QUALIFICATION DETAILS

Qualification Type: Occupational Certificate

Qualification Title: Early Childhood Development Practitioner

Field: Education, Training and Development 

Subfield: Early Childhood Development

SAQA ID: 97542

Curriculum code: 234201000   

NQF: Level 4

Credits: 131

QUALIFICATION RATIONALE

The Occupational Certificate: Early Childhood Development has been designed to meet the needs and interests of the early childhood development sector in a variety of settings and contexts with an inclusive focus on education, health and safety issues, amongst others. There is a vast need for early childhood development services and it is critical that the field must be served by competent practitioners. In order to meet the needs at ECD level, it is important to be able to identify and recognise competent early childhood development practitioners who are able to work in centre-based and non-centre-based early childhood development settings.

This qualification will provide a means to give recognition to practitioners at an entry level, thus making it possible for practitioners to increase their employment prospects within the Department of Basic Education. The Department of Social Development, through the registration of early childhood development centres and/or sites, may also provide business opportunities to successful practitioners who may wish to establish early childhood centres and/or sites. It will also provide access to a recognised career path and at the same time provide the field with suitably qualified professional practitioners.

The qualification will provide opportunities to people who wish to enter and/or continue learning in the early childhood development field, which

include the employed, under-employed but not qualified, and school leavers. Every child has the right to high-quality, holistic education and care which forms the critical foundation for further development and learning from childhood into adulthood.

This necessitates the universal availability of high-quality early childhood development and education as a vital strategy to yield personal and long-term benefits to individual children, their families and the society at large. Early childhood development is an essential component of economic development within the framework of child care services. Changing social and economic needs require parents to enter the labour market. Therefore, quality early childhood development service provision is required to meet growing demands in the country, both in urban and rural settings.

PURPOSE STATEMENT
The purpose of this qualification is to prepare a learner to operate as an Early Childhood Development Practitioner. An Early Childhood Development Practitioner plans and prepares early childhood activities, facilitates and mediates learning, observes and assesses the progress of children, and reflects on learning in an inclusive, play-based environment to support holistic development of children (from conception – school going) in different centre-based or non-centre-based settings.

A qualified learner will be able to:

·         Plan and prepare broad-phase learning environment and stimulating activities that meet the holistic needs of all children in centre-based or non-centre-based settings.

·         Facilitate and mediate all aspects of the daily programme in a centre-based or non-centre-based setting.

·         Observe, assess and record each child’s progress according to the age and stage.

·         Compile a report of each child’s progress.

·         Maintain and promote the well-being, health, nutrition, safety and protection of children.

INTERNATIONAL COMPARABILITY

The aim of the international comparability study was to examine early childhood development qualifications of other countries at international, regional and African contexts to benchmark best practice in this field. The study examined occupationally-based early childhood development qualifications and related curricula, including competencies as standards of knowledge and skills of early childhood development professionals responsible for the care and education of children at different levels. The comparability exercise focused on three countries, namely United States of America, United Kingdom and Kenya.

CONCLUSION

The findings of the research done in the countries above reveal that the Early Childhood Development Practitioner Occupational Qualification compares favourably with that of the countries studied. There are many similarities in terms of the scope, content and duration of the qualification.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

Grade 11,12 or National Certificate Vocational (NCV) at NQF Level 3 Or Any other NQF Level 3 qualification.

DURATION

The duration of this course is 18 months and the content covers all the aspects that is covered in the South African Occupational Certificate.

ASSESSMENT

INTERNAL ASSESSMENT

Learners will be assessed internally on the application of scope of practical skills and applied knowledge. Portfolio of evidence will be submitted after the training of each module. Assessment activities include evaluating all documentation produced during the process and questioning to test knowledge and ability to apply.  This formative and summative assessments qualify the learner for external integrated summative assessment.

EXTERNAL INTEGRATED SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT (EISA)

An External Integrated Summative Assessment, conducted through the relevant Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO) Assessment Quality Partner is required for the issuing of this qualification. The external integrated summative assessment will focus on the Exit Level Outcomes and Associated Assessment Criteria. The external assessment will be conducted through a theoretical assessment by an assessor registered by the AQP at approved assessment centres.

CERTIFICATION

The learner will be issued a statement of academic records with Certificate of completion from the Institution. The Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO) with Development Partner will issue the National Certificate to successful candidates after completion of the EISA.

QUALIFICATION MODULES

This qualification is made up of the following compulsory Knowledge, Practical Skill and Workplace Learning Modules:

KNOWLEDGE MODULES

234201000-KM-01, Introduction to the early childhood development sector, at NQF Level 4, 4 Credits.

234201000-KM-02, Theories and Perspectives of Child Development, at NQF Level 5, 6 Credits.

234201000-KM-03, Planning and Programme Development in early childhood settings, at NQF Level 4, 8 Credits.

234201000-KM-04, Facilitation and mediation of active learning, at NQF Level 5, 12 Credits.

234201000-KM-05, Observation and assessment in early childhood development, at NQF Level 4, 4 Credits.

234201000-KM-06, Promotion of health, safety and well-being of children, at NQF Level 4, 6 Credits.

234201000-KM-07, Administration for early childhood development services and programmes, at NQF Level 3, 3 Credits.

Total number of credits for Knowledge Modules: 43

PRACTICAL SKILL MODULES

234201000-PM-01, Plan and prepare inclusive educational activities and routines using an approved programme based on the curriculum framework, at NQF Level 4, 12 Credits.

234201000-PM-02, Facilitate and mediate active learning in an integrated and holistic learning programme, at NQF Level 5, 9 Credits.

234201000-PM-03, Observe, assess, record and report each child’s progress according to the age and stage, at NQF Level 4, 4 Credits.

234201000-PM-04, Support and promote the health, nutrition, safety, protection and well-being of children, at NQF Level 4, 12 Credits.

234201000-PM-05, Build and maintain collaborative relationships with parents and other service providers, at NQF Level 4, 3 Credits.

234201000-PM-06, Prepare and maintain administrative systems, at NQF Level 3, 3 Credits.

Total number of credits for Practical Skill Modules: 43

WORK EXPERIENCE MODULES

This qualification also requires the following Work Experience Modules:

234201000-WM-01, Learning programme and routines planning and preparation process, at NQF Level 4, 13 Credits.

234201000-WM-02, Processes of facilitating and mediating the learning programme in a variety of contexts, at NQF Level 4, 15 Credits.

234201000-WM-03, Processes of observation, assessment, recording and reporting on children’s learning and development, at NQF Level 4, 7 Credits.

234201000-WM-04, Processes and procedures of promoting the health, nutrition, safety, protection and well-being of children in an early childhood development setting, at NQF Level 4, 10 Credits.

Total number of credits for Work Experience Modules: 45

ARTICULATION OPTIONS:

Horizontal Articulation:

Further Education and Training Certificate: Early Childhood Development, NQF Level 4.

Vertical Articulation:

Higher Certificate in Early Childhood Development, NQF Level 5.

FEES

Total Price: R25000

Registration: R500

Deposit: R5000

Monthly: R2000 P/M