IMPLEMENTATION AND RESOURCING OF RPL

WITHIN THE SETA CONTEXT

Presenter : Inger Marrian

PRESENTATION STRUCTURE

1. PURPOSE OF RESEARCH

2. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

3. LITERATURE REVIEW

4. FINDINGS

5. RECOMMENDATIONS

PURPOSE OF RESEARCH

Overall purpose of the research was to convey inputs on RPL as success indicator in the draft NSDS III

Focus of this paper is to look at the challenges and recommendations made for Successful RPL

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Literature Review

•RPL in the SA context •A review of international research on RPL•SAQA / OECD SA review on RPL

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Sampling

•Sent to all SETAs who attended a DHET meeting for inputs into NSDS III•22 SETAs, DHET and INDLELA were present at the meeting •44% response rate by SETA ETQA managers •INDLELA also completed a questionnaire

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Survey•Nineteen items that addressed the following broad areas:

• The Interpretation of RPL as a success indicator in draft NSDS III

• SETA views on RPL as national target in draft NSDS III

• Information on Current RPL implementation• Recommendations for Successful RPL

implementation.

LITERATURE REVIEW

Common understanding of RPL

•RPL definition as defined in National Standards Bodies Regulations ( No 18787 of 28 March 1998, issues in terms of the SAQA Act of 1995)•Access & Redress• RPL in SA context is framed within a technical marketplace perspective (Breier, 2005, p. 55)•RPL from in this perspective takes the form of formal assessments against specific learning outcomes with the aim of awarding credits ( Harris, 2000)

LITERATURE REVIEW

SA Legislative and Policy context of RPL

•SAQA Act, Regulations, Policies and Guidelines•Skills Development Act , Amended Act of 2008, Regulations , Policies and Guidelines•Higher education Acts, and Policies including the CHE • Matric exemption clause and fifty percent residency clause ( SAQA : 2007) •Further Education and Training Legislation and Policies ( Blom, 2004, pp. 17-26)

LITERATURE REVIEW

International research on RPLResearch conducted by Van Kleef ( 2008 ) revealed that:

France- Validation de Acquis de l’ Experience ( VAE)

•A national information campaign based on two main services: a national Internet and helpline service together with a communication campaign to inform the public of the right to VAE• Simplified administration procedures, including one unique form for all VAEcandidates regardless of the qualification they are applying for• Guaranteed payment of expenses for members of the assessment juries

LITERATURE REVIEW

International research on RPL

France

• Payment of the costs of VAE for the unemployed• Implementation of local policies for the development of VAE•European Social Fund has supported VAE projects•“….would be possible to do a Ph.D. through RPL.” (Pouget, Mireille and Osborne, Michael ,2004, p. 48).

LITERATURE REVIEW

International research on RPL

New Zealand- Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

•Efficiencies are created by ensuring that all assessments relate to a common set of standards• The National Register is seen as a unifying device for recognising learning• Cross credits are automatic

LITERATURE REVIEW

International research on RPL

Scotland- Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

• Funding for RPL is done by government•Success of RPL can be attributed to the frameworks , partnershipmodel, SQA being the single awarding body and guidelines and its comprehensive coverage•Wide array of detailed guidelines and evaluation reports exists to support credit rating orginisations, credit seeking orginisations, conducting RPL, individual applications, professional bodies andemployers.

LITERATURE REVIEW

International research on RPL

Netherlands- Erkenning Veworven Competencies( EVC)

• Cost of workplace EVC are covered by employers, government grantor local authorities•National EVC knowledge Centre exists that with the mandate to collect information on EVC, Distribute knowledge on good practices and promote the use of EVC•Building a network of accredited assessor orginisations•Has a register of EVC providers and developed sample EVC reports and instruments

LITERATURE REVIEW

International research on RPL

USA – Prior Learning Assessement (PLA)

• American Council on Education ( ACE ) and Council on Adult and Experiential Learning ( CAEL)• No formal legislation exists to compel institutions to offer PLA•Half of all states have at least one agency for PLA•Standardised testing is used in U.S. as a form of PLA e. g. GET certificate etc•Employers may also provide or facilitate assessment of workers for PLA through the HR departments •Funding is the responsibility of educational institution. Assessment fees are normally charged

LITERATURE REVIEW

SA review on RPL (SAQA , 2007)

Contextual factorsAll ETQAs have RPL policies in order to comply with SAQA requirements. All nationally recognised qualifications are recorded on the NLRD

