Higher Certificate in Education Assistance

Purpose

The Higher Certificate in Education Assistance aims to develop skills to equip competent education assistants, but it also provides access to learners who are looking to pursue further higher education studies. It is important to note that this qualification is not a teacher education qualification, but a vocationally oriented higher education qualification that aims to equip learners with basic knowledge and skills that are deemed essential for the role of education assistant in a South African school classroom .

Given the nature and purpose of this qualification, it may qualify successful learners for a job as an education assistant in a school. It also serves as an access qualification for those learners who do not meet the minimum requirements for access to the Bachelor of Education and wish to pursue a career as a teacher in basic education.

Graduates will be able to support teachers in preparing the classroom, preparing teaching materials, helping with administrative tasks, offering support to learners, maintaining discipline, and supporting a clean and safe learning environment.

By design this qualification aims to primarily target prospective learners, who did not qualify to study towards an initial teacher education qualification, but who would like to explore education and teaching as a field of study. The benefit for the learner is underpinned by the notion that this qualification provides them with an opportunity to access higher education and explore teaching as a profession from a more practical and less theoretical perspective. This will enable graduates of this qualification to make an informed decision on whether to pursue further studies related to initial teacher education.

Upon completion of the qualification, qualifying learners will be able to

• Provide access to learners to pursue a further higher education qualification (Access),
• Develop relevant academic literacy, numeracy, and computer skills to prepare learners for further studies in higher education, e.g. entry into an initial teacher education qualification pursuing a teaching and learning pathway.
• Develop basic knowledge and skills to equip successful learners for a role as an education assistant in a school classroom, this includes:
• Promote learners' basic knowledge and understanding of the teaching sector and equip them with practical skills to kick start their career as Education Assistants (Vocational),
• Foster applicable literacy, numeracy, and technological skills to offer administrative assistance to teachers.

Rationale

The South African education system is unfortunately characterised by low pass rates, poor educational outcomes, unequal opportunities, insufficient resources, inadequate infrastructure, and overcrowded classrooms. As a result, the education system seems to be failing thousands of children and is subsequently perpetuating inequality. Many children drop out of school, and many of those who finish Grade 12 do not achieve pass rates that enable further education and training.

In an attempt to improve the quality of education, and as a response to create jobs, the Department of Basic Education conceptualised the Education Assistants qualification, and the first assistants were appointed in schools from 01 December 2020 until 31 April 2021 Following the success of phase 1 of the project, the DBE facilitated Phase 2 from 1 November 2021 to 31 March 2022, and the third phase is due to end at the end of August 2022. Although a novel addition to most public schools in South Africa, education assistants are not a new concept. Internationally, many schooling systems employ education assistants to provide administrative support to the teacher, and to ensure the welfare of the learners. As defined by the Department of Basic Education, education assistants work under the supervision of a teacher in a classroom. It is important to note that they are not teachers, and they will not be tasked with teaching responsibilities, but are required to assist teachers with administrative tasks and to promote a safe and secure learning environment in the classroom.

The qualification is designed to equip successful learners with basic academic literacy and ICT competence, introductory knowledge of Basic Education in South Africa, as well as basic knowledge of education assistance and practical skills that may be applied to support teachers in the South African classroom. In line with the minimum requirements for a Higher Certificate, as outlined in the Higher Education Qualifications Sub-Framework (HEQSF), the qualification includes a practical module that serves to develop skills relevant to the role of education assistant in a school classroom. As described in the HEQSF, a Higher Certificate may include WIL or simulated work experience. In this case, the Higher Certificate in Education Assistance provides for simulated work experience where learners will engage in case-based scenarios to observe and demonstrate skills relevant to the role of education assistant. The qualification does not include workplace learning that requires learners to spend time in the classroom (under supervision) to acquire credits. Rather, a simulated environment is created to demonstrate scenarios and creates a variety of opportunities for learners to demonstrate practical skills related to the various roles of the education assistant, as well as the diverse requirements in the different phases of education in the South African context.

The role of access qualifications is pivotal in the transformation of Higher Education and Training in South Africa. South African education is characterised by inequality and challenges related to insufficient resources and access to educational opportunities. As discussed in Section 2, many children drop out of school, and many of those who finish Grade 12 do not achieve pass rates that enable further education and training.

The Minimum Requirements for Teacher Education Qualifications (MRTEQ) confirms that access qualifications may be offered for entry into formal teacher training qualification (e.g. a Bachelor of Education), but notes that access qualifications are not regarded as teaching qualifications and MRTEQ, therefore, does not provide any guidelines or requirements in terms of access qualifications RPL for access.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

• Applicants who do not meet the stated admission criteria, but who have relevant work experience or prior learning may apply for admission under the policy on Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL). The institution admits a maximum of 10% per cohort via RPL. The implementation of RPL is context-specific, in terms of discipline, programme and level. Procedures and forms are available from the School Administration.

RPL for exemption of modules

• In specified circumstances qualifying applicants may also engage in the RPL for exemption process, where any form of informal, formal, or non-formal learning will be assessed for relevance towards possible module exemption.

Entry Requirements

The minimum entry requirement for this qualification is

• Senior Certificate (SC), NQF Level 4.

Or

• National Senior Certificate (NSC), NQF Level 4.

Or

• National Senior Certificate (Vocational) (NCV), NQF Level 4.

This qualification consists of the following compulsory modules at National Qualifications Framework Level 5 totalling 120 Credits.

Compulsory Modules, NQF Level 5, totalling 120 Credits.

