of the country’s post-school education and training system aimed at strengthening practical training, workplace-based learning, and employability. “The decisions we take today will shape the future of skills development, training, employment, and economic participation for years to come,” the minister said. According to Manamela, 948 occupational qualifications and part-qualifications have so far been registered on South Africa’s National Qualifications Framework. He said that 1,475 pre-2009 qualifications had reached the end of their registration period and were therefore subject to the transition process. Following consultations with stakeholders, 630 qualifications were granted an extension for learner enrollment, while the remainder were deregistered due to the absence of learner enrollment or because they had been replaced by occupational qualifications. The minister said the government would publish transitional arrangements on June 15 to clarify the implementation of the reforms.”This transition is about far more than the replacement of legacy qualifications. It represents a fundamental step in building a more responsive, relevant, and future-focused skills development system aligned with the needs of a rapidly evolving economy,” he said.
Xinhua proud partner of the African Youth Newspaper
