SAQA

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: Embalmer's Assistant

SAQA QUAL ID	QUALIFICATION TITLE
117470	Occupational Certificate: Embalmer's Assistant
ORIGINATOR
Development Quality Partner-Services SETA
PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY			NQF SUB-FRAMEWORK
-			OQSF - Occupational Qualifications Sub-framework
QUALIFICATION TYPE	FIELD		SUBFIELD
Part-Qualification	Field 11 - Services		Personal Care
ABET BAND	MINIMUM CREDITS	PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL	NQF LEVEL	QUAL CLASS
Undefined	54	Not Applicable	NQF Level 05	Regular-ELOAC
REGISTRATION STATUS		SAQA DECISION NUMBER	REGISTRATION START DATE	REGISTRATION END DATE
Registered		SAQA 12129/20	2020-07-30	2025-07-30
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT		LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2026-07-30		2029-07-30

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 part-qualification is to prepare a learner to operate as an Embalmer's Assistant. An Embalmer's Assistant is responsible for preparing the embalming room and body for embalming and making a body suitable for public viewing by mourners.

A qualified learner will be able to:

Prepare the embalming room and body for embalming.

Prepare the human body after death to create a peaceful, relaxing and life-like appearance.

Rationale:
There is a specific need in the funeral sector to develop an Embalmer's Assistant qualification to assist Embalmers with preparing corpses for the embalming process and for viewing after completion of the embalming. There is also a specific need to create a pathway for people in the funeral industry working in mortuaries. Currently, there is an Occupational Certificate: Mortician at NQF Level 3 and an Occupational Certificate: Embalmer at NQF Level 6.

Representatives of South African industry bodies, including South African Funeral Practitioners Association (SAFPA), National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA), National Undertakers Association of South Africa (NUASA), South African Federation of Funeral Assurance Societies (Saffas), Solidarity, Cooperative Funeral Solutions (CFS), National Funeral Practitioners Association of South Africa (NAFUPA SA), WEFDA and National Association of South African Undertakers (NASAU) expressed a need for the development of an embalmer qualification and actively participated in the development and associated consultation processes.

This part-qualification will specifically benefit learners with interest in working and establishing a career in the funeral industry. It will also give people who have been preparing the remains in South Africa for viewing, without a registered qualification, an opportunity to obtain formal recognition for their skills.

Qualifying learners will be able to seek employment in the growing funeral industry at funeral parlours and/or to be self-employed (providing a service to a number of smaller funeral parlours).

This part-qualification provides benefits to both society (providing social services and contribute to personal development in a field where there is currently no qualification available) and the economy (creating a possibility for learners to obtain a part-qualification in South Africa and also creating employment opportunities).

Furthermore, this part-qualification forms part of a career path in the funeral industry from a Mortician/Undertaker to an Embalmer's Assistant and then an Embalmer.

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 result or certifying a work experience record.

RPL for Access to the Qualification:
Accredited providers and approved workplaces may recognise prior learning against the relevant access requirements.

Entry Requirements:

NQF Level 4 qualification or three years' assessed experience in the funeral industry.

RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING?

QUALIFICATION RULES

This part-qualification is made up of the following compulsory Knowledge, Practical Skills and Work Experience Modules:

Knowledge Modules:

516303-000-00-KM-01, Introduction to Embalming, Level 4, 2 Credits.

516303-000-00-KM-05, Procedures for Preparing the Deceased for Embalming and Viewing, Level 5, 3 Credits.

516303-000-00-KM-06, Embalming related Health and Safety Considerations, Level 5, 4 Credits.

516303-000-00-KM-07, Administrative and Legal Requirements related to Embalming, Burials and Cremation, Level 4, 3 Credits.
The total number of credits for Knowledge Modules: 12.

Practical Skill Modules:

516303-000-00-PM-01, Prepare the Embalming Room and Prepare the Body for Open-case Embalming Preserve Organs, Level 4, 2 Credits.

516303-000-00-PM-05, Clean and Dress the Body, Level 5, 4 Credits.

516303-000-00-PM-06, Form the Face to obtain a Mirror like Appearance, Level 5, 8 Credits.

516303-000-00-PM-07, Prepare Quotes and Order Stock, Level 4, 4 Credits.
The total number of credits for Practical Skill Modules: 18.

Work Experience Modules:

516303-000-00-WM-01, Processes for Preparing the Embalming Room and Body for Embalming, Level 4, 8 Credits.

516303-000-00-WM-03, Processes to Create Peaceful, Relaxing and Lifelike Appearance, Level 5, 16 Credits.
The total number of credits for Work Experience Modules: 24.

EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES

1. Prepare the embalming room and body for open-case embalming.
2. Prepare the human body after death to create a peaceful, relaxing and life-like appearance for viewing by mourners.

ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1:

Outline the process of preparing the embalming room and identify critical aspects related to health-safety.

Ensure that the embalming room is clean, hygienic and properly-ventilated.

Mix chemicals to specifications, and layout the equipment and materials for open-case embalming while following health safety precautions and wearing appropriate personal protective gear.

Prepare the body for the embalming process following health safety precautions and wearing appropriate personal protective gear.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2:

Discuss procedures for creating a life-like appearance with reference to cultural differences, skin structure and conditions to consider when applying make-up, as well as health and hygiene aspects when handling the deceased.

Clean the body, and close all bodily-cavities, ensuring fresh smell without any damage to the skin following standard operating procedures.

Dress the deceased following standard operating procedures and ensure clothing look unspoilt with no visible marks, stains and/or tears.

