National Learners’National Learners’Records Records DatabaseDatabaseRecords Records DatabaseDatabase

(NLRD)(NLRD)

August 2014August 2014

What is the NLRD?What is the NLRD?What is the NLRD?What is the NLRD?An integrated information system to facilitate the management

of the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) - the first such

system in the worldsystem in the world

In operation since 1999 and developed further in phases, to reflect the business rules of the NQF

Main functions:• To provide policy makers with comprehensive information to p p y p

enable informed decision-making• To provide learners and employers with proof of qualifications

obtainedobtained• To provide information that assists with career development and

advice

NLRD Form and FunctionNLRD Form and FunctionNLRD Form and FunctionNLRD Form and Function

Inputs

MicroMacro

es National

Outputsivit

ie NationalLearners’Recordsp

Systemy ac

ti RecordsDatabase(NLRD)support

Key

(NLRD)Qualifications & Qualifications & Part QualificationsPart Qualifications

Learners & Learners & achievementsachievements

Main StreamsQQ

Information providedInformation providedby theby the NLRNLRDD 12 000by theby the NLRNLRDD

• Qualifications and Part Qualifications0

4 000

8 000 1 200 National Qualifications11 600 Provider Qualifications

20 000Qualifications and Part Qualifications (including Unit standards) registered on the NQF

• NQF Sub-frameworks and their0

5 00010 00015 00020 000

15 600 Unit Standards

NQF Sub frameworks and their related Quality Councils

• NQF Organising Fields and Subfields5 000

10 00015 00020 00025 000

6 000 Accredited Providers24 000 Recorded Providers

• Recognised Professional Bodies and Registered Professional Designations

• Accredited Quality assuring bodies

05 000

80 000

120 000118 000 Registered Assessors

y gand their accredited Providers

• Registered Assessors0

40 000Assessors

10 000 000

15 000 00014 5 m• Individual learners and their

achievements0

5 000 000

10 000 000 14.5 m Learners

NLRD St 1NLRD St 1NLRD Stream 1:NLRD Stream 1:

Qualifications and Unit Qualifications and Unit StandardsStandards

QualificationUnit Standard

• Outcome 1• Outcome 2Outcome 2• Outcome 3

Data Flow to the NLRDData Flow to the NLRD(Qualifications and Part (Qualifications and Part

Qualifications)Qualifications)Qua cat o s)Qua cat o s)

Quality CouncilsQCTO CHE Umalusi

Qua ty Cou c s

SAQA – Evaluate (DRR)

SAQA – Capture onto NLRDS Q Captu e o to

Access to InformationAccess to Information on on Qualifications Part QualificationsQualifications Part QualificationsQualifications, Part Qualifications,Qualifications, Part Qualifications,

Professional Bodies and DesignationsProfessional Bodies and Designations

• Searchable D t bDatabases on the SAQA website

Searching for QualificationsSearching for Qualificationswww.saqa.org.zawww.saqa.org.za

NLRD Stream 2:NLRD Stream 2:

Learners and theirLearners and theirLearners and their Learners and their AchievementsAchievements

Data Flow to the NLRDData Flow to the NLRD(Learner Achievements)(Learner Achievements)(Learner Achievements)(Learner Achievements)

Providers

Quality assuringbody

Quality assuringbody

Quality assuringbody

SAQA – Load onto NLRD

HEQCISHEQCIS

• The Higher Education Quality Committee of the Council on Higher Education (CHE) needs an information system for Private Hi h Ed tiHigher Education

• The NLRD has a contract with the CHE, toThe NLRD has a contract with the CHE, to provide this service

N f th t HEQCIS• Name of the system: HEQCIS

HEQCISHEQCIS> 100 Private Higher Providers

HEQCISHEQCISg

Edu.Dex

Edu.Dex

Edu.Dex

Edu.Dex

Edu.DexEdu.Dex

Edu.Dex

Edu.Dex

NLRDHEQCIS Edu.Dex

CHE’s rented space at SAQA SAQA’s own space

Access to InformationAccess to Information ononLL dd h ih iLearnersLearners andand theirtheir

AchievementsAchievements

• Publications

• Reports

• Customised A l

MERSETA Enrolments and Achievements against 79 qualifications, by Subfield and Level, mostly from 2000 onwards or unknown date (of enrolment)

12000

14000

Analyses

Verifications0

2000

4000

6000

8000

10000

Num

ber o

f Lea

rner

s

Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 Level 4 Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 Level 5 Level 4 Level 1 Level 2 Level 3

Engineering and Related Design Fabrica Manufacturing and Assembly Whole Trade type Qualifications: Undefined• Verifications* Motor Sales & Support services

Enrolments 131 75 7359 14 4430 3605 224 23 15 544 4 172 5449

Achievements 128 2 4625 1361 952 35 11 106 7189

Engineering and Related Design Fabrica-tion and

Extraction

Manufacturing and Assembly Whole-sale and Retail *

Trade-type Qualifications: Undefined Subfield

Sample page: Trends in Public HESample page: Trends in Public HET d b B d Fi ld f St dT d b B d Fi ld f St d-- Trends by Broad Field of StudyTrends by Broad Field of Study

Largest average annual growth: Business and Management SciencesLowest average annual growth: Social Sciences and HumanitiesSecond lowest: Engineering Sciences and Technology

Sample: Trends in WorkSample: Trends in Work--Related Related Qualifications and Part Qualifications: Qualifications and Part Qualifications:

Learner Achievements byLearner Achievements byLearner Achievements byLearner Achievements byPopulation Group and GenderPopulation Group and Gender

Qualifications:Qualifications:

Unit Standards:

Items being phased in Items being phased in under the NQF Actunder the NQF Act

• Credit Accumulation and Transfer (CAT)Credit Accumulation and Transfer (CAT)

f ( )• Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL):◦ The NLRD already records which achievements

are done via RPL, and SAQA is doing further work and research on RPL

General Comments on the General Comments on the Robustness of the NLRD as a Robustness of the NLRD as a

SystemSystem

• Has an excellent Former Challenges now Solved:Has an excellent Data-Model

• Was rebuilt after a

• Data volume• Data integrity

D t b i iWas rebuilt after a devastating crash (2004)

• Data submissionsSolutions:• Data cleaning projectsData cleaning projects• Resources and assistance for

quality assuring bodies

ConclusionConclusionConclusionConclusion

The NLRD is one of South Africa’s keyThe NLRD is one of South Africa s key resources for:

• Tracking the paths of individual learners• Informing policy-making and decision-• Informing policy-making and decision-

making in education and training, and labour market analysislabour market analysis

• Providing information that assists with career development and advicecareer development and advice