• Academic Literacy and Numeracy, 20 Credits.
• Digital Literacy and ICT in the Classroom, 20 Credits.
• Basic Education in South Africa, 20 Credits.
• Education Assistance 1, 20 Credits.
• Education Assistance 2, 20 Credits.
• Inclusivity and Diversity in the South African Context, 20 Credits.

1. Arrange the classroom for teaching and learning activities, and prepare teaching materials and test-related equipment and tools that are available and ready for use.
2. Apply and integrate ICT to support learning in the classroom, as well as use hardware and software in assisting teachers with general administrative activities.
3. Support school learners with their educational and social development needs by assisting them to complete complicated tasks and guiding them when experiencing difficulty.
4. Provide support to teachers in managing and maintaining class discipline and behaviour by using specific strategies as instructed by the teacher.
5. Support teachers and motivate or mentor school learners to improve the classroom environment and address learners' needs by improving standards through the creation of a safe, secure, clean, and healthy environment.
6. Exhibit an informed knowledge and understanding of education in context, its basic policies, ethical- and professional codes of conduct, and what it means to be an Education Assistant within the South African context.
7. Participate meaningfully in an academic context and apply knowledge and skills confidently while engaging with academic texts and working with numbers.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcomes 1.

• Prepare the classroom, teaching, test, task materials (e.g., photocopying) and other related activities as prescribed by the teachers.
• Check related equipment and tools prior to class sessions.
• Distribute workbooks, textbooks, worksheets, question papers, and marked scripts to learners.
• Prepare mark sheets, keep learner records (e.g., absenteeism), and capture marks.
• Display good literacy and numeracy skills.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcomes 2.

• Apply basic electronic hardware, such as mobile- and or laptop devices with confidence.
• Apply basic computer software such as MS Word, MS Excel, MS PowerPoint and MS Outlook to complete basic administrative tasks.
• Set up and use an email account to assist in communicating with teachers, peers, and other stakeholders.
• Connect and use the internet to conduct basic searches to prepare materials such as worksheets, class presentations and general searches for information.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcomes 3.

• Provide support to learners to complete class activities and other school tasks.
• Supervise and assist individual or small groups of learners with class activities or tasks.
• Take care of children experiencing social and emotional difficulties in the classroom.
• Uphold values and show sensitivity towards individual differences and cultural diversity.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcomes 4.

• Provide support to teachers to manage discipline in the classroom.
• Assist in managing challenging individual learners of group behaviour.
• Display good knowledge and understanding of ethics and professional conduct.
• Operate from a position of trust and maintain boundaries with school learners.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcomes 5.

• Promote and maintain a safe, clean, and healthy classroom environment.
• Oversee school learners in settings out of the classroom during breaks and excursions as required.
• Motivate and support learners to participate in activities leading to improving the standards of the school.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcomes 6.

• Examine and explain the basic history, policy and codes of conduct related to education in the SA context.
• Illustrate ethical awareness, the ability to reflect and apply ethical principles in practice.
• Uphold the laws, regulations, guidelines, and policies in practice as professional Education Assistants.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcomes 7.

• Express ideas in a meaningful way and be able to participate in the academic context.
• Read and comprehend academic texts and infer meaning.
• Display sound numeracy skills by confidently working with numbers.

INTEGRATED ASSESSMENT

The assessment model makes use of formal and non-formal, formative, and summative assessment tasks to assess learners' progress and their achievements on the modules in a qualification. The results of non-formal formative assessment tasks are not recorded formally, but these tasks are applied mainly to provide feedback to the learner and to enhance teaching. The results of formal assessment tasks are recorded towards achievement of success on the module. Modules may make use of a final summative approach, or a continuous assessment approach.

The assessment policy guarantees multiple formal assessment opportunities to allow learners to improve their performance based on feedback from the lecturer. An assessment strategy is drafted for each module by the module coordinator, in consultation with the discipline leader. The nature of the subject matter informs the combination of assessment tasks and their allotted weightings. The assessment strategy is contained in the assessment guideline document which is made available to learners on the first day of the semester or year.

Depending on the nature of the subject matter, a range of assessment methods are applied at the formative and summative assessment stages to facilitate authentic assessment. For panel discussions, presentations and project work, experts from the industry are often invited to provide input into the formal assessment results, with the institution's examiners.

For panel discussions, presentations and project work, experts from the industry are often invited to provide input into the formal assessment results, with the institution's examiners.

Formal assessment

The number, combination, weightings and nature of the formal formative and summative assessments are determined as part of an assessment strategy per module, depending on the nature of the module. Learners are guided at the beginning of the semester with regard to the assessment structure of each module in order to set expectations. An assessment guideline for learners document is available on the learning management system for each module. This document explains the assessment strategy of a module in detail.

Formal formative assessment includes different types of assessment activities, such as

• Online tests.
• Assignments.
• Presentations.
• Projects.

Summative Assessment

• Online or venue-based.
• Presentations.
• Projects.
• Reports.

The final summative assessment may be based on a range of different assessment tasks, including, but not limited to

• An invigilated, venue-based (or online proctored) examination (either open-book or closed-book) testing learners' knowledge and competency with regard to all associated module outcomes, as well as exit-level outcomes where applicable.
• A comprehensive project accompanied by appropriate supporting documentation and/or an oral presentation (online), demonstrating learners' knowledge and competency with regard to all associated module outcomes, as well as exit-level outcomes where applicable.
• An open-book -take-home' examination based on a complex organisational case study, that requires learners to write a project proposal explaining how a particular solution could address the problems described in the case study, demonstrating learners' knowledge and competency with regard to all associated module outcomes, as well as exit level outcomes where applicable.