All qualifications and part qualifications registered on the National Qualifications Framework are public property. Thus the only payment that can be made for them is for service and reproduction. It is illegal to sell this material for profit. If the material is reproduced or quoted, the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) should be acknowledged as the source. |
SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY |
REGISTERED QUALIFICATION: |
Occupational Certificate: Governance Practitioner |
SAQA QUAL ID | QUALIFICATION TITLE | |||
104991 | Occupational Certificate: Governance Practitioner | |||
ORIGINATOR | ||||
DQP - Chartered Secretaries Southern Africa CSSA | ||||
PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY | NQF SUB-FRAMEWORK | |||
- | OQSF - Occupational Qualifications Sub-framework | |||
QUALIFICATION TYPE | FIELD | SUBFIELD | ||
Part-Qualification | Field 03 - Business, Commerce and Management Studies | Generic Management | ||
ABET BAND | MINIMUM CREDITS | PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL | NQF LEVEL | QUAL CLASS |
Undefined | 376 | Not Applicable | NQF Level 07 | Regular-ELOAC |
REGISTRATION STATUS | SAQA DECISION NUMBER | REGISTRATION START DATE | REGISTRATION END DATE | |
Reregistered | EXCO 0425/24 | 2018-12-07 | 2025-12-30 | |
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT | LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT | |||
2026-12-30 | 2029-12-30 |
In all of the tables in this document, both the pre-2009 NQF Level and the NQF Level is shown. In the text (purpose statements, qualification rules, etc), any references to NQF Levels are to the pre-2009 levels unless specifically stated otherwise. |
This qualification replaces: |
Qual ID | Qualification Title | Pre-2009 NQF Level | NQF Level | Min Credits | Replacement Status |
60654 | Professional Post-Graduate Qualification: Company Secretarial and Governance Practice | Level 7 | NQF Level 08 | 120 | Complete |
60655 | Professional Advanced Qualification: Governance and Administration | Level 6 | NQF Level 07 | 120 | Complete |
60653 | Professional Qualification: Governance and Administration | Level 5 | NQF Level 06 | 130 | Complete |
60651 | Professional Qualification: Management and Administration | Level 5 | NQF Level 06 | 129 | Complete |
PURPOSE AND RATIONALE OF THE QUALIFICATION |
Purpose:
The combination of modules that make up this part-qualification provides entry into the field of corporate governance and prepares a learner for positions in the divisions of public and private sector organisations that deal with corporate governance. After completion of this qualification, learners can choose to complete the second part of the qualification and qualify as company secretaries or they can enter into the Occupational Certificate: Governance Professional. The qualifying learner will be able to: Rationale: This part-qualification is designed to provide a learning pathway for learners who want to become company secretaries or who want to work in supportive roles in the corporate governance, compliance or risk management divisions of large organisations or in organisations that provide outsourced company secretarial, compliance or risk management services. This part-qualification was developed in close co-operation with Chartered Secretaries Southern Africa (CSSA), the professional body for company secretaries and governance professionals in Southern Africa, and its constituents. It was also designed to meet the qualification standards set by the Professional Standards Committee of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (ICSA), which consists of subject matter experts from the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Australia, Singapore, Canada, Zimbabwe, Hong Kong and Malaysia. These qualification standards are implemented by the professional bodies of these countries and adherence to these standards assisted in aligning this qualification to international best practice. This part-qualification plays an important role in the provision of skills necessary to ensure good corporate governance in South African organisations. Good corporate governance is at the heart of continued domestic and foreign investment, which in turn is a prerequisite for economic growth and job creation. Similarly, confidence in the local financial markets depends on good corporate governance in the companies whose securities are traded in the markets. |
LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING |
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL):
RPL for access to the external integrated summative assessment: Accredited providers and approved workplaces must apply the internal assessment criteria specified in the related curriculum document to establish and confirm prior learning. Accredited providers and workplaces must confirm prior learning by issuing a statement of results or certifying a work experience record. RPL for access to the part-qualification: Accredited providers and approved workplaces may recognise prior learning against the relevant access requirements. Entry Requirements: |
RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING? |
Y |
QUALIFICATION RULES |
This qualification is made up of the following compulsory Knowledge, Practical Skill and Work Experience Modules.
