Higher Certificate in Municipal Management and Governance

Purpose

The purpose of the qualification is to enable learners to apply the relevant competences required to fulfil the roles and responsibilities of local government councillors, officials or other employees or persons involved in municipal affairs who aspire for a managerial capacity and therein: Act as representatives of the community they serve and fulfil leadership and management roles in a council and other local government divisions.

Rationale

The qualification is aimed at learners in a local government context who facilitate democratic relations between the community, local government and various stakeholders that impact on local government democratic processes. The qualification is aimed at providing key competences to councillors so that they can best fulfil their mandate in respect of improving the lives of all the citizens in municipalities. It provides the learner with the necessary skills, knowledge and attitudes required to act as a proactive link between the public and the council. The councillors within the local government context play a critical role in achieving the objectives of local government, especially the objective of defining policies and facilitating and managing sustainable development programmes that support the basic political commitment that 'the People Shall Govern'. They are critical to overseeing the councillor functions within the municipal sector and will be involved in a variety of functions including integrating the legislative framework for local government, participating in policy making and analysis processes, budgeting, facilitating local government elections and applying a broad managerial framework to the local government environment.

This qualification is in line with the overall learning pathways that the Department of Local Government is envisaging for its learners, both employed and unemployed. The learning pathway indicates a variety of learning opportunities for any learner embarking on a qualification within the local government context and this particular qualification initiates an opportunity for councillor in a managerial capacity to be more intricately exposed to the local government workings. The learning pathway starts with the National Certificate(NC): Ward Committee Governance, continues with the National Certificate(NC): Local Government Councillor Practices and the Further Education and Training Certificate(FETC): Leadership in Local Government. If the learner wishes, he/she can pursue a learning pathway in Local Government Administration and Finance, Local Economic Development, Integrated Development Planning and Municipal Financial Management. Further, this qualification can also provide the learner with a springboard into a Career and learning pathway in the public sector. The learning pathways provide varied opportunities for a learner wishing to embark on a career within local government and are also complementary to other qualifications with the public sector.

Recognition of Prior Learning(RPL)

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) is done in accordance with the University of Johannesburg (UJ) Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) Policy. In cases of students not complying with the formal entry requirements, RPL will be determined in accordance with the policy and guideline of the University concerning the recognition of other forms of formal, informal and non-formal learning and experience. Recognition takes place only where prior learning corresponds to the required National Qualifications Framework (NQF) Level, and in terms of applied competencies relevant to the content and outcomes of the qualification. Through recognition of prior learning, learners may gain access on condition that they continue their studies at University of Johannesburg (UJ).

Entry Requirements

• National Senior Certificate National Qualifications Framework (NQF) Level 4.

This qualification comprises of compulsory and elective modules at National Qualifications Framework (NQF) Level 5 totalling at 120 Credits.

Compulsory Modules, Level 5, 120 Credits

• Municipal Policy Making & Analysis, 18 Credits.
• Regulatory & Institutional Framework Local Government, 18 Credits.
• Municipal & Financial Management, 18 Credits.
• Integrated Development Planning for Municipalities, 18 Credits.
• Integrated Led Strategies for Municipalities, 16 Credits.
• Municipal Project Management, 16 Credits.
• Municipal Human Resource Management, 16 Credits.

1. Apply a broad managerial, administrative and financial framework to a local government environment.
2. Design, implement, monitor and evaluate local government plans for development projects.
3. Apply theories and processes to facilitate local government elections.
4. Interpreting and explaining the legal framework that impacts on local government.

and integrating it into overall municipal governance functions.

1. Explaining and applying theories and processes to facilitate Integrated Development Plan(IDP) and LED.
2. Explaining the broad managerial and administrative framework to municipal governance.
3. Explaining and applying the principles of sustainable development in local government.
4. Interpreting, explaining and applying local government planning and project management processes for municipal governance and local government development. Participating in municipal policy planning and policy making as well as in municipal Financial and Human Resources support processes.

The Associated Assessment Criterion highlighted below will be integrated within the Exit Level Outcomes

• General management and administrative principles are analysed and integrated into the municipal environment.
• The principles of financial management and budgeting are applied to own local government context.
• Client service techniques are applied to improve service delivery.
• Project management plans are integrated into municipal governance processes in order to make governance more effective.
• The principles of sustainable development are applied to local government.
• An understanding of the various plans in local government processes is demonstrated in relation to how they are formulated and integrated into various municipal projects.
• The needs and situation in own constituency are analysed and concepts developed to address needs.
• Contributions are made to municipal policy making and analysis processes based on needs identified in development projects and based on overall strategic objectives of local government.
• An understanding of democratic processes is demonstrated.
• An understanding of the election process and its facilitation is demonstrated accordingly.
• Electoral theories are analysed and interpreted and appropriate choices are made for local government elections.
• An understanding of the local government electoral dispensation is demonstrated via own facilitation of election processes.

Integrated Assessment

Because assessment practices must be open, transparent, fair, valid, and reliable and ensure that no learner is disadvantaged in any way whatsoever, an integrated assessment approach is incorporated into the Qualification. Learning, teaching and assessment are inextricably linked. Whenever possible, the assessment of knowledge, skills, attitudes and values shown in the unit standards should be integrated. Assessment of the communication, language, literacy and strategic analysis and planning competencies should be conducted in conjunction with other aspects and should use authentic municipal development contexts wherever possible. A variety of methods must be used in assessment and tools and activities must be appropriate to the context in which the learner is working. Where it is not possible to assess the learner in the workplace or on-the-job, simulations, case studies, role-plays and other similar techniques should be used to provide a context appropriate to the assessment. The term 'Integrated Assessment' implies that theoretical and practical components should be assessed together. During integrated assessments the assessor should make use of formative and summative assessment methods and assess combinations of practical, applied-ed, foundational and reflective competencies.

Assessors and moderators should make use of a range of formative and summative assessment methods. Assessors should assess and give credit for the evidence of learning that has already been acquired through formal, informal and non-formal learning and work experience. Assessment should ensure that all specific outcomes, embedded knowledge and critical cross-field outcomes are evaluated. The assessment of the critical cross-field outcomes should be integrated with the assessment of specific outcomes and embedded knowledge.