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SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY 
REGISTERED QUALIFICATION: 

Advanced Diploma in Public Accountability 
SAQA QUAL ID QUALIFICATION TITLE
110181  Advanced Diploma in Public Accountability 
ORIGINATOR
Stellenbosch University 
PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY NQF SUB-FRAMEWORK
CHE - Council on Higher Education  HEQSF - Higher Education Qualifications Sub-framework 
QUALIFICATION TYPE FIELD SUBFIELD
Advanced Diploma  Field 03 - Business, Commerce and Management Studies  Public Administration 
ABET BAND MINIMUM CREDITS PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL NQF LEVEL QUAL CLASS
Undefined  120  Not Applicable  NQF Level 07  Regular-Provider-ELOAC 
REGISTRATION STATUS SAQA DECISION NUMBER REGISTRATION START DATE REGISTRATION END DATE
Reregistered  EXCO 0821/24  2019-07-25  2027-06-30 
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2028-06-30   2031-06-30  

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 does not replace any other qualification and is not replaced by any other qualification. 

PURPOSE AND RATIONALE OF THE QUALIFICATION 
Purpose:
The purpose of this qualification is to offer learning opportunities and career advancement for public officials with or without formal qualifications coupled with adequate work experience and competencies acquired through working for various government financed initiatives. This qualification also provides them with the opportunity to progress to formal qualifications by means of a blended teaching mode approach as well as to provide opportunities for articulation into Postgraduate study where their current level of qualification does not allow for this.

Rationale:
The School for Public Leadership (SPL) caters for a growing number of learners by means of the Postgraduate qualifications, but still falls short to serve the capacity development needs of the majority of public officials already employed in all spheres of government. This qualification will close that gap by providing, particularly for employees from previously disadvantaged communities with concomitant lack of education opportunities, the opportunity to embark on a formal tertiary education path. 

LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING 
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL):
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL): RPL is applied in terms of the Institutional Regulation for the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) and Credit Accumulation and Transfer (CAT) and Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences policy guidelines as attached as annexures. More specifically, Recognition of Prior Learning for admission to the Advanced Diploma applies to applicants who do not possess a relevant NQF Level 6 qualification but who, at a minimum, has any other NQF Level 6 qualification.

Applicants who achieved academic performance of at least 60% average in such a qualification, and who has at least 5 years relevant work experience and can provide evidence of other relevant prior learning that did not lead to a qualification may be allowed access to the second round of the RPL admission process, i.e. admissions examinations set by the School of Public Leadership for this purpose. An average performance of 50% in the admissions exam is regarded as a successful application, and the candidate will be allowed admission into the programme and a report is submitted to the faculty board for notification and ratification.
Requirements and procedures for credit accumulation and transfer (CAT): Where participants have successfully completed fully assessed courses (either at SPL or other appropriate accredited training institutions) that correspond with the content, level, assessment criteria and outcomes of modules in the Advanced Diploma programme, CAT may be done. RPL of participants who have completed training by other institutions will be considered if the assessment policy, assessment criteria, assessment methods, processes followed and controls applied provided adequate assurance that individual competence were assessed in a credible manner.

Entry Requirements:
The minimum entry requirements are:
  • A 360 Credits Diploma in Public Accountability.
    Or
  • Any Bachelor's Degree or 360 Credits Diploma plus relevant public sector work experience and training. 
    		•

    RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING? 
    Y 

    QUALIFICATION RULES 
    This qualification consists of compulsory and elective modules at National Qualifications Framework (NQF) Level 7 totalling 120 Credits.

    Compulsory Modules: 100 Credits:
  • Advanced Public Accountability, 20 Credits.
  • Advanced Institutional Capacity Management, 20 Credits.
  • Advanced Institutional Performance Management, 20 Credits.
  • Advanced Institutional Collaboration, 20 Credits.
  • Advanced Personal Conduct and Integrity, 20 Credits.

    Elective Modules: 20 Credits (Choose one module):
  • Advanced Compliance and Control, 20 Credits.
  • Advanced Public Financial Accounting, 20 Credits. 
    		•

    EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES 
    1. Integrate knowledge of the central areas of Public Accountability/Public Administration, as well as apply and evaluate the key terms, concepts, facts, principles, rules and theories of the field of Public Administration and how that knowledge relates to other fields, disciplines or practices.
    2. Select and apply a range of methods to resolve problems or introduce change within a practice of Public Accountability.
    3. Identify, analyse, evaluate, critically reflect on and address complex problems, applying evidence-based solutions and theory-driven arguments.
    4. Take decisions, act ethically, professionally, and justify decisions and actions taken drawing on appropriate ethical values and approaches within a supported environment.
    5. Develop and communicate own ideas and opinions in well-formed arguments, using appropriate academic, professional, or occupational discourse. 

    ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA 
    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1:
  • Solve problems through critical thinking.
  • Apply organisational monitoring and evaluation principles.
  • Explain the process of contracting and contract management.
  • Identify, solve and monitor unique issues or problems that have an organisational impact.
  • Plan and organise operations.
  • Use applications to promote a culture of performance and accountability through institutional performance management by setting and maintaining performance standards.
  • Use applications to set overall strategic direction and lead transformational issues for organisational change and improvement.
  • Use relevant programmes, projects and resources applications.
  • Use oversight applications for financial resources, facilities and assets to ensure maximum benefit and value for money.
  • Apply principles to promote a customer-centric organisation where customers are served with passion and willingness.
  • Assess adherence to Batho Pele principles and make corrections where necessary.
  • Model the values of the organisation in order to promote institutional confidence, trust and professionalism.
  • Assess adherence to integrity principles in the organisation and make corrections where necessary.
  • Assess anti-corruption measures in the organisation and make corrections where necessary.
  • Assess the impact of the developmental context on public value generation.
  • Interpret the impact of the policy framework on public accountability.
  • Assess the leadership qualities required for public accountability practices.
  • Analyse governance practices for public value generation.
  • Develop, implement, monitor and review public accounting procedures.
  • Prepare quarterly and annual financial statements and supporting working paper.
  • Manage general ledger and subsidiary ledger reconciliations.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2:
  • Apply organisational monitoring and evaluation principles.
  • Explain the process of contracting and contract management.
  • Identify, solve and monitor unique issues or problems that have an organisational impact.
  • Plan and organise operations.
  • Gather information, analyse issues and deal with complexity and ambiguity implications through negotiation, conflict resolution techniques and lobbying.
  • Use applications to promote a culture of performance and accountability through institutional performance management by setting and maintaining performance standards.
  • Use relevant programmes, projects and resources applications.
  • Use oversight applications for financial resources, facilities and assets to ensure maximum benefit and value for money.
  • Assess the impact of the developmental context on public value generation.
  • Interpret the impact of the policy framework on public accountability.
  • Assess the leadership qualities required for public accountability practices.
  • Analyse governance practices for public value generation.
  • Develop, implement, monitor and review public accounting procedures.
  • Verify supporting documents for validity, accuracy and completeness.
  • Verify and approve payment transactions.
  • Verify and approve master file information.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3:
  • Apply organisational monitoring and evaluation principles.
  • Assess reporting compliance in a public organisation.
  • Apply financial regulatory and value-for-money controls.
  • Do enterprise risk management.
  • Manage people through problem-solving, team goal-setting and conflict management.
  • Identify, solve and monitor unique issues or problems that have an organisational impact.
  • Establish innovative problem solving approaches to resolve inter-directorate issues.
  • Identify, solve and monitor problems that have total organisational impact in consultation with stakeholders.
  • Use applications to set overall strategic direction and lead transformational issues for organisational change and improvement.
  • Apply relevant individual performance management practices.
  • Assess adherence to integrity principles in the organisation and make corrections where necessary.
  • Assess anti-corruption measures in the organisation and make corrections where necessary.
  • Apply public management principles in service delivery.
  • Analyse governance practices for public value generation.
  • Engage with political-administrative leadership on matters of public accountability.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4:
  • Assess reporting compliance in a public organisation.
  • Apply financial regulatory and value-for-money controls.
  • Do enterprise risk managements.
  • Engage with stakeholders on political and financial oversights.
  • Manage people through problem-solving, team goal-setting and conflict managements.
  • Set shared integrity and ethical standards throughout the organisation.
  • Develop, implement, monitor and review public accounting procedures.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5:
  • Engage with stakeholders on political and financial oversight.
  • Communicate persuasively to exchange information, ideas and influences others to gain cooperation and commitment and support to achieve organisational goals.
  • Use computer software in the generation and sharing of knowledge and learning.
  • Use research methods and written communication skills in managing public organisations.
  • Build alliances for service delivery whilst working cooperatively with key and critical stakeholders through cooperative governance and collaborative relationships e.g. PPPs.
  • Engage with political-administrative leadership on matters of public accountability.

    Integrated Assessment:
    Each Module will have at least two individual assessments assessing all the outcomes of the module.

