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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: |
| Advanced Diploma in School Leadership and Management |
| SAQA QUAL ID | QUALIFICATION TITLE | |||
| 124750 | Advanced Diploma in School Leadership and Management | |||
| ORIGINATOR | ||||
| Regenesys Management (Pty) Ltd | ||||
| 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 05 - Education, Training and Development | Schooling | ||
| 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 | |
| Registered | EXCO 0434/25 | 2025-08-21 | 2028-08-21 | |
| LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT | LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT | |||
| 2029-08-21 | 2032-08-21 | |||
| 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 the Advanced Diploma in School Leadership and Management is to provide entry-level vocational and professional preparation to school leaders and principals to advance their leadership and management skills by providing an opportunity to undergo focused and applied learning in the field of school leadership and management. The qualification forms part of continuing education for school leaders and managers, in which participants will gain extensive knowledge and understanding of the relevant theories, methods, and practices required of school leaders and managers. The qualification will enhance learners' skills to resolve complex theory- and practice-based school leadership and management problems through the application of selected methods and techniques appropriate to the problems they may encounter in the profession. The qualification, therefore, aims to empower and enable school leaders to develop the skills, knowledge, and values necessary to lead and manage schools effectively and efficiently, to collaborate in communities of practice, and to contribute to enhancing the quality of education delivery across the school system. The qualification is designed for learners who wish to follow a path in educational leadership and management. Upon completion of the qualification, qualifying learners will be able to: Rationale: This qualification is designed to address the educational management needs in South Africa by responding to the National Development Plan 2030, which proposes the appointment of appropriately well-qualified and competent principals and school leaders. It also answers the need for a common understanding of what it means to be a school leader and a manager within the South African educational context. The qualification, therefore, aims to facilitate the development of learners who can think critically and possess the professional, technological, and cultural knowledge to function efficiently and effectively within the growing education leadership and management in South Africa. It aims to develop and promote the skills and knowledge that define the role of school leadership and management roles by elaborating on the key aspects of professionalism, image, and the practical, foundational, and reflexive competencies. There is a need to develop managerial staff members who are adaptable and reflexive to the complex education context faced in South Africa, to lead and manage schools effectively, and to contribute to improving the delivery of education across the school system by considering the diversity of school types and contexts. This qualification addresses the key areas within themes such as developing and empowering self and others, and managing quality and securing accountability, cutting across all modules. It establishes and promotes leadership based on improved learning, reflective practice, evidence-based decision-making, and the effective use of information and communication technology. The qualification will produce and develop principals into researchers, reflective practitioners, scholars, and enablers of leadership in others, as is identified in the South African Standard for Principalship (SASP) and associated with school leaders. This qualification will therefore address the need for teacher development and the improvement and transformation of education as well as the broader South Africa, through theoretical engagement, intellectual independence, and reflective practice. As such, this qualification will contribute to the development of management and leadership in the education sector i This qualification responds to the need for formal qualifications that empower and enable school leaders to work together in communities of best practice and to contribute to improving the quality of delivery of education across the school system, making optimal use of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) to run schools as efficient and effective learning organisations. Graduates will develop evidence- and action-research-based decision-making skills, which can be applied in the educational environment. The qualification offers working education professionals an opportunity to study further school leadership and management. |
| LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING |
| Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL):
The institution applies recognition of prior learning in the scope of the SAQA policy principles as amended in 2019. The institution's RPL Policy and Process determines the criteria and methodology used to assess prior learning. The RPL process is multi-dimensional. It is a process through which non-formal, informal, and formal learning can be measured and mediated against learning outcomes for recognition within and across different contexts RP for access: RPL for exemption from modules: Learners may apply for RPL to be exempted from modules that form part of the qualification. For a learner to be exempted from a module, the learner needs to provide sufficient evidence in the form of a portfolio that demonstrates that competency was achieved for the learning outcomes that are equivalent to the learning outcomes of the module. RPL for credit: The RPL process is multi-contextual and differs across contexts. It may be developed and implemented differently for recognition in the context of the three NQF Sub-Frameworks, professional designations, and recognition in the workplace. Furthermore, it is conducted using a variety of specialised learning interventions and/or assessment approaches through which the knowledge, skills, and values of a person are made visible, mediated, and assessed. The purposes and contexts of RPL determine the practices and outcomes of the RPL process in each case The focus is on what has been learned, and not on the status of the institution or place where the learning was obtained. Assessment is an integral feature of all forms of RPL and exists in combination with a range of other strategies that allow for different sources of knowledge and forms of learning to be compared and judged. RPL includes diagnostic, formative, or summative assessments to create opportunities for, or towards, access and/or credit. There must be no distinction, other than that required for data analysis, between records of learner achievements for qualifications, part-qualifications, or professional designations awarded because of RPL processes and those obtained via conventional means. The quality assurance of RPL must be undertaken with the explicit intention to protect the integrity of the processes and outcomes concerned EEntry Requirements: The minimum entry requirement for this qualification is: Or Or Or Or Or |
| RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING? |
| Y |
| QUALIFICATION RULES |
| This qualification consists of the following compulsory modules at National Qualifications Framework Level 7, totalling 120 credits.
