RPL Recognition of Prior Learning
Recognition of Prior Learning important for South Africa
Because of educational redress and optimal usage of existing experience and knowledge.
Need
Use available talent and ease access to education. Recognition of prior learning (RPL) is about making visible all kinds of learning of individuals. That could be being on the church board, having done all kinds of short courses and working experience available. South Africa has too many people who did a lot of learning but have no formal qualifications. Because of its history the country needs to redress the past and give its population the opportunity to make use of RPL as a tool to have easier access to education (including exemptions) and give career guidance based upon former learning.
Better and more implementation is needed in South Africa. And one way to get there is to combine the SA experiences and environment with international best practices (SAQA conference 2011).
Process
So that is what we do. We capacitate Seta’s (Sector Education & Training Authorities) to implement RPL within a sector with help of the sector. We involve stakeholders and call them social partners. We help them to formulate the public value of RPL within the sector and finally we train their assessors and others to be effective RPL advisors.
Program
So work conferences and the SAQA accredited RPL advisor training are good starting points. We even add the Swiss portfolio-experts certificate (CH-Q). But the end of the day the actual implementation counts. So all our projects contain a RPL assessment procedure for a large group of learners.
Result
With one of the Seta’s (Ewseta) we started the RPL capacitation and 300 learners (water operators) will be assessed as a result. That will give them access to education and a better career perspective.
Links
Visiting mission with amongst others the CEO's of SAQA (Joe Samuels), BankSeta (Max Makhubalo) and TETA (Mapfhefo Frempong) and representatives of the banking industry and Department of Higher Education.