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: Stone Polisher

SAQA QUAL ID	QUALIFICATION TITLE
119449	Occupational Certificate: Stone Polisher
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 12 - Physical Planning and Construction		Building Construction
ABET BAND	MINIMUM CREDITS	PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL	NQF LEVEL	QUAL CLASS
Undefined	119	Not Applicable	NQF Level 04	Regular-ELOAC
REGISTRATION STATUS		SAQA DECISION NUMBER	REGISTRATION START DATE	REGISTRATION END DATE
Registered		EXCO 0522/24	2022-08-04	2025-12-31
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT		LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2026-12-31		2029-12-31

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 a Stone Polisher. A qualified learner will be able to complete and polish the stone product to design specifications.

Rationale:
Currently, there is no existing qualification for a Stone Polisher. This qualification is important to address the skills of the current and future employees serving within sectors employing Polishers. The industry will draw the learners from the cohort of current employees who performed the function without recognised qualification. The part-qualification will enable the current and future practitioners acquire specialised skills from focused and structured training.

The country has a serious problem of high unemployment impacting negatively on the youth in particular. Acquisition of the Stone Polisher qualification will enhance personal esteem for current practitioner and restore the dignity of those who practiced without qualification. Learners who acquire this part-qualification have many opportunities to perfect their trade within such field as construction, art and manufacturing. The learners will be able to practice as supporting practitioners within construction and craft businesses. Learners can move horizontally to perform Stone Engraving, Stone Erection and vertically as Stonemasons or Tilers.

This qualification met the skills requirements of many members of Funerals Directors Association, National Association of South Africa Undertakers, South African Funeral Practitioner Association, National Undertakers Association of South Africa and Funeral Industry Practitioners of South African. All these associations participated directly or through submission of inputs where necessary.

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:
An NQF Level 2 qualification with Mathematics and Science.

RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING?

QUALIFICATION RULES

This part-qualification consists of the following compulsory Knowledge, Practical Skill and Work Experience Modules:

Knowledge Modules:

641301-000-00-00-KM-02, Quality Management Systems in the Stonemason Environment, Level 4, 15 Credits.

641301-000-00-00-KM-06, Stonemason Consumables and Materials, Level 4, 25 Credits.

Total number of credits for Knowledge Modules: 40.

Practical Skill Modules:

641301-000-00-00-PM02, Use Equipment and Tools to Cut the Stone to Size, Level 3, 14 Credits.

641301-000-00-00-PM07, Finish the Stone Design, Level 3, 25 Credits.

Total number of credits for Practical Skill Modules: 39.

Work Experience Modules:

641301-000-00-00-WM05, Processes for Finishing the Stone Design, Level 3, 40 Credits.

Total number of credits for Work Experience Modules: 40

EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES

1. Demonstrate the ability to prepare the stone for finishing operations and polishing to stated requirements.
2. Demonstrate the skill to polish the stone to design specifications.

ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1:

Select and use different material for use at different stages to stone preparation.

Demonstrate understanding of the use of different smoothing material.

Select the required materials, tools and equipment for the type of stone and work requirements.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2:

Use different sandpapers are sequentially from rougher to finer surfaces for smooth finish.

Use appropriate material for stone polishing, for the type of stone and the finishing specifications.

Explain and demonstrate the effect of different material to different types of stone during polishing.

Integrated Assessment
Integrated Formative Assessment
The Skills Development Provider 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.

INTERNATIONAL COMPARABILITY

The part-qualification was compared with related qualifications from the United Kingdom and Australia in terms of their scope, levels and curriculum content.

United Kingdom
City & Gilds provides a level 2 Diploma in Stonemasonry. The qualification offers the following units standards:

Health, safety and welfare in construction.

Principles of building construction, information and communication.

Setting out and templet making for stonemasonry components.

Working stonemasonry components.

Fixing stonemasonry components and

Principles of architectural heritage, conservation, and restoration.

The comparison will be limited to Health, Safety and welfare units as well as elements of principles of architectural heritage, conservation and restoration.

Australia
Victorian Skills gateways offers Certificate 111 in Stonemasonry (monumental/ Installation). The qualification requires entry level apprenticeship training and Mathematics as entry requirements. The qualification offers the following skills for a qualified stonemason:

Studying plans and specifications to determine materials required, dimensions and installation procedures, erecting and dismantling restricted height scaffolding.

Seals foundations with damp-resistant materials and spreads layers of mortar to serve as a base and binder for blocks using trowels.

Laying bricks in rows, designs and shapes, and spreads mortar between joints.

Embedding blocks in mortar and removes excess mortar, checking vertical and horizontal alignment.

Cutting, shaping and polishing stones and bricks using machines and hand tools, and shape bricks to fit irregular spaces, repairing and maintaining bricks, cement blocks and related structures and designing.

Cutting monumental and memorial masonry and lettering.

None of these modules are specifically relevant for Stone Polishing function and as such, comparison is limited or non-existent.

Conclusion
The qualifications analysed from these two countries have very limited comparison to the Occupational Certificate: Stone Polisher.

NOTES

Qualifying for External Assessment:
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 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 on the QCTO website.
The curriculum title and code are: Stone Polisher: 641301-000-00-02.

Encompassed Trades
This part-qualification encompasses the following trades as recorded on the NLRD
None

Assessment Quality Partner (AQP)
National Artisan Moderation Body (NAMB).

Parent Qualification
Occupational Certificate: Stonemason, Level 4.

Related Part-Qualifications

Occupational Certificate: Stone Engraver, Level 4.

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.

NONE