Compulsory Modules, NQF Level 7, 120 Credits: |
| EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES |
| 1. Produce a professional portfolio and workplace project that reflects leadership and management capabilities and improvement.
2. Apply a range of methods of enquiry in educational leadership and management and their suitability to specific investigations; and the ability to select and apply a range of methods to resolve problems or introduce change within an educational environment. 3. Model and apply ethical and value-driven leadership that observes all the professional standards of governance and Codes of Conduct for educators, while offering interpretation and motivation for why certain decisions are taken, and apply standards. 4. Show sound understanding of the theories and models for leading and managing self and others, as well as for effective leadership and management of extra-curricular and co-curricular activities. 5. Demonstrate the ability to manage processes in unfamiliar and variable contexts, recognising that problem-solving is context-dependent and does not happen in isolation but rather as a system that influences the whole education system. 6. Demonstrate sound understanding of resource allocation and utilisation within an educational organisation. 7. Apply relevant technical, pedagogic content knowledge in the design, implementation, and evaluation of teaching and learning and the organisation of the school environment. 8. Understand the way schools function as communities and apply relevant content knowledge in leading and managing people both within and outside the school. |
| 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: Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 6: Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 7: Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 8: Integrated Assessment: The assessment strategy for this qualification will be entirely based on continuous assessment. Learners will complete an assessment midway through the module/course and at the end of the module/course. The first assessment will be knowledge and understanding-based and will be formative. The assessment will therefore not be graded as it will contribute towards the process of assessment for learning. Facilitator feedback will play a critical role in directing the learner towards adjustments to be made in the learning process. Summative Assessment: The summative assessment will take place upon completion of the module and will be designed to assess applied and reflective competencies based on an integrated combination of the assessment criteria related to the suite of specific outcomes of the module/course. Assessment will be strictly outcomes-based. Learners must achieve a minimum of 50 % in the summative assessment to be considered as having completed the module. Should a learner achieve between 40% and 50 % in the submission of the modular summative assessment, a second submission opportunity will be given, and similarly, the learner must achieve a minimum of 50 % to be awarded a pass on the module. The continuous assessment strategy was chosen for the future bachelor's degrees to be offered by the institution to lessen the impact of external factors on learner success. The institution adopts a differentiated approach to assessment that allows schools to design alternative assessment strategies. This allowance is afforded to schools in response to the recognition of the differences in context of application and nature of the qualifications, such as the NQF levels and qualification types, such as certificates, diplomas, degrees, and postgraduate diplomas and degrees. The strategies should, in all instances, align with the broad philosophy of a balanced approach to formative and summative assessment and should be well documented and communicated to learners via the relevant learner management platforms. Academic leaders of the various schools are also to liaise closely with the information technology department to ensure that the structures are created correctly for recording and calculation of year- and final marks for progression from one academic level to the next. One such alternative strategy, for instance, is that of assessment being entirely continuous, predominantly for undergraduate degree qualifications. Learners will complete an assessment midway (or smaller assessments) through the module/course and at the end of the module/course. The first assessment/s will be formative and will therefore not necessarily be graded, as they will contribute towards the process of assessment for learning. If graded, it will contribute to the year mark. The summative assessment will take place upon completion of the module, designed to assess applied and reflective competencies based on an integrated combination of the assessment criteria related to the suite of specific outcomes of the module/course. All assessments will always adhere to outcomes-based assessment principles. Formative Assessment: Learners must achieve a minimum of 50 % in the summative assessment (or final mark if graded formative assessments form part of the year mark) to be considered as having completed the module. In all events, should a learner achieve between 40% and 50 % in the modular summative assessment (or final mark), a second submission opportunity will be given. Learners must achieve a minimum of 50 % to be awarded a pass on the module. This strategy aligns with the broad sub-minimum approach and is seen to be part of the renewal of the assessment approach as part of its plans to mitigate risks posed by the impact of external factors on learner success. |
| INTERNATIONAL COMPARABILITY |
| The Advanced Diploma in School Leadership and Management compares well with the similar qualifications offered by the following countries.