Institutional ArrangementsStatutory regulations that are inhibiting RPL are the Matriculation endorsement and the 50% residency clause. No formal systemic funding for RPL exists. Only mention of costing for RPL is found in the SAQA guideline on RPL , that it should not cost more than full time face- to- face programme. Limited number of assessment centers focusing on RPL

LITERATURE REVIEW

SA review on RPL

Technical ArrangementsTwo types of RPL have emerged in SA :

-RPL for credit , GET and FET level-RPL for access HET

Different approaches to RPL exists- credit exchange- developmental- radical- Trojan horse

Three different target groups for RPL , access group, redress group and those who exit formal education prematurely.Huge number of RPL candidates fall within NQF 2and 4

LITERATURE REVIEW

SA review on RPL Stakeholder behavior Data on people who have completed RPL is not readily availableNumber of RPL pilot projects have been undertaken since 2002 , these have only been partly successful

FINDINGS

Current implementation of RPL

Two SETAs have not implemented RPL

The challenges for non implementation of RPL are:• Insufficient funds, should RPL be an indicator it will enable the SETA to

budget for it.• Other learning interventions were regarded a priority despite the sector

request for RPL• No RPL policy exists• It is believed that insufficient research on RPL exists.

Current implementation of RPL by providers70 % have indicated that only 1-25% of their providers are implementing RPL20% have indicated that 26-50% of their providers are implementing RPL

FINDINGS

For how long has RPL been implemented in your sector?

FINDINGS

Qualifications implemented through RPL

78% believe an entire qualification is obtainable through RPL

67% of respondents do not have an RPL funding model

Areas SETAs believe need attention that will assist in successful RPL implementation:•Guidelines for RPL implementation either by SAQA or DHET•Focus of RPL should d be based on workplace component•Providers should specifically be accredited as RPL assessment centers•Attractive incentives not necessarily funding should be put in place•RPL implementation should be a national policy by 2016•Easy user friendly guides should be developed•Better advocacy for RPL•Prior to advocacy assessment instruments and Facilitators should be funded

FINDINGS

Policy for RPLRPL policy by employers participating in mandatory grant systemSETAs to develop standerdised set of criteria for RPL for employerExpand on the current criteria and guidelines set by SAQA

QualificationsAll registered qualifications should indicate the minimum requirements for those candidates who wish to achieve the qualification through RPL

AssessmentsRecommended that the Australian revised best practice model be considered.Four step Australian Model is made up of:Step 1: self-evaluation by the candidateStep 2: interview with the assessorStep 3: demonstration/ observation of tasksStep 4: provision of further supporting evidence in most cases a Portfolio of Evidence(DET: 2008)..

RECOMMENDATIONS

Processes/mechanisms /systems for RPL

•All participating employers to have a RPL policy in place and this policy is made explicit to employees

•DHET to set relevant criteria for the following RPL role players: SETA, Qualifications Partner , Employer , Employee, Skills Development Provider, Assessment Partner

•ALL SETAs / sectors should have brochures made available to prospective RPL candidates these brochures should be available in both hardcopy and electronic copy.

•The language used for RPL will need to be simple, explicit and straightforward to ensure high levels of access.

•Brochure that includes all registered qualifications related to specific occupations ( QCTO qualifications, FET and HET qualification) with the name of relevant skills

development provider/ HET/ FET provider offering the qualifications.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Processes/mechanisms /systems for RPL

•Brochure with the contact details of all assessment centers for the assessment of specific occupational awards or skills awards is made explicit.

•All assessment centers for occupational qualifications should have a partnership agreement with employers for workplace assessments.

•All workplace assessors of the employer will therefore need to be registered as workplace assessors under the assessment centre.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Reporting on RPL

•A standerdised RPL registration form be developed that will be used across sectors

•SETA management information system has fields that distinguish and record if learners have achieved a qualification or component of the qualification( knowledge, practical or workplace) through ; RPL only, or both RPL and a learning intervention , or a learning intervention only.

•This information should then also feed into the QCTO system an ultimately to the NLRD.

•The actual certificate a learner achieved should not state that the certificate was obtained through RPL.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Funding for RPL

Funding for RPL through the pivotal grant system should be allocated, or alternatively through discretionary grants.Clear criteria for RPL funding under the grant system should be set.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Proposed RPL Funding Model

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Knowledge  Assessemnt Practical Assesement Workplace Assessment 

Thank you!

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