    One of the minimum of two individual assessments will be written under controlled circumstances with an invigilator ensuring adherence to the examination requirements as prescribed by the institution's policy. The format of the assessments may vary, but it is accepted that it will be designed to test ability to do the techniques (e.g. exercises with calculations) and/or insight (e.g. case studies). The module facilitator will determine whether in-class assessments may be typed on personal computers and submitted electronically while the invigilator and participant is still in class.

    The other of the minimum of two individual assessments will be in the format of an applied take-home written assignment. Submission of this assessment must be done by means of a document upload onto the online platform of the institution. This upload includes checking a box accepting the submission terms, specifically confirming authenticity of the assignment paper. (This may also be done via Turnitin).

    A learner must pass all modules with at least 50 percent, with a subminimum of 40 percent for any assessment. If it is decided to include group assessments done during the contact time as part of the assessment plan, it may not contribute more that 20 percent of the final module mark.

    A learner not successful in an assessment will be given a second opportunity for assessment only if he/she has attended at least eighty per cent of the contact time. Should the rewrite - in the case of the invigilated assessment and/or resubmission - in the case of the take-home assignment - still not be successful, the learner must re-register and redo the module.

    A learner that has - for a proven work-related or serious health reason - not been present during the invigilated assessment, but has attended at least fifty per cent of the contact time, will be allowed to do the assessment at the same opportunity scheduled for learners referred to in item 5 above. The attendance register will be used as evidence for allowing such an opportunity, but should the learner be unsuccessful, no further opportunities will be granted and he/she must re-register and redo the module.

    A learner that has completed the invigilated assessment, but has for a proven work-related or serious health reason been prevented from submitting the take-home assessments by the set date, will be granted a maximum of two-weeks extension of time to submit, where after no further extension will be given.

    A learner that has been found not yet competent in the take-home assessment will be given one opportunity and guidance to improve the assignment at a given date and re-submit only if he/she has attended at least fifty per cent of the contact time as indicated in the attendance register. After this further opportunity where applicable, if the participant is still found not yet competent, he/she must re-register and redo the module.

    Take-home assessments are individual tasks and not group tasks. It must therefore reflect the own unique work produced and edited by the participant and applied to his/her work environment where so required to achieve a pass mark. Identical narrative or other content between submissions of learners will be considered plagiarism. As part of the moderation process, written take-home assessments will be tested for plagiarism through "Turnitin" and if found that work has been copied directly from a source, including the work of other learners, the learner will be found not yet competent he/she must re-register and redo the module. The seriousness of the case will determine whether disciplinary action as per institutional policy will also be taken against the learner.

    A learner has the right to appeal against an assessment finding if the required assessments have been completed and submitted on time and if the learner does not agree with the reasons provided for the finding. The appeal process of institution must be adhered to. 
    		•

    INTERNATIONAL COMPARABILITY 
    This qualification is internationally comparable with the following three qualifications from the Netherlands, United Kingdom (UK) and Canada, three countries highly regarded internationally for the quality of education and training in Public Administration and related fields.
    Citizen participation and accountability course (Hague Academy for local governance, Netherlands).
    The focus of this qualification compares with the Advanced Diploma in Public Accountability.

    Course introduction:
    In this training course, participants will discuss ways to involve citizens - especially minorities and marginalised groups - to create a culture of inclusive governance. Participants will learn how civil society can empower citizens to voice concerns and keep their governments accountable to issues affecting their community.
    Trust between governments and citizens are essential for good governance and participation. In order to build trust, governments need to communicate in a transparent way about past and future decisions and actions. Governments however, should not only inform but also involve citizens. The ideas and opinions that they put forward in policy-making and implementation processes, provide valuable input for improving the quality of local policies and services.
    Questions to be discussed in this innovative training course are: How can municipalities increase social and financial accountability towards their citizens? What are the different steps for communication and participation in the policy process? And how to promote integrity and transparency?

    Other focus areas:
  • The accountability chain.
  • The participation ladder.
  • The do´s and don'ts of citizen participation.
  • Case studies from different parts of the world.
  • Experience different perspectives in role-play.
  • Study visits to municipalities, active citizen groups and participation projects in the field of urban planning, social cohesion and law and order.

    Learning Objectives:
  • Identify instruments for increasing social and financial accountability.
  • Define your own role and responsibilities in participation processes as well as the role of your partners; specify conditions and do's and don'ts for successful participation projects.
  • Apply tools for communication with citizens, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and other stakeholders.

    Intended students: Professionals working for municipal, provincial or national government, for a donor organisation or NGO and who are involved in participation and accountability processes in relation to development and governance.

