Higher Certificate in Public Administration and Management

Purpose

The Higher Certificate in Public Administration and Management aims to equip learners with both theoretical knowledge, applied competence and professional skills in the field to meaningfully participate in the management and governance of public sector institutions in South Africa. The qualification will enable learners to fulfil the roles and responsibilities of administrators or entry-level managers, public officials or other employees involved in government affairs who aspire for a managerial capacity. The qualification addresses the continental, national and regional labour market and socio-cultural needs and thus contributes to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the National Development Plan (NDP) 2030.

The government remains the single largest employer in South Africa. Once qualified, learners are ideally placed to take up a position in any of the three spheres of government or arms-length agencies, including the public service and the broader public sector, such as state departments, local and provincial departments, public entities and public enterprises. Learners will be ideally placed to be fast-tracked into managerial roles within government, given the preparation that they will have in dealing with complex and specific mixes of cognitive skills. They will also be able to join non-profit organisations as well as public affairs and other select divisions within private sector companies. The

specialised modules allow learners to explore possible career options.

Career directions include

• Government officials
• Managers and advisors in Government Departments
• Public Sector Administrators
• Public Sector Human Resource Officer

On completion of this qualification the qualifying learner will be able to

• Utilise the required academic knowledge and skills to function optimally at the entry-level of higher education learning.
• Explore the meaning, nature, scope of the state and government as well as the different stakeholders in the public sector.
• Explain the theoretical underpinnings of Public Administration and Management (PAM) that impact the executive arm of government responsible for policy implementation.
• Critically discuss the requirements for effective public sector management which are relevant to management applications, skills and competencies.
• Address the dynamic nature of service delivery in government and types of machinery to successfully render essential services.
• Explain the significance of sound labour relations and healthy human resource management in the public sector to improve productivity, teamwork, and the quality of supervision.
• Identify ethical issues and critically analyse ethics management and a code of conduct within the public sector.
• Analyse and apply theories and principles in public organisational design and development to optimise service delivery objectives in the public sector.

Rationale

The qualification aims to equip learners with basic vocational, theoretical and applied competencies that are vital in today's dynamic and competitive environment. It aims to develop basic vocational, theoretical and applied competencies of the interpretation and application of National and Provincial Government sector legislation and policies as well as good governance, and public management principles and methods at National and Provincial Government levels.

It further develops the intellectual and professional skills set out in the NDP and the National Scarce Skills List. The qualification prepares learners to meaningfully participate in the management and governance of Government sector institutions in South Africa and Africa and thereby contribute to the National Development Plan: Vision 2030 (NDP).

The qualification is intended for public officials and elected political leaders involved with the service delivery activities and objectives of the public sector at a strategic level to communities. It contributes to the development of management skills of political executives, strategic executive managers (senior, middle and line managers) and other role-players contributing to the development of improved service delivery in the public sector. The qualification will equip learners to function in the highly complex and dynamic public arena where state, market and civilians interact in the shaping of society.

The government remains the single largest employer in South Africa. Once qualified, learners are ideally placed to assume positions in any of the three spheres of government or arms-length agencies, including the public service and the broader public sector, such as state departments, local and provincial departments, public entities and public enterprises. Learners will be ideally placed to be fast-tracked into managerial roles in the government, given the preparation that they will have in dealing with complexity and their specific mix of cognitive skills. They will also be able to join non-profit organisations as well as Public Affairs and other select divisions within private sector companies. The optional specialisations that are offered allow for the closer targeting of prospective careers.

Based on the popularity and the demands to skill individuals in the Public sector in terms of a professional educational pathway, the qualification is in line with the overall learning pathways that the National School of Government is seeking to create 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 public sector context and this particular qualification initiates an opportunity for public servants in an administrative capacity to be more intricately exposed to the government workings. Learners can pursue a learning pathway in governmental operational functional areas. Further, this qualification can also provide the learner with a springboard into a career and learning pathway in the public sector.

The qualification is offered online which promote access for learners to satisfy the growing need in the public sector for professionals with both governance and management knowledge. This is also the trend internationally as well.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

This qualification may be achieved in part through the Recognition of Prior Learning, which includes informal, formal learning and work experience. Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) will be applied in accordance with the institution's RPL Policy. The policy focuses on two main forms of RPL which are RPL for access and RPL for credits.

