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 THAT HAS PASSED THE END DATE:

Certificate: Secretarial Studies

SAQA QUAL ID	QUALIFICATION TITLE
57203	Certificate: Secretarial Studies
ORIGINATOR
General SGB 03
PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY			NQF SUB-FRAMEWORK
The individual Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionary for each Learning Programme recorded against this qualification is shown in the table at the end of this report.			SFAP - Sub-framework Assignment Pending
QUALIFICATION TYPE	FIELD		SUBFIELD
National Certificate	Field 03 - Business, Commerce and Management Studies		Office Administration
ABET BAND	MINIMUM CREDITS	PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL	NQF LEVEL	QUAL CLASS
Undefined	120	Level 5	Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L5	Regular-ELOAC
REGISTRATION STATUS		SAQA DECISION NUMBER	REGISTRATION START DATE	REGISTRATION END DATE
Passed the End Date - Status was "Reregistered"		SAQA 091/21	2021-07-01	2023-06-30
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT		LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2024-06-30		2027-06-30

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 the qualification is to train and equip the learner for several specialist fields (computer, legal, medical practice and public relations) of an Executive Secretary. At the end of the programme the learner can pursue the field that she/he excelled in best.

Rationale:

This qualification is aimed at providing the business world with highly trained workers, equipped with a comprehensive range of skills, including managerial, technological (all computer applications, with the exception of programming), communication, interpersonal and behavioural skills. The strength of the course lies in the ability of learners to enter successfully into a variety of fields in the business environment - locally and internationally. These career fields include amongst others, office administration, financial, public relations, personnel, legal and conference organising.

LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING

No prior learning in this field is required for entrance to the qualification. Certain units, when the qualification have pre-requisite units, are covered first. Computer typing will be a recommendation to all learners, but is not compulsory.

Recognition of Prior Learning:

Recognition of prior learning forms an integral part of the structure of the programmes at the institution. Learners are evaluated for studies successfully completed at universities, technikons and state colleges as well as private colleges accredited by SAQA, CHE or a SETA.

Learners who can demonstrate good computer skills and provide proof of applicable administrative experience and have good interpersonal communicative abilities can be considered for admission to this certificate programme. This can also result in accelerated access to further.

RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING?

QUALIFICATION RULES

N/A

EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES

On achieving this qualification, the learner will be able to:

1. Analysis a business and determine the way it functions
2. Communicate in a business environment
3. Function in a business environment
4. Operate a computer
5. Process payments
6. Deal with customers
7. Process incoming and outgoing telephone calls
8. Handle mail, messages and written communication
9. Display cultural awareness in dealing with customers and colleagues
10. Perform basic calculations
11. Identify work opportunities
12. Apply for a job or experience placement
13. Deal with suppliers
14. Exchange foreign cash and travellers cheques
15. Maintain data in a computer system
16. Prepare written communications
17. Manage information flow
18. Induct new staff to the workplace
19. Improve service to customers
20. Plan, organise and monitor work in own area of responsibility
21. Maintain practices and procedures for handling cash/cash equivalent
22. Maintain front office service
23. Plan and delivery staff training and development of own area of responsibility
24. Create, maintain and improve productive working relationships
25. Provide first aid
26. Plan and conduct meetings
27. Manage ones own development and time
28. Prepare and maintain financial records and statements
29. Manage payroll records
30. Monitor staff performance

Critical cross-field outcomes addressed in this programme:

1. Work effectively with others as a member of a team/group
2. Reflect on and explore a variety of strategies to learn more effectively
3. Collect, analyse, organise and critically evaluate information
4. Communicate effectively using virtual, mathematical, and/or language skills in the modes of oral and/or written presentation
5. Identify and solve problems in which response display that responsible decisions using critical and creative thinking have been made
6. Developing entrepreneurial opportunities

ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

In particular assessors should check that the learner demonstrates that he/she mastered the exit-leve outcomes with special reference to ability to:

Efficiently operate a computer in an office working environment.

Perform general office administrative and communicative duties in an orderly, systematic and efficient manner.

Plan, at own initiative, the daily and monthly office routine to ensure that productive systems are in place.

Integrated Assessment:

Theory:
Tests, projects, assignments and internal examinations. All tests have a practical (case studies) and theoretical component and is theoretically and practically evaluated.

Practicals:
Public speaking, addressing the public at specific functions (eg. career evenings), class presentations (verbal end visual) and experiential learning period form part of practical evaluations. Practical assignments are completed throughout the programme, with final cumulative practical assessment encompassing the project for people from commerce and industry (eg. a wine tasting function).

Resource center utilisation:
Learners must include a bibliography with all projects indicating resources consulted, whether reference material of the institution or another source.

Experiential learning:
Experiential learning is an integral part of the programme. Learners are assisted by the institution to find suitable workstations. A well structured Log-book, which gets signed by the learner, employer and lecturer, is in use to ensure control over the actual work experience gained by the learner.

Projects:
Group, individual and external evaluation of projects takes place. Projects are assessed in terms of their suitability for, and use in, the working environment.

INTERNATIONAL COMPARABILITY

N/A

ARTICULATION OPTIONS

On completion of this qualification, besides careers in the formal secretarial sector, learners may also be able to follow a career in Public Relations, Customer Service, Pastel Bookkeeper, Telephone Sales Person, a Data Base Operator or even open an own typing business from home.

The learner can also continue with further Technikon studies.

MODERATION OPTIONS

N/A

CRITERIA FOR THE REGISTRATION OF ASSESSORS

N/A

REREGISTRATION HISTORY

As per the SAQA Board decision/s at that time, this qualification was Reregistered in 2012; 2015.

NOTES

This qualification has been derived from provider-based qualifications, in order to record Learning Programmes against it.

LEARNING PROGRAMMES RECORDED AGAINST THIS QUALIFICATION:

LP ID	Learning Programme Title	Originator	Pre-2009 NQF Level	NQF Level	Min Credits	Learning Prog End Date	Quality Assurance Functionary	NQF Sub-Framework
24415	Certificate: Secretarial Studies	Berea College of Technology (Pty) Ltd	Level 5	Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L5	120		CHE	HEQSF
36006	Certificate: Secretarial Studies	Durbanville College (Pty) Ltd	Level 5	Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L5	125		CHE	HEQSF
57870	Certificate: Secretarial Studies	Rosebank Business College	Level 5	Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L5	133		CHE	HEQSF
58695	Certificate: Secretarial Studies	The Independent Institute of Education (Pty) Ltd	Level 5	Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L5	128	2014-12-31	CHE	HEQSF

PROVIDERS CURRENTLY ACCREDITED TO OFFER THESE LEARNING PROGRAMMES:

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.

LP ID	Learning Programme Title	Accredited Provider
24415	Certificate: Secretarial Studies	Berea College of Technology (Pty) Ltd
57870	Certificate: Secretarial Studies	Rosebank Business College