Page 89 - 41st Summit Brochure

CATS document has been validated by the April 2021 and has been submitted for approval
Technical Committee on Certification and to the Joint Meeting of Ministers of Education
Accreditation on 28 April 2021 and has been and Training and Science, Technology and
submitted for approval to the Joint Meeting of Innovation expected in June 2021.
Ministers of Education and Training and Science, The purpose of the SADC Regional CPD
Technology and Innovation which held in June Framework is to guide the design and
2021. implementation of CPD programmes for SADC
The rolling out of the Regional CATS is Member States. The Framework serves as a
expected to provide wide-ranging benefits to benchmark for improving the quality of teaching
learners and institutions. Some of these benefits and learning practices, and ultimately to improve
are: students’ learning outcomes at all levels of the
• Support student/learner mobility (across education system. Furthermore, the Regional
countries and institutions) which in turn can CPD framework is critical in facilitating the
improve lifelong learning opportunities and harmonization of CPD policies and practices in
social mobility of under-represented groups the region while also allowing for contextual
in general education, Technical and differences in implementation.
Vocational Education and Training (TVET)
or higher education; Comprehensive Skills Audit
• Reduce the risk of student drop-out by The draft Comprehensive Skills Audit Report has
reducing the time commitment required (as been approved by the Technical Committee on
students do not have to restart their studies Higher Education and Training and Research
from the beginning, and thus avoid and Development in May 2021, and has been
repeating learning already undertaken) and submitted for approval to the next Joint Meeting
creating re-entry possibilities; of Ministers of Education and Training and
• Make general education, TVET, or higher Science, Technology and Innovation.
education more attractive and accessible to The regional skills supply and demand study
under-represented and disadvantaged focuses on three identified priority value chains --
groups (e.g. encouraging part-time study, Agro Processing, Mineral Processing and
and facilitating entry for those without Pharmaceuticals. The study is related to the 87
formal qualifications through recognition of identification of skills demand to inform the
prior learning); programmes to be offered in line with the agreed
• Help institutions to create customized value chains; it maps the relevant existing academic
learning opportunities for students and programmes and qualifications being offered in the
employers; region; and identifies the skills development
• Permit institutions to be more responsive, programmes required to address gaps, as well as
particularly to the student market, and as the institutions which should be designated as
such increase opportunities for additional Centres of Excellence and Centres of
income generation; and Specialization, including the type of operational
• Contribute to higher student retention and and governance structures to be established.
completion rates; and The study also identifies key economic
• Promote and facilitate inter-institutional realities driving skills demand in different value
partnerships (such as progression pathways chains; the current skills demand (high and
between TVET and higher education). medium skills), skills shortages, and trends
applied to forecast future skills demand in the
Development of a Regional Continuous three value chains; the regional and national
Professional Development Framework policies (i.e. desired outcomes) for the value
Ministers of Education and Training and chains; and identification of skills that will be
Science, Technology and Innovation, at their needed to realize these outcomes.
2019 Meeting, directed the Secretariat to develop
a Regional Continuous Professional Achievements towards Vision 2050 and
Development (CPD) Framework to accompany RISDP 2020-2030
the SADC Regional Framework on Teachers These relate to the Development of the Draft
Standard and Competences. Report on Baseline Situational Analysis on Open
In this regard, the Draft Regional CPD Distance Learning (ODL) in SADC Member
Framework has been validated by the Technical States, and the Regional Update on the
Committee on Certification and Accreditation in Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 4 targets.