RPL for access

• Learners who do not satisfy the formal admission requirements, but who can demonstrate comparable previous learning, may be granted access to the qualification.
• RPL includes recognition of the content knowledge that the learner has gained in the area of study for which he/she seeks admission.

RPL for credits

RPL for credits recognises that a learner has sufficiently mastered the content of sections of a course of study through prior formal, informal or non-formal means, and therefore will exempt those sections of the course of study and replace them with an equivalent number of alternatives.

Awarding of Credits

Should a learner have achieved at least 50% or more of the outcomes of a specific module/s, credits will be awarded to the learner. In addition, when transferring learners from other institutions, the institution will recognise credits, up to a maximum of 50% of the total credit value, for a particular qualification. Where a learner wishes to move from another institution with equivalent credits, such credits may be awarded.

Entry Requirements

The minimum entry requirement for this qualification is

• National Senior Certificate, NQF Level 4, granting access to Higher Certificate studies.

Or

• Senior Certificate, NQF Level 4, with endorsement.

Or

• National Certificate Vocational, NQF Level 4, granting access to Higher Certificate studies.

or

• Further Education and Training Certificate in a cognate field of study, NQF Level 4.

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

Compulsory Modules, Level 5,120 Credits

• Academic Literacy, 10 Credits.
• Government in Focus, 20 Credits.
• Foundations of Public Administration, Public Management and Governance, 15 Credits.
• Selected Public Management Applications, Skills and Competencies, 15 Credits.
• Service Delivery Excellence, 15 Credits.
• Public Sector Human Resource Management, 15 Credits.
• Ethics Management in the Public Sector, 15 Credits.
• Public Organisational Design and Development, 15 Credits.

1. Utilise the required academic knowledge and skills to function optimally at the entry-level of higher education learning.
2. Provide knowledge and insight regarding the meaning, nature, scope of the state and government as well as the different stakeholders in the public sector which include power relationships, functions, systems, structures and processes within the state and government.
3. Explain the theoretical underpinnings of Public Administration and Management (PAM) that impact the executive arm of government responsible for policy implementation.
4. Critically discuss the requirements for effective public sector management relevant to management applications, skills and competencies.
5. Address the dynamic nature of service delivery in government and types of machinery to successfully render essential services.
6. Explain the significance of sound labour relations and healthy human resource management in the public sector to improve productivity, teamwork, and the quality of supervision.
7. Identify ethical issues and critically analyse ethics management and a code of conduct within the public sector and propose ways to strengthen ethical practices and evaluate a code of conduct accordingly.
8. Provide knowledge and insight regarding the theories and principles in public organisational design and development so that public sector organisations can be effectively utilised to optimise service delivery objectives.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1

• Participate effectively in an online learning environment.
• Utilize and apply the required academic knowledge and skills to function optimally.
• Evaluate and apply the principles of logic and critical thinking in problem-solving.
• Explore and apply reading and writing skills in an academic context to support learning.
• Apply good referencing practices to communicate academic and discipline-related information.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2

• Explain the meaning, nature, and scope of government.
• Identify respective governance mechanisms and organisational arrangements in government with particular reference to processes of departmentalization and decentralization.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3

• Analyse and apply appropriate theories, approaches and principles to study the functioning of the public sector as a policy implementation instrument of the state.
• Interpret the nature and scope of the public service as state machinery to implement national policies, strategies and qualifications.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4

• Apply basic management applications, skills and competencies for effective public sector management.
• Explain the phases of strategic management applicable to the public sector institutions.
• Apply the principles of systems thinking to comprehend the dynamic nature of the governance environment.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5

• Apply the value chains from policy-making to policy implementation via programmes and projects.
• interpret and apply the Batho Pele principles in various scenarios to improve service delivery in the public sector.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 6

• Explain the nature and significance of sound labour relations in government.
• Describe healthy human resource management in the public sector.
• Discuss the importance of teamwork in the public sector.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 7

• Identify and solve ethical issues in the public sector.
• Explain and apply different theories of ethics applicable to public administration, management and governance.
• Identify existing codes of ethical conduct and evaluate them for efficacy and sustainability.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 8

• Analyse, evaluate and apply concepts, processes and principles of organisational design and development to solve defined, routine and new problems within a familiar context.
• Apply management principles in a work-based context.