Asked and Answered:
Question: What is a qualifying learning programmes?
In a news report published on the Skills Portal on 21 February 2007 "Seta Review: 86724 employees benefit from skills training', the article quotes the report of the Department of Labour that between April 2005 and September 2006, 61 980 unemployed people were registered on qualifying learning programmes and 86 724 workers were registered on qualifying learning programmes.
Answer.
Internationally the term Learning Programme is used in very different ways and can range from a programme offered to parents who teach their children at home to study at a university or online at a distance.
However, in South Africa the term is used in a very specific way.
The National Qualifications Framework definition is: "a structured set of learning offerings and related assessment and attainment requirements'.
The Minister of Labour?s report refers to one of the following type of programmes:
1. Study towards a degree, diploma or certificate at an institution, or
2. Study towards a qualification with some practical learning at an employer or simulated work environment, such as a technical diploma, or
3. Structured experiential learning that takes place at a workplace after a course of study towards a qualification, and which is necessary to complete the course and obtain the qualification, or
4. Work-based learning towards an occupation, that requires a formal contract, and is assessed by an accredited body, such as a Learnership or Apprenticeship, or
5. Work-based learning that does not require a formal contract, but is formally assessed by an accredited body, such as a skills program.
This definition is included in the Skills Development Amendment Bill 2008 which defines:
"learning programme" means a programme of occupationally directed learning and
includes a learnership. an apprenticeship, an internship, a skills prog- ramme, a
promamme of foundational learning and anv other prescribed learning programme
which includes a structured work experience component;
Prepared for the Skills Portal
By sylvia hammond