Close the eyes, mouth and nose are correctly following appropriate procedures to ensure that there are no facial leakage-possibilities.

Apply mortuary-wax and make-up following standard operating procedures.

Conceal all lacerations and scars, ensure skin tone and make-up made look natural and create a peaceful sleep-like image.

Integrated Assessment:
Integrated Formative Assessment:
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. This formative assessment leads to entrance into the integrated external summative assessment.

Integrated Summative Assessment:
An external integrated summative assessment conducted through the relevant QCTO Assessment Quality Partner is required for the issuing of this qualification. The external integrated summative assessment will focus on the exit level outcomes and associated assessment criteria.

The external integrated summative assessment will be conducted through an evaluation of written and practical tasks covering critical aspects in the work environment at a Services SETA recommended and QCTO accredited decentralised assessment centres and evaluated by a panel of assessment specialists registered by the Services SETA for this purpose.

The written and practical assessment will take place over a minimum of 1 working day. A candidate who attempted an external assessment will be given recognition for those assessment tasks in which he/she has been found competent and not be retested in those tasks provided that: (1) The learner is competent in at least 70% of the task given during the assessment, and (2) The recognition will be retained by the candidate for a maximum of three (3) attempts or 18-months from the date of successful completion of the assessment tasks whichever comes first.

INTERNATIONAL COMPARABILITY

The Occupational Certificate: Embalmer's Assistant as a part-qualification and is linked to proficiencies covered in the Occupational Certificate: Embalmer and is recognised as such by the industry for employment purpose/s.

Qualifications and training programmes from the United States of America (USA), Canada and Australia were selected for comparison to the South African qualification.

Embalming is popular in the USA and Canada. Based on this, these countries were used as best practice for benchmarking and are therefore compare in detail along with the Australian qualification to accommodate the derived Qualification: Embalmer's Assistant.

As programmes in these countries focus mainly on anatomy, physiology and the embalming process, and not on the preparation of the body for viewing that can be conducted even when embalming is not applied. The Australian qualification was also used for benchmarking.

United States of America and Canada:
The Medical School of the University of Minnesota offers a two-three-year Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.): Mortuary Science B.Sc. Degree.

In Canada, The Canadian College of Funeral Service is a post-secondary institution that is dedicated solely to the funeral service profession. It offers a two-year Embalmer Certificate.

Australia:
In Australia, SIF40213 - Certificate IV in Embalming (duration 6 months - 2 years) is registered on the National Australian Qualifications Framework. And can be offered by any accredited provider.

The Australian Certificate includes mortuary sciences and funeral practices which is not included in the Occupational Certificate: Embalmer's Assistant, as there is an existing Occupational Certificate: Mortician, NQF Level 3, 150 Credits that covers these aspects.

The Occupational Certificate: Embalmer's Assistant compares well with the Australian Qualification in terms of duration and learning content (only four out of the nineteen modules, i.e. SIFEMWK001: Uncoffin deceased persons, SIFEMWK018: Supervise mortuary operations, SIFXIND002: Work effectively in the funeral services industry and SIFXIND003: Deal with grief responses, are not covered by the Occupational Certificate: Embalmer's Assistant as these are covered by the existing Occupational Certificate: Mortician, NQF Level 3, with 150 Credits. The Occupational Certificate: Embalmer's Assistant compares well with the Australian qualification in terms of level, and duration.

The following core units are included in the Australian qualification:

Uncoffin deceased persons.

Cleanse and disinfect deceased persons.

Set facial features.

Treat abdominal and thoracic cavities.

Dress the deceased and apply cosmetics.

Apply anatomy and physiology principles to embalming.

Restore minor body damage.

Treat the head and body after autopsies.

Restore and set eyes after eye donations.

Determine embalming requirements.

Perform arterial embalming of natural cases.

Perform arterial embalming of autopsied cases.

Treat complex ante mortem cases.

Treat complex post mortem cases.

Supervise mortuary operations.

Follow mortuary work health and safety procedures.

Work effectively in the funeral services industry.

Deal with grief responses.

Implement and monitor infection and contamination control practices.

Conclusion:
The Occupational Certificate: Embalmer's Assistant does not compare well with the Canadian or American programmes used for the Occupational Certificate Embalmer from which this Occupational Certificate has been derived as these programmes do not include modules related to the preparation of the body for viewing.

The Occupational Certificate: Embalmer's Assistant compares well with the Australian qualification in terms of coverage, level, and duration.

ARTICULATION OPTIONS

Horizontal Articulation:
This qualification articulates horizontally with the following qualification:

National Diploma: Funeral Services Practice; NQF Level 5.

Vertical Articulation:
This qualification articulates vertically with the following qualification:

Occupational Certificate: Embalmer; NQF Level 6.

MODERATION OPTIONS

N/A

CRITERIA FOR THE REGISTRATION OF ASSESSORS

N/A

NOTES

Qualifying for the External Integrated Summative Assessment:
To qualify for the External Integrated Summative Assessment, learners must provide proof of completion of all required modules by means of a statement of results and work experience records.

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 in the QCTO website.

The curriculum title and code is: Embalmer's Assistant: 516303-000-00-01.

Encompassed Trades:
This qualification encompasses the following trades as recorded on the NLRD:

This is not a trade qualification.

Assessment Quality Partner (AQP):

Services SETA.

Parent Qualification:
516303-000-00-00, Occupational Certificate: Embalmer, Level 6, 180 Credits.

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.

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