Notice No. 1173

11 December 2009

GG 32793

Department of Education

I, Bonginkosi Emmanuel Nzimande, Minister of Higher Education and Training, in terms of Section 18A 1(b) and 2 of the ABET Act, 2000 (Act No. 52 of 2000) hereby wishes to inform the public that the revised GETC ABET registered under ID No. 64309 at SAQA is an approved qualification for Adult learners at ABET level 4 (NQF level 1) for public and private centres.

Introducing the GETC

Adult Basic Education and Training (ABET) comprises three benchmark levels below the General Education and Training Certificate (GETC) covering ABET levels 1,2,3. Level 4 is equivalent to NQF level 1 (GETC level).

The GETC provides a regulatory framework for the certification of the ABET level 4 programmes.It also stipulates the structure of the qualification and the requirements for the achievement of the NQF level 1 qualification.

ABET Level 1 offers the Fundamental component only

ABET Level 2 offers the Fundamentals and an option of offering integrated studies or a skills programme

ABET Level 3 offers the Fundamentals, integrated studies or a skills programme

ABET Level 4 (GETC level)/NQF level 1 offers Fundamentals, Core and Electives components

The GETC Qualification Model

The GETC qualification will be awarded on achievement of 120 credits according to the following rules of combination.

Fundamental

The fundamental component carries the following credits:

Language, Literacy and Communications (one language) 23 credits

Mathematical Literacy (ML) 16 credits or Mathematical and Mathematical Sciences (MMS) 14 credits.

Learners may only offer Mathematical Literacy or Mathematical and Mathematical Sciences. Learners must compete all the LLC Unit Standards, totaling 23 credits and either Mathematical Literacy Unit Standards or the Mathematics and Mathematical Sciences Unit Standards, totaling a minimum of 14 credits to give a total of 37 credits for the Fundamental Component.

Core

The core component offers only one Learning Area, Life Orientation (32 credits).

The core component is compulsory to learners registered for the GETC.

Elective

The Elective Component consist of an Academic Learning Area and Vocational Specializations from which Learners may choose.Learners are to follow either the Academic Learning Area or a Vocational Specialization.51 credits are to be acquired from the Academic Learning area or the Vocational specialization.

Academic Learning Area

Human and Social Sciences (23 credits)

Economic and Management Sciences (21 credits)

Arts and Culture (17 credits)

Natural Sciences (15 credits)

Technology (11 credits)

Additional language (23 credits)

Vocational Specialization

AAAT (20 credits)

Ancillary Health Care (45 credits)

Small Medium Micro Enterprises (17 credits)

Travel and Tourism (38 credits)

ICT (23 credits)

Early Childhood Development (26 credits)

Wholesale and Retail (27 credits)

Subject Codes

*If a second official language listed under fundamentals is offered as an academic elective, the code will remain the same, but the language will be regarded as an elective and not as a fundamental.

Implementation Date

The official implementation date for the qualification is January 2010.

Time Frame

The qualification is registered by SAQA for a period of 3 years.The GETC qualification will be replaced by a new qualification once the review of the AET system is finalized.

Dr B Nzimande, MP

Minister of Higher Education and Training

Date: 5 November 2009