Country: New Zealand Institution: University of Auckland Qualification Title: Postgraduate Diploma in Educational Leadership NQF Level: NZQF Level 8 Duration: One Year Full-time Entry Requirements: Purpose: The purpose of the Postgraduate Diploma in Educational Leadership is to develop the knowledge and skills that aspiring and current educational leaders need to meet the need for high-quality, equitable learning opportunities for all children. The outcomes of qualification indicate that learners will have: The University of Auckland is accredited by the Academic Quality Agency for New Zealand Universities, and the qualification is registered on the New Zealand Qualifications Framework by the NZQA. Graduates of the qualification are prepared for a range of leadership roles in the education sector, including: Qualification structure: Compulsory Modules: Or Or Electives Modules (Choose two modules) Assessment: Assignments: Essays, research papers, case studies, reflective journals. Examinations: Written or oral examinations testing knowledge and understanding of key concepts. Presentations: Individual or group presentations demonstrating critical analysis and communication skills. Projects: Individual or group projects applying theoretical knowledge to practical situations. Similarities: Differences: Country: United Kingdom Institution: Colombo Institute of Research and Psychology. Qualification Title: Level 7 Diploma in Education Management Credits: 120 UK Credit NQF Level: UK RQF Level 7 Duration: One year Full-time Entry Requirements: Or Purpose/Rationale: This qualification is designed to equip teachers, lecturers, and educators with administration and management skills to enable them to step into the next level of education establishments. Education is one of the fundamental building blocks of society. While teaching or lecturing remains a key aspect of the education profession, success in modern education requires each teacher or lecturer to play the role of a manager and an administrator at different levels. Educational management refers to the administration of the education system in which a group combines human and material resources to supervise, plan, strategize, and implement structures to execute an education system. The education system is an ecosystem of professionals in educational institutions who work with learners, parents, media, government ministries, unions, statutory boards, agencies, and society. At all levels of the educational ecosystem, management is required; management involves the planning, organizing, implementation, review, evaluation, and integration of an institution. At all levels of the educational ecosystem, management is required; management involves the planning, organizing, implementation, review, evaluation, and integration of an institution. The qualification is awarded by OTHM and delivered by CIRP. This is an internationally recognized qualification that will expand your career options locally as well as internationally. Upon completing this qualification, learners will be able to continue their master's and PhD-level education in any part of the world. Structure: Compulsory Modules, 120 Credits: Assessments: Learners are assessed using coursework, Assignments, presentations, and Reports based on a modular framework. Similarities: Difference: Conclusion: The SA qualification compares well with the above-cited qualifications in terms of its level descriptors, credit values, and volume of learning. |
| ARTICULATION OPTIONS |
| This qualification provides opportunities for horizontal, vertical, and diagonal articulation options.
Horizontal Articulation: Vertical Articulation: Diagonal Articulation: |
| 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. | Regenesys Management (Pty) Ltd |
| 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. |