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: Prison Officer (Correctional Official) |
SAQA QUAL ID | QUALIFICATION TITLE | |||
98928 | Occupational Certificate: Prison Officer (Correctional Official) | |||
ORIGINATOR | ||||
Development Quality Partner-SASSETA | ||||
PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY | NQF SUB-FRAMEWORK | |||
- | OQSF - Occupational Qualifications Sub-framework | |||
QUALIFICATION TYPE | FIELD | SUBFIELD | ||
Occupational Certificate | Field 08 - Law, Military Science and Security | Safety in Society | ||
ABET BAND | MINIMUM CREDITS | PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL | NQF LEVEL | QUAL CLASS |
Undefined | 371 | Not Applicable | NQF Level 05 | Regular-ELOAC |
REGISTRATION STATUS | SAQA DECISION NUMBER | REGISTRATION START DATE | REGISTRATION END DATE | |
Reregistered | EXCO 0425/24 | 2018-07-01 | 2025-12-30 | |
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT | LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT | |||
2026-12-30 | 2029-12-30 |
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 qualification is to prepare a learner to operate as a Correctional Official. A Correctional Official provides the best correctional services and contributes to a just, peaceful and safer South Africa through effective and humane incarceration of inmates and the rehabilitation and social reintegration of offenders. A qualified learner will be able to: Rationale: Since the demilitarisation of the corrections industry in 1996, greater emphasis was placed on rehabilitation and humane treatment of offenders. Furthermore, the corrections industry is characterised by the implementation of unit management principles in correctional facilities. The introduction and growth in community corrections necessitate skills development of correctional officials in this specialised area of the corrections industry. Other areas of specialisation in the corrections industry include youth and female offenders. The government of South Africa has repeatedly emphasised the importance and need to promote good governance and professionalism within state departments. It is with this focus in mind that the design of this qualification includes elements of professionalism, human rights, rehabilitation, community corrections, youth and female corrections, and correctional law. This qualification reflects workplace needs of the corrections industry for correctional officials up to first-line supervisors. The majority of the candidates to aspire to this qualification are likely to be those already working in the corrections sector. The qualification will therefore give them the opportunity to develop skills and to acquire the knowledge that is essential for successful execution of correctional duties up to the level of first-line supervisors. |
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 results 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: The minimum entrance requirements are: |
RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING? |
Y |
QUALIFICATION RULES |
This qualification is made up of the following compulsory Knowledge and Practical Skill Modules:
Knowledge Modules: Total number of Credits for Knowledge Modules: 91. Practical Skill Modules: Total number of Credits for Practical Skill Modules: 90. This qualification also requires the following Work Experience Modules: Total number of Credits for Work Experience Modules: 190. |
EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES |
1. Maintain a safe, secure and humane environment for offenders.
2. Perform external custodial duties. 3. Facilitate the implementation of the Offender Rehabilitation Path. 4. Facilitate the implementation of social reintegration processes. |
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: 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 Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (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. External assessment will be conducted by a three-hour written assignment and practical exercises through observation at an accredited assessment site/centre by registered Assessors for no more than five days. |
INTERNATIONAL COMPARABILITY |
The approach to training and development of Corrections Officers varies across countries, depending on the legislative powers of the Ministry of Justice and the prevalent socio-economic conditions. A wide spectrum of approaches is employed, ranging from punitive to rehabilitative.
For the purpose of this comparison, the following countries were chosen due to the fact that, like South Africa, they have a rehabilitative approach which is characterised by an emphasis on human rights: Prison Officers of the United Kingdom are required to complete an eight-week introductory training course called Prison Officer Entry Level Training to begin a career as a prison officer. On graduation from Prison Officer Entry Level Training all wardens are required to successfully complete a qualification in Custodial Care, the aim of which is to provide an occupationally-related qualification for people employed in custodial environments with direct contact with prisoners. This qualification allows candidates to develop the competence, knowledge and understanding to perform their jobs effectively, and to enhance their career prospects. The following 5 mandatory units compare closely with the content of the South African Occupational Certificate: Correctional Official in terms of human rights, internal security, external security and wellness: Of the 43 available optional units, the following reflect some similarities with the South African qualification: Findings: The duration, level of complexity and content of the combined Prison Officer Entry Level Training and the National Vocational Qualification in Custodial Care are similar to the South African qualification. New Zealand has registered on the New Zealand Qualifications Framework a National Certificate in Offender Management. The purpose of the qualification indicates this similarity; "for those working or seeking to work as a corrections officer, whose role it is to provide safe, secure and humane containment of prisoners whilst working towards reducing re-offending". Furthermore, the Qualification states that the "award of the certificate signifies competence at the first level of Offender Management". The unit standards related to the professional skills include: Findings: There are very close similarities between the New Zealand qualification and the South African occupational certificate. Differences: Differences have been found in the duration of the learning programme, entry requirements, NQF Level of the qualification, and content of the programmes. Conclusion: The comparability study conducted reveals that even though this qualification does not have a perfect international fit at the moment, but when compared with the two qualifications cited above, there appears to be some points of convergence particularly with regard to general focus and approach. Like the qualifications selected for this study, this qualification is focussed mainly on the rehabilitative role of correctional services and it also highlights the importance of preserving the human rights of offenders. |
ARTICULATION OPTIONS |
Horizontal Articulation:
Vertical 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. |
NONE |
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. |