SAQA ID: 49647 Operate a Windows System NQF Level 04 Credits 00

PURPOSE AND RATIONALE OF THE QUALIFICATION
Purpose:

The FETC (General), known as the National Senior Certificate when offered in schools, is aimed at learners in grade 12. These learners leave schooling either for further learning or for employment in the workplace.

The FETC (General) is the qualification, which will be awarded to learners who achieve the exit level learning outcomes stipulated in the National Curriculum Statement Grades 10 – 12 (General).

The FETC (General) has the objectives of:
Equipping learners irrespective of their socio-economic background, race, gender or disability with the knowledge skills and values necessary for self-fulfilment and meaningful participation in society as citizens of a free country.
Providing access to higher education and vocational education and/or occupational qualifications in the further education or higher education bands.
Facilitating the transition of learners from education institutions to the workplace.
Providing employers with a profile of learner’s competencies.

This means that the FETC (General) will:
Deepen the foundation laid by General Education and Training.
Lay a foundation for specialist learning.
Prepare learners for further learning.
Prepare learners for employment.
Develop citizens with a commitment to democracy.
Promote the holistic development of learners.
Contribute to economic and social transformation.

Based on their history schools occupy a distinctive place in the education system and in, the minds of parents, young learners and educators. Because of this distinctive nature, schools will continue to offer learning programmes and qualifications based on subjects to learners. In this qualification, a subject is not merely a specific body of academic knowledge, but is rather an integration of theory, knowledge, skills and values, which are captured in learning outcomes. The FETC (General) consists of a combination of compulsory and optional subjects in which the learner must demonstrate the required competence.

Learners leaving the formal school environment with an FETC (General) will be equipped with the knowledge, skills, values and attitudes that will enable them to participate meaningfully in society. They will have a basis for continuing learning in Higher Education, for entering a career of their choice and for being productive, responsible citizens.

The qualification complies with the provisions of the National Education Policy Act 1996 (Act 27 of 1996) and the South African Schools Act, 1996 (Act 84 of 1996).

Rationale:

The Further Education and Training Certificate (FETC) (General) gives expression to what South Africans regard as knowledge, skills and values worth learning. It is based on the assumption that knowledge in itself is not neutral, but is underpinned by the collective vision, mission, values and principles of people. In the South African context, the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa stipulates, among other things, the principles of democracy, human rights, social justice, equity, non-racism and Ubuntu. These principles underpin the FETC (General) and its contents. The qualification is designed to remove the negative effects of the previous education system and forms part of the transformation process for education and training in the Further Education and Training band.

As the Further Education and Training band is located between the General Education and Training band and Higher Education, the FETC (General) is designed to allow for progression from General Education and Training and at the same time to provide access to Higher Education. This qualification also aims to equip learners adequately for the social, economic and cultural challenges they face in their daily lives. It also lays a solid foundation for a variety of learning pathways and life-long learning and different career paths. It is a qualification that will ensure that learners will acquire and apply knowledge and skills in ways that are meaningful in their own lives. It has the intention of grounding knowledge in local contexts while at the same time being sensitive to global imperatives.

While an FETC can be obtained in a number of learning pathways, each with its own particular focus, the FETC (General) is aimed at providing general formative education organized into subjects. It will be offered mainly in schools.

The FETC (General) is based on the following underpinning principles:
Social transformation.
Outcomes based education.
High knowledge and high skills.
Integration and applied competence.
Progression.
Articulation and portability.
Human rights, inclusivity, environmental and social justice.
Valuing indigenous knowledge systems.
Credibility, quality and efficiency.