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In an effort to bridge the qualification gap, 312 community development practitioners in the Eastern Cape have graduated with formal qualifications after completing RPL (Recognition of Prior Learning) courses. The practitioners, who all have extensive experience in Community Development, today graduated from the East London ICC with an NQF Level 5 Community Development, through RPL.
In collaboration with the Department of Social Development, the Health and Welfare Sector Education and Training Authority (HWSETA), and the Department of Higher Education and Training, hosted the graduation ceremony to honour the successful candidates. The Minister of Social Development, Lindiwe Zulu, and the Eastern Cape MEC for Social Development, Bukiwe Fanta, were in attendance.
“This graduation ceremony is RPL in action. RPL allows people with informal experience to gain formal recognition of their extensive skills and competencies to advance their careers,” said Zulu.
“It was heart-warming to witness more than 300 community development practitioners being recognised for the skills that they possess and bringing to our communities each day.”
MEC for Social Development, Bukiwe Fanta, said, “Our department is committed to encouraging communities to participate in their own development. Today, with the graduation of these community development practitioners, our dream is coming true.”
“HWSETA’s first RPL capacity-building project was implemented in 2016, and since then we’ve managed to ensure that 550 training providers are skilled to offer RPL accredited courses within the health and welfare sectors,” said HWSETA CEO, Elaine Brass.
“By ensuring that there are training providers accredited to assess RPL, we’re facilitating access to education and training for people that might never otherwise have had the opportunity,” she added.
The 312 candidates had to complete a series of steps to qualify. This included a process of induction, evidence collection, support site visits, observations, and submission of their work in the form of a portfolio of evidence (POE).
Assessments and moderation reports were then compiled, and HWSETA verified all the POEs and endorsed the process. In the health and welfare sectors, 981 candidates across South Africa have been assessed through RPL to obtain the Community Development NQF Level 5, or the Child and Youth Care Worker NQF Level 4 qualifications.
“By recognising the real-world experience that these practitioners bring to the table, we are opening the doors for the candidates to further their studies at higher institutions and to grow within their careers,” Brass concluded. The South African Council for Social Service Practitioners is in the process of professionalising Community Development Practice.
