QCTO

How will the changes result in an improved response to skills shortages?

In order to achieve the above, the Ministers of Education and Training have agreed that the executive authority for standards generation and the quality assurance of qualifications, provision and learning achievements combined “under one roof”, and will be undertaken by three Qualifications and Quality Assurance Councils (QCs) (par 60).

The QC for Trades and Occupations (QCTO) will be responsible for standards generation and quality assurance for all work based competency standards up to NQF level 10 (par 63), and will deal with work-based learning across all NQF Levels (par 73).

The QCTO will rationalise the work of the sector ETQA bodies, which currently fall under SETAs (par 64) and will co-ordinate and streamline the ETQA functions of SETAs including the non statutory professional bodies accredited as ETQAs. It will also take over responsibility for identified shared services relating to trades, occupations and skills which cut across economic and social sectors (par 73).

This latter arrangement will help resolve many the cross-sectoral issues encountered in the current dispensation and will end the need for Memorandums of Understanding which currently add a layer of additional complexity.

2.6 What is the purpose of establishing the QCTO?

The QCTO will be established to enable the Minister of Labour to carry out his political responsibility for NQF implementation. The QCTO will be established in terms of a revised Skills Development Act.