Quality Assurance

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q   WHAT DOES ETQA STAND FOR? top

A  ETQA stands for “Education and Training Quality Assurance” Body.   
ETQA’s are accredited by the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) to promote, monitor provision, evaluate and facilitate moderation of assessment, register assessors, co-operate with ETQA moderator bodies, recommend new or modifications to standards and qualifications to NSBs, maintain a SAQA acceptable data base.
They are accredited within an economic sector and have a primary focus.

Q  WHERE CAN I FIND MORE  INFORMATION REGARDING ETQAs? top

A  You can visit the ETQA home page on the SAQA web site: www.saqa.org.za/etqa/index.htm


ASSESSOR & MODERATOR TRAINING

Q     What is an Assessor? top

A    An Assessor means the person who is registered by the relevant Education and Training Quality Assurance Body in accordance with criteria established for this purpose by a Standards Generating Body to measure the achievement of specified National Qualifications Framework standards and qualifications.


Q   Why do we need Assessors? top

A   We need Assessors to inform the learner about the qualification’s or unit standard’s requirements.
To support and guide the learner in the collection of evidence.
Conduct the assessment and provide feedback.
Collect evidence of the learner’s performance in accordance with the relevant ETQA’s principles and policies.
Make an assessment decision, i.e. ‘competent, or not yet competent’
Meet all documentation and recording requirements.
Forward the results to the relevant ETQA for certification.

Q  What is a Moderator? top

A  A moderator is a person who usually checks the work of several Assessors to ensure consistency.
Q   Why do we need Moderators? top

A   To ensure that assessments have been conducted in line with agreed practices, and are fair, reliable and valid.

Q  How do I get registered with CHIETA as a Constituent Assessor or Moderator?  

A  You fill in the ETQ-TP-008 form, send it to CHIETA with a certified copy of your ID document or call 726-4026 to obtain more information.

Q  Who can train Assessors and Moderators? top

A  Only those providers of education and training that have       been accredited by the ETDP SETA to offer such training, can do so.

Q  How do I know if a provider is accredited or not? top

A You can confirm this information from the ETDP SETA’S website (www.etdpseta.org.za), or by contacting the relevant ETQA.

Q  How long does the Assessor or Moderator training course take? top

A  Assessor training takes up to 5 days and Moderator training takes 2 days.

Q  What is Top-up training of moderators? top

A  Some people were trained as “Internal Verifiers” against the COAITB developed unit standards they performed the role of moderation.  The SAQA registered unit standards (ASSMT02) for moderators requires additional competencies.  Such Internal Verifiers can now obtain top-up training from training providers accredited by the ETDP SETA.  Thereafter they can be declared competent as moderators by the ETDP SETA.



Q  What do you mean by subject matter expert (SME)? top

A   A subject matter expert is a person who has expertise in a particular area of work in the chemical sector, eg.  Chemical Operations, the Assessor who has SME can assess learners in this area.
           
For more information about Assessor/Moderator registration you can contact Palesa Mochongwane on (011) 726-4026.

ACCREDITATION
Q  What is Accreditation? top

A Accreditation means the certification, usually for a particular period of time, of a person, a body or an institution as having the capacity to fulfil a particular function in the quality assurance system set up by the South African Qualifications Authority in terms of the Act; SAQA Act, 1995 (Act No.58 of 1995).

Q  How can a company that wishes to obtain accreditation do so? top

A  Obtain the Accreditation Toolkit for a full explanation of how to become an accredited provider.

Q  What is the difference between Provisional and Full Accreditation? top

A  The difference is that Provisional accreditation is for a minimum of 2 years for specific unit standards or qualification and that the provider hasn’t met all the CHIETA requirements. 
Full accreditation means that the provider has met all the CHIETA requirements and it’s for 5 years.  For specified unit standards or qualifications refer to list of Accredited Providers to obtain full information.

Q  Which criteria are the CHIETA accredited providers required to meet? top

A  Accreditation is offered by the CHIETA in two stages: -
Stage 1 is called Provisional Accreditation, refer to the ETQA Toolkit for the minimum criteria.
Stage 2 is called Full Accreditation, refer to the ETQA Toolkit for all the criteria.

For more information you can contact Benedict Matabire on (011) 726-4026.

LEARNER ENROLMENTS, REGISTRATION & CERTIFICATING
Q  How do I enrol a learner with the CHIETA? top

A  You must fill in form ETQ-TP-008 or call (011) 726-4026.

Q  When does CHIETA issue certificates to learners? top

A  When an assessor assesses a learner and declares the learner competent, the assessor fills in ETQ-TP-015 for Assessor, ETQ-TP-016 for Moderator, ETQ-TP-017 for Chemical Trades/Operations and sends these forms with a certified copy of the learners ID for attention  rdiergaardt@chieta.org.za

For more information you can contact Rene Diergaardt on (011) 726-4026.

GENERAL QUESTIONS

Q   What is an MOU? top

A   MOU stands for Memorandum of Understanding between 2 SETAs.
It lays the basis for all employees in a company to access any education and training that they require from any of the ETQAs registered by SAQA and to have certificates of competence issued by that SETA - ETQA.

MOUs ensure that ETQAs follow quality assured procedures to    ensure that learners are declared competent for registered unit   standards that make up a learning programme.