Knowledge Modules: Total number of credits for Knowledge Modules: 196. Practical Skill Modules: Total number of credits for Practical Skill Modules:99. Work Experience Modules: Total number of credits for Work Experience Modules: 81. |
EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES |
1. Mitigate functions within an organisation to achieve the objectives of the organisation while addressing the expectations of its stakeholders.
2. Critically assess concerns and issues creating possible barriers within corporate governance structures. 3. Collate and distribute the company's annual financial statements to every person entitled to them for strategic decision-making purposes. 4. Advise directors of any laws relevant to or affecting the company to ensure sound corporate governance principles and best practices in various organisational contexts. 5. Communicate with peers, superiors, subordinates, customers and service providers in a work environment. |
ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA |
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1:
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2: Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3: Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4: Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5: Integrated Assessment: Integrated Formative Assessment: The skills development providers will use the curriculum to guide them on the stipulated internal assessment criteria and weighting. They will also apply the scope of practical skills and applied knowledge as stipulated by the internal assessment criteria. Formative assessments lead to entrance into the integrated external summative assessment. Integrated Summative Assessment: An external Integrated Summative Assessment, conducted through the relevant Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO) Assessment Quality Partner is required for the issuing of this part-qualification. The external Integrated Summative Assessment will focus on the Exit Level Outcomes and Associated Assessment Criteria. |
INTERNATIONAL COMPARABILITY |
The Occupational Certificate: Company Secretary has been compared to qualifications in the United Kingdom (UK) and in Australia.
United Kingdom (UK): The University of Portsmouth in the UK offers an LLM Corporate Governance and Law/Grad ICSA degree course This degree is designed for law and non-law graduates, practising lawyers and business professionals. Graduates will be eligible, after graduation, for the Grad ICSA qualification from ICSA {Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators), and with relevant work experience graduates may also be able to apply for ACIS status (Associate in the Chartered Institute of Secretaries). Core Modules: Optional Modules: Australia: Governance Institute of Australia offers a Post Graduate Diploma of Applied Corporate Governance. The Graduate Diploma of Applied Corporate Governance provides the graduate with comprehensive knowledge and practical skills in good governance. This course leads to becoming an internationally recognised Chartered Secretary. The qualification follows a public or private sector stream. Modules specific for Private sector stream: Conclusion: The South African qualification (Occupational Certificate: Company Secretary (Governance Professional)) compares well to the qualifications mentioned above in terms of the subject matter covered and relevant applied skills needed in the workplace. |
ARTICULATION OPTIONS |
Horizontal Articulation:
This qualification articulates horizontally with the following qualifications: Vertical Articulation: This qualification articulates vertically with the following qualifications currently under development: |
MODERATION OPTIONS |
N/A |
CRITERIA FOR THE REGISTRATION OF ASSESSORS |
N/A |
NOTES |
Qualifying for external assessment:
In order to qualify for an external assessment, learners must provide proof of completion of all required modules by means of statements of results and work experience. Foundational learning: Not required for this part-qualification. Additional legal or physical entry requirements: None. Criteria for the accreditation of providers: Accreditation of providers will be done against the criteria as reflected in the relevant curriculum on the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO) website. The curriculum title and code is: Company Secretary 242203000. Assessment Quality Partner (AQP): Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO). Parent Qualification: 242203000, Occupational Certificate: Company Secretary, Level 8, 544 Credits. |
LEARNING PROGRAMMES RECORDED AGAINST THIS QUALIFICATION: |
When qualifications are replaced, some (but not all) of their learning programmes are moved to the replacement qualifications. If a learning programme appears to be missing from here, please check the replaced qualification. |
NONE |
PROVIDERS CURRENTLY ACCREDITED TO OFFER THIS QUALIFICATION: |
This information shows the current accreditations (i.e. those not past their accreditation end dates), and is the most complete record available to SAQA as of today. Some Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionaries have a lag in their recording systems for provider accreditation, in turn leading to a lag in notifying SAQA of all the providers that they have accredited to offer qualifications and unit standards, as well as any extensions to accreditation end dates. The relevant Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionary should be notified if a record appears to be missing from here. |
NONE |
All qualifications and part qualifications registered on the National Qualifications Framework are public property. Thus the only payment that can be made for them is for service and reproduction. It is illegal to sell this material for profit. If the material is reproduced or quoted, the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) should be acknowledged as the source. |