    Diploma on Public Administration (Cambridge International College, Britain).
    The duration and focus of this qualification compares to a great extent with this qualification.
    This qualification explains the role of public administration in government and public office, and its role in the implementation of government policy and translating political decisions into the "reality" which citizens see every day. It covers the organisation of government departments and agencies, the management of programmes designed to implement policy, and the behaviour and responsibilities of 'civil servants' and officials who are responsible for those policies and programmes. It considers government decision making, how and why policies are developed, and analysis of them. It describes the duties of heads of city, county, regional, state and federal departments, such as municipal budget directors, HR administrators, city managers, census managers, state mental health directors, and cabinet secretaries.

    The qualification prepares men and women for employment and advancement, and to better conduct their current and future roles, in the public or civil service; they may become central or local government public administrators or employees working in departments and agencies at any levels of government. And because much of this understanding and knowledge is applicable to many areas of management and policy the careers available outside of public administration are also opened up.

    Duration: 1 year.
    Summary of major topics:
  • The nature and roles of public administration in the world of changing public expectations. " Public administration in the implementation of government policy and its effect on the daily lives of citizens.
  • The institutional setting of public administration.
  • Public administration organisational structures; central government.
  • The public sector, the environment, "green" policies; gauging their impact and outcomes; implementation of environmental/green policies. " The civil or public service: public administrators, duties and responsibilities.
  • The correct behaviour towards the public.
  • Traditional roles of public servants, recent changes, the modern civil or public service. " Economy, efficiency and equity in public administration.
  • Human resource management: recruitment, training, remuneration, supervision and control. " Promotion - vertical and horizontal - in public administration.
  • Integration, continuity and change in public administration.
  • Structure and functions of local administration.
  • Duties and responsibilities of local administration officials, local government service, bureaucracies.
  • Elected and employed officials, central government control.
  • Financing the public sector, allocating resources for central and local administration, budgets and budgetary control, financial control, audits.
  • Independent public bodies. " Health and voluntary agencies.

    Diploma in Local Government Management (University of Victoria, Canada).
    Students employed or seeking employment in local governments may opt to enrol in the Diploma in Local Government Management. This is a part-time, off-campus program of studies leading to the Diploma in Local Government Management and is offered via distance education plus (in some courses) workshops. The qualification is intended for practicing or prospective managers in local government who wish to acquire the skills and background necessary for effective and responsible management, and who are interested in broadening their understanding of the administrative process.

    The Diploma will be awarded upon successful completion of 11 courses or 16.5 units, with an overall GPA of at least 2.0. Courses in this program are applicable towards professional certificates awarded by the Board of Examiners of the British Columbia Ministry responsible for local government.

    Admission:
  • Courses are taught at a level which is consistent with other third- and fourth-year undergraduate courses offered at the University of Victoria; applicants will be required to demonstrate that they possess the academic proficiency necessary to benefit fully from the program. " Students without a bachelor's degree will normally be expected to have obtained the equivalent of at least the first two years of post-secondary at university or at institutions such as BCIT, community colleges or recognized professional associations. " Candidates without formal post-secondary qualifications but with demonstrable appropriate experience may be admitted as conditional students, with continuation in the program subject to performance in the first three courses with a grade of C+ or better.
  • In addition to academic background, all applicants should have a minimum of three years' experience working in local (municipal or regional) government. (Experience in other levels of government and/or the non-profit sector may be considered.).
  • A limited number of students not formally admitted to the program may register for individual courses, with the permission of the Director of the School of Public Administration.
    Offered on a part-time study basis up to three years

    Delivery methods:
  • Study guides and readings (texts and/or selected articles) " computer-mediated instruction and conferencing " intensive workshops.
    Programme Outline:
  • Required (compulsory) courses (modules): - Public Sector Economics - Managing in Public and No-Profit Organisations - Written Communications in the Public and Non-Profit Sectors - The Public Policy Process - Financial Management - Local Government in British Columbia - Urban and Regional Economics - Local Government Law. 
    		•

    ARTICULATION OPTIONS 
    This qualification offers the following horizontal and vertical articulation possibilities.

    Horizontal Articulation:
  • Bachelor of Arts, Level 7.
  • Bachelor of Commerce, Level 7.

    Vertical Articulation:
  • Postgraduate Diploma: Public Financial Management, Level 8.
  • Bachelor of Public Administration Honours, Level 8. 
    		•

    MODERATION OPTIONS 
    N/A 

    CRITERIA FOR THE REGISTRATION OF ASSESSORS 
    N/A 

    NOTES 
    N/A 

    LEARNING PROGRAMMES RECORDED AGAINST THIS 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.
     
    1. Stellenbosch University 


    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.