Further Education and Training Certificate: Leadership Development

The purpose of the qualification is to enable qualifying learners to apply leadership competencies to ensure service excellence.

Learners will develop competencies to utilise leadership skills to enhance service delivery in a specific sector or context. Individual learners will benefit through enhancing their personal competencies, knowledge and skills so as to be able to complete tasks required in their employment contracts and by legislation, relating to:

• Applying emotional intelligence in a leadership context.
• Motivating self and others.
• Applying leadership to relationship management.
• Applying visionary thinking skills in leadership problem-solving contexts.
• Developing service culture of a specific sector.Rationale:

  The qualification is aimed at councillors, leaders and municipal managers in local government. The typical learner will be an employee in local government, wishing to gain the competence to fulfill the requirements of his/her current job obligations or a municipal employee or councillor wishing to gain a qualification so as to advance his/her career opportunities. In addition persons seeking future employment in the local government sector may choose to complete this qualification.

  Office bearers and employees at local government level are responsible for managing the provision of services to the community. The Constitution of the South Africa (Act 108 of 1996) section 27 (1) states that all South Africans have the right to access health care services; sufficient food and water and social security. Section 27(2) requires the state to take reasonable measures within its available resources to provide these basic human rights. The state is also responsible for providing education for the community and managing all of the country’s resources. The Constitution therefore allows the community to demand that services are met and that government office bearers and managers have the skills to take reasonable measures in providing services.

  The Exit Level Outcomes contained in this qualification are based on competencies required for people dealing with integrated development planning in a municipal context. The outcomes have been designed to fall into 8 broad areas of competence which will enable learners to:

• Deal with issues and provide strategic leadership at various levels including community.
• Build consensus amongst diverse groupings of people with various interests.
• Apply innovative, creative and flexible strategies and thinking when dealing with community issues and needs.
• Build trust between the councillors, officials, community and various competing interest groups while maintaining personal integrity.
• Manage conflict.
• Demonstrate the commitment and tenacity to achieve set objectives.
• Communicate with conviction, confidence and integrity at all levels and constituencies.The qualification aims to provide opportunities for applied competencies in these areas and provides a basis for further qualifications in municipal and public sector management at higher levels on the NQF.

  Learners will build on their existing competencies. The competencies in this qualification will assist learners in their role in organisational leadership and will also provide competencies which are transferable to the any sector.

  The Exit Level Outcomes highlight many of the integrated and intergovernmental skills required within any sector. Such skills and knowledge are geared towards enabling councillors, leaders and municipal managers to operate effectively and successfully in a demanding environment. Therefore, the Exit Level Outcomes and related Assessment Criteria highlight competences related to achieving leadership development for any sector.

  The FETC: Leadership Development Level 4 should produce knowledgeable, multi-skilled workers who are able to contribute to enhanced service delivery in any sector or context. It should provide the means for current workers to receive recognition of prior learning, to upgrade their skills and achieve a nationally recognised qualification. It will ensure that the quality of education and training in the any sector is enhanced and of a world-class standard.

• Communication at NQF Level 3.
• Mathematical Literacy at NQF Level 3.
• Computer Literacy at NQF Level 3, or the equivalent thereof.Recognition of Prior Learning:

  The structure of this Unit Standard based Qualification makes the Recognition of Prior Learning possible. Learner and Assessor will jointly decide on methods to determine prior learning and competence in the knowledge, skills, values and attitudes implicit in the Qualification and the associated Unit Standards. Recognition of Prior Learning will be done by means of an Integrated Assessment as mentioned in the previous paragraph.

  This Recognition of Prior Learning may allow for:

• Accelerated access to further learning at this or higher levels on the NQF.
• Gaining of credits towards a Unit Standard in this Qualification.
• Obtaining this Qualification in whole or in part.All recognition of Prior Learning is subject to quality assurance by the relevant ETQA or an ETQA that has a Memorandum of Understanding with the relevant ETQA.

  Access to the qualification:

  There is open access to this qualification bearing in mind the learning assumed to be in place.

To be awarded the Qualification, learners are required to obtain a minimum of 160 credits as detailed below.

Fundamental Component:

The Fundamental Component consists of Unit Standards in:

• Mathematical Literacy at NQF Level 4 to the value of 16 credits.
• Communication at NQF Level 4 in a First South African Language to the value of 20 credits.
• Communication in a Second South African Language at NQF Level 3 to the value of 20 credits.It is compulsory therefore for learners to do Communication in two different South African languages, one at NQF Level 4 and the other at NQF Level 3.

  All Unit Standards in the Fundamental Component are compulsory.

  Core Component:

• The Core Component consists of Unit Standards to the value of 88 credits all of which are compulsory.Elective Component:
• The Elective Component consists of Unit Standards to the value of 183 credits. Learners are to choose Unit Standards to the minimum of 16 credits and a minimum of three Unit Standards. With the approval of the relevant ETQA, learners may choose any registered Unit Standard which contributes to the improvement of their work performance or in which they have a particular interest.

1. Demonstrate an understanding of leadership skills in a specific sector or context.

2. Apply innovative and creative strategies and visionary thinking skills in developing and implementing strategic planning.

