The General and Further Education and Training Quality Assurance Act, 2001 (No 58 of 2001) assigns responsibility for quality assurance of general and further education and training in South Africa to Umalusi, the Quality Council (QC) for Quality Assurance in General and Further Education and Training. It was established with the purpose of maintaining norms and standards in general and further education and training and as such its mandate includes the following:
| • | Developing and maintaining a sub-framework of qualifications for general and further education and training; |
| • | Quality assurance of all exit point assessment of such qualifications; |
| • | Certification of learner achievements; |
| • | Quality promotion amongst education institutions; |
| • | Quality assurance of private adult learning centres and private further education and training colleges; and |
| • | Accreditation of assessment bodies other than departments of education. |
The National Qualifications Framework Act, 2008 (Act 67 of 2008) states that the Council must, in respect of quality assurance, do the following:
with regard to quality assurance within its sub-framework -
| i) | develop and implement policy for quality assurance; |
| ii) | ensure the integrity and credibility of quality assurance; |
| iii) | ensure that quality assurance as is necessary for the sub-framework is undertaken; |
To determine and maintain the standard of qualification and part qualifications in the General and Further Education and Training sub-framework, the associated qualifications and part qualification are quality assured; education institutions that offer provision towards the achievement of such qualification or part qualifications are quality assured; accreditation of assessment bodies or agencies and systems that externally examine such qualification are accredited and monitored; and the conduct of national external assessments are moderated and monitored.
This document takes as its legal framework the following:
| • | The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa Act, 1996 (Act No. 108 of 1996) |
| • | The National Qualifications Framework Act, 2008 (Act No. 67 of 2008) |
| • | The General and Further Education and Training Quality Assurance Act, 2001 (Act No. 58 of 2001) |
| • | The Adult Basic Education and Training Act, 2000 (Act No. 52 of 2000) |
| • | The Further Education and Training Colleges Act, 2006 (Act No. 16 of 2006) |
