BQA fine-tunes Learner Protection Policy

| Tuesday March 15, 2016 14:46

Presenting the draft policy last week, BQA acting deputy CEO, Andrew Molwane, said the policy would set minimum standards and guidelines for the protection of learners enrolled in a programme.

“This is to ensure that learners enrolled in a BQA-accredited programme are not disadvantaged when the institution ceases to offer a programme,” he said at the BQA meeting with the National Student Representative Council. Molwane said the policy would indicate Protection of Enrolled Learners (PEL) requirements to be met for accreditation of learning programmes before delivery of each programme.

It would also define roles of key stakeholders in the implementation of PEL across all sectors of the education and training system, ensure that learners are provided with adequate and accurate information about programmes that they wish to pursue and ensure that learners are informed about the protection in place for them in the event that the programme ceases prior to their completion.

“The policy will apply to education and training providers who intend submitting learning programmes for accreditation, those who cease to operate, those who stop offering a learning programme (s) or assessment services and those who have had their accreditation or learning programmes revoked,” he said.

He said the policy would benefit the quality-assured and registered education and training providers, rewarding both the bodies and learners.

Molwane said the protection of learners is going to be a requirement for registration with each institution being required to establish a trust account for fees paid by learners. Institutions will be expected to protect learners’ interests when programmes are withdrawn and students have already been enrolled.

“If an education and training provider makes preliminary arrangements with another provider, the PEL arrangements must be submitted at the time of registration. Information on learning programmes or qualification must be availed prior to enrolling. Learners must be protected from the time of enrollment until they obtain an award,” he said. He further said institutions should ensure that learners’ records were securely kept and also submit learner attainment records to the BQA as prescribed by the authority.