3. Apply leadership skills to enhance service delivery.

4. Apply knowledge of ethical standards in a leadership role.

5. Demonstrate an understanding of the role that emotional intelligence plays in leadership.

1:

• Leadership, its broad roles and related theories are defined in a work context.
• The difference between leadership and management is clearly explained and demonstrated with examples.
• An understanding of the role that emotional intelligence plays in leadership is explained with examples.
• The values required in a leadership role and defined and applied in own work context.
• The concepts, principles and different theories of motivation are applied in motivating self and others.2:
• The purpose of visionary thinking in a leadership context is explained with examples.
• Appropriate analyses to determine current context and future variable factors are performed in a specific context.
• Scenario plans are designed in line with analyses conducted.
• Selected scenarios are built into strategic and business planning processes.
• Management techniques are utilised to evaluate scenario efficacy.3:
• Leadership skills and techniques are applied to relationship management.
• Knowledge management is utilised in leadership function to enhance service delivery.
• Leadership skills and techniques are utilised to provide contributions to community development projects and to address identified community issues.
• Strategic planning skills and plans are utilised to enhance leadership function for excellent service delivery.4:
• The core ethical values and standards which apply to the public sector are explained with examples.
• The ethical values and standards contained in legislation and codes are outlined showing the link to the conduct of employees in a specific sector.
• Areas of ethical conflict for employees are identified with examples.
• The importance of ethical values and standards are explained in relation to a specific sector.
• The principles of Batho Pele are integrated into leadership roles.5:
• Emotional intelligence is defined and its impacts on leadership is explained with examples.
• The ways in which emotional intelligence relates to self-awareness is explained with examples.
• The ways in which emotional intelligence relates to self-management is explained with examples.
• The ways in which emotional intelligence relates to social awareness is explained with examples.
• Techniques for responding to situations in an emotionally intelligent manner are applied in a leadership context.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 lined. 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, 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.

• General:In most countries canvassed through the web, websites, centers and training were also easy to find and often freely available for the development of leadership qualities in any context. In this regard resources were accessed in Australia, Scotland, The United Kingdom and in a large number of stated in the USA.

  In regard to all the materials accessed, the concepts relating to leadership, its importance and development were fairly consistent and ubiquitous. One can conclude that the disciplines relating to leadership, its development and importance in any context are not unique and have reached a level of maturity in their development.

• Botswana:A search for unit standards based qualifications was however more difficult.

  The Botswana Training authority (www.bota.org.bw) is not a searchable site and has a dearth of information relating to leadership training.

• United Kingdom:The Qualifications and Curriculum Authority of the United Kingdom (www.qca.org.uk), and a search of the open qualifications database (www.openquals.org.uk) could not find any relevant qualifications pertaining to public leadership itself. It seems that the United Kingdom has only recently adopted a national strategy to develop leadership at a local government level. (www.idea-knowledge.gov.uk), and has established a “Leadership Academy.”

  The University of Birmingham in the UK, for example, provides a number of advanced courses such as the Advanced Leadership Program. It also provided contextualised leadership programs such as for ‘local governance’ for ‘development and the built environment’ and ‘health.’ This program and similar program in the common wealth, and Africa are all at degree and post degree (MBA) level which would equate to NQF6 or higher.

• Scotland:Similarly an investigation of the Australian Qualifications Framework (www.aqf.edu.au), the Scottish Qualifications Authority (www.sqa.org.uk) and The National Qualifications authority of Ireland (www.nqai.ie) all failed to reveal any specific qualification of a similar nature to this qualification. On the other hand general public service and local government qualifications were available.

  No comparable qualification could be found internationally dealing with leadership development at a level comparable to NQF Level 4. It seems therefore, that as a separate, specialist qualification, South Africa is unique in the development of this kind of qualification. This uniqueness can be ascribed to the particular need in South Africa of having to develop human resources for leadership functions at NQF Level 4.

• Business Administration.
• Generic Management.
• Public Finance Management and Administration.
• Municipal Finance Management and Administration.

• Anyone assessing a learner or moderating the assessment of a learner against this Qualification must be registered as an assessor with the relevant Education, Training, Quality, Assurance (ETQA) Body, or with an ETQA that has a Memorandum of Understanding with the relevant ETQA.
• Any institution offering learning that will enable the achievement of this Qualification must be accredited as a provider with the relevant Education, Training, Quality, Assurance (ETQA) Body, or with an ETQA that has a Memorandum of Understanding with the Financial Services (FASSET) ETQA.
• Assessment and moderation of assessment will be overseen by the relevant Education, Training, Quality, Assurance (ETQA) Body, or by an ETQA that has a Memorandum of Understanding with the FASSET ETQA, according to the ETQA’s policies and guidelines for assessment and moderation.
• Moderation must include both internal and external moderation of assessments at exit points of the Qualification, unless ETQA policies specify otherwise. Moderation should also encompass achievement of the competence described both in individual Unit Standards as well as the integrated competence described in the Qualification.Anyone wishing to be assessed against this Qualification may apply to be assessed by any assessment agency, assessor or provider institution that is accredited by the relevant ETQA.

• A minimum of 5 (five) years’ practical, relevant occupational experience in urban and regional development and integrated development planning.
• To be declared competent in all the outcomes of the National Assessor Unit Standards as stipulated by South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA).
• To be in possession of a Qualification in Town and Regional Planning, Development Planning or Public Management and Administration at an NQF Level 6 or higher.