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: 

National Certificate: Information Technology 
SAQA QUAL ID QUALIFICATION TITLE
65310  National Certificate: Information Technology 
ORIGINATOR
Central University of Technology, Free State 
PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY NQF SUB-FRAMEWORK
CHE - Council on Higher Education  HEQSF - Higher Education Qualifications Sub-framework 
QUALIFICATION TYPE FIELD SUBFIELD
National Certificate  Field 10 - Physical, Mathematical, Computer and Life Sciences  Information Technology and Computer Sciences 
ABET BAND MINIMUM CREDITS PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL NQF LEVEL QUAL CLASS
Undefined  120  Level 5  Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L5  Regular-Provider-ELOAC 
REGISTRATION STATUS SAQA DECISION NUMBER REGISTRATION START DATE REGISTRATION END DATE
Passed the End Date -
Status was "Reregistered" 		 EXCO 0433/25  2018-07-01  2018-12-31 
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2021-12-31   2024-12-31  

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 
A qualifying learner at this level is competent in the application of basic computer principles and the use of computers in the computing industry. 

LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING 
Descriptive entry level:

Capable of logical thinking and anguage competency at NQF level 4.

Qualification entry level:
Further Education Certificate on NQF level 4 or equivalent. 

RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING? 
N 

QUALIFICATION RULES 
The qualification will be awarded to a learner who has provided evidence to the satisfaction of the assessors that the stated competence for the qualification, as detailed in the specified outcomes, has been achieved, either through education and training in a single provider`s learning programme, or through experience that complies with the stated specific outcomes. 

EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES 
The qualifying learner should have the ability to:

1. Demonstrate an understanding of the computing environment.

2. Apply basic problem solving techniques in a computing environment.

3. Use basic office software packages.

4. Demonstrate an understanding of the effects of Information Technology on business.

Specified outcomes:

The qualifying learner should be able to:

1. Apply basic principles of operating systems (c, f)
  • Communicate and apply core concepts in respect of computer hardware and software.
    (c, f)
  • Explain basic principles of data communication (c, f)
  • Illustrate an understanding of the internal architecture of a computer (e)

    2. Apply basic principles of database concepts.
    (c, f)
  • Design a basic database
    (c, f)
  • Apply elementary programming skills to solve basic commercial/scientific problems (c), f)
  • Implement software solutions in one or more development environments (c,f)

    3. Use a spreadsheet, word processing and database management package.
    (C, f)
  • Develop specific life skills such as formal communication, legal insight and entrepreneurial skills relevant to the IT industry. (E)
  • Apply basic business principles. (e)
  • Demonstrate knowledge of the concepts of Internet Communication. (e).
  • Apply numeracy methods. (e).

    Critical outcomes:

    The qualification is designed and should be presented and assessed in such a way that the following skills of the learner are promoted and developed:

    The ability to:
  • take decisions and accept responsibility.
  • communicate effectively using models, visual and language skills.
  • collect, organise and critically evaluate information, in order to assess the situation correctly.
  • demonstrate an understanding that the problem solving contexts do not exist in isolation and therefore look at the system as a whole. 
    		•

    ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA 
    The qualifying learner should provide the following evidence of his/her abilities:

    1. Able to apply basic principles of operating systems.
  • Solutions are developed for a given case study, covering hardware and software concepts.
  • Explain and describe the principles involved in data communications.
  • Describe the operation and components of the internal structure of a computer.
  • Master application of basic principles of database concepts.
  • Design a basic database, normalised it up to third normal form and implement it using a DBMS.
  • Complete elementary assignments demonstrating the effective development and implementation of an algorithm.
  • Offer solutions pertaining to computer concepts for a given case study.
  • Practically apply word processing, database management and spreadsheets.
  • Complete assignments demonstrating knowledge of specific life skills, communication, legal aspects and entrepreneurial skills.
  • Apply basic business principles for a given case study.
  • Explain and describe the concepts of internet communication.
  • Illustrate the use of numeracy methods through application in relevant cases.

    Integrated assessment:

    1. written examination
    2. continuous evaluation
    3. integrated assessment. 
    		•

    ARTICULATION OPTIONS 
    Diploma: Information Technology. 

    MODERATION OPTIONS 
    SERTEC
    ETQA
    SAQA 

    CRITERIA FOR THE REGISTRATION OF ASSESSORS 
    Assessors must have a higher level qualification than that being examined. 

    REREGISTRATION HISTORY 
    As per the SAQA Board decision/s at that time, this qualification was Reregistered in 2006; 2009; 2012; 2015. 

    NOTES 
    Due to flexibility of the IT Diploma, most Technikons offer the contents of the Certificate differently. To make up the 120 credits, the core and fundamentals must be supplemented with choices from the electives. 

    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. Central University of Technology, Free State 


    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.