Statistics Act, 1999
R 385
Pharmacy Act, 1974 (Act No. 53 of 1974)Board Notices2017 Good Pharmacy Education Standards5. Minimum Standards for Delivery of Programmes |
INTRODUCTION
The purpose of these standards is to ensure that the programmes presented by the school comply with the curricular requirements of the Council and are presented with appropriate delivery, assessment and certification methods.
Substantive changes to the content of the curriculum (50% or more) contemplated by the school must be addressed through its strategic planning process. Planning must take into consideration all resources (including human, technical, financial, and physical) required to implement the change and the impact of the change on the existing programmes. The school must notify Council at least one year in advance of the implementation of any substantive change, allowing sufficient time for evaluation of compliance with standards or the need for additional monitoring.
A substantive change that involves new initiatives for a programme (such as alternate programme pathways to qualification completion, including geographically dispersed campuses and distance-learning activities) must result from documented needs and be included in the strategic planning process, ensuring adequate lead time for development and proper notification of Council, per Council policies and procedures. Consultation with Council must occur at least six months before recruiting students into new pathways or programmes.
CURRICULAR GOALS, CONTENT, DESIGN, DEVELOPMENT AND DELIVERY
These matters must be in line with and comply with quality assurance methods, including guidelines for the development of qualifications, compliance with the NQF/CHE requirements, standard operating procedures and quality manuals, programme manuals and handbooks, and the relevant ELOs/competency standards (see Addendum 3).
| 5.1.1 | Teaching and learning methods |
These methods may include but are not limited to didactic, remote site and service, and community-based learning, preferably combined with multidisciplinary effort and activities, and must reflect current and future practice.
| 5.1.2 | Curricular content |
The curricula must include comprehensive details of relevant and appropriate knowledge, skills, attitudes, and values, using the teaching and learning methods listed in 5.1.
| 5.1.3 | Curricular evaluation |
The curricula must be continuously reviewed, evaluated and updated where necessary, taking into account professional competencies, scientific, legal and regulatory changes and developments, and outcome expectations.
MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR ASSESSMENT
| 5.1.4 | Competency and outcome measurement and assessment systems and methods: |
| (a) | may include the evaluation of cognitive learning, mastery of essential practice skills and the ability to use data and information in realistic problem solving. The assessment must be formative and summative, and include the following methods where appropriate: |
| (i) | self-assessment |
| (ii) | tutorial-based peer and tutor evaluation |
| (iii) | individualised process assessment (IPA) |
| (iv) | objectively structured clinical/practice examination (OSCE/OSPE) |
| (v) | community-based education and services (COBES) |
| (vi) | integrated content examinations. |
|
NB: A list of possible ways of including these methods follows: |
||||||||||||||||
In a self-evaluation exercise, students may make value judgments about their own performance and that of their peers. Students must fill in an assessment form in which they rate their own strengths and weaknesses. A similar form must be completed for each of their peers in the group at the end of each theme.
Each student in a group must be evaluated by tutors and peers at the end of each learning unit in clinical reasoning/problem-solving skills, knowledge acquisition, interpersonal skills and self-directed learning abilities.
These examinations must be based on the practical sessions carried out during the year and assess the knowledge and skills of students.
Knowledge and skills acquired during WBL periods must be assessed.
This examination must assess the students’ abilities to integrate knowledge across the range of systems covered during a module, semester or academic year. Note: Assessment and evaluation tools and procedures must include written memoranda with detailed written expected learning outcomes, assessment criteria and mark allocation. |
| (b) | Each assessment must be analysed according to blooms taxonomy levels of cognition. |
| 5.1.5 | Responsibilities of internal and external assessors/examiners/moderators |
| (a) | Ensure the validity and quality of assessment methods, tools and procedures, guided by the institution’s policies. Internal assessors/examiners must be drawn mainly from the academic staff of pharmacy and related disciplines. |
| (b) | External moderation must be used for exit level modules, excluding student research projects. |
| 5.1.6 | Security of examination papers and scripts |
| (a) | Standard operating procedures, guided by organisation policies, must be in place to ensure the safety and security of examination papers and scripts. |
| (b) | Physical measures must include key policies and secure storage and must ensure that all hard copy materials may only be delivered by hand and are signed for. |
| (c) | Security of computers and electronic storage devices pose particular risks. All electronic storage devices must be used and stored securely. Electronic information and data must be accessible only via user accounts, with separate accounts for all users. |
| (d) | Appropriate electronic security systems must be in place. Only file authors may read/edit material. Backing up, checking for viruses and scanning for spyware must be carried out regularly according to specific schedules. |
MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR CERTIFICATION PROCEDURES
Council has delegated the responsibility of issuing certificates for learning achievements to its accredited/approved providers. The purpose of these standards is to ensure that certification of students is managed in a secure and safe manner.
Policies and procedures must be in place to ensure the security and accuracy of certificates during printing, filing, distribution and issue.
| 5.1.7 | Certification policies and procedures |
The school must have a written policy and standard operating procedures.
| 5.1.8 | The certification processes |
The school must follow its written policy and standard operating procedures for the certification of students.
| 5.1.9 | Information required for certification of student achievements |
| (a) | student’s full name (first names followed by surname) |
| (b) | student’s identity number |
| (c) | date of achievement of competency and date of issue |
| (d) | provider logo |
| (e) | description of unit standards or qualification achieved |
| (f) | credit values where applicable |
| (g) | signatories |
| (h) | unique certificate number |
| (i) | expiry date where applicable. |
| 5.1.10 | Security and filing |
| (a) | The integrity of data and student identity must be maintained at all times. Only designated members of staff shall have access to and be authorised to update the database. |
| (b) | Files must be kept in secured filing rooms. Regular internal audits on filing and storage processes must be conducted. Only designated members of staff may have access to files and the database. Files, material and the database must be kept in secure, locked premises with appropriate security for database backup. |
MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR RECORD KEEPING
| (a) | A system and the facilities for maintaining and updating detailed information about staff and students must exist. |
| (b) | The system and records must comply with the Higher Education Management Information System (HEMIS) and the institution’s policy and requirements for students and staff records, including confidentiality of information. |
| (c) | Staff records must include job descriptions, evidence of qualifications and progress. |
| (d) | Student records must include details of past and present students. The system must provide for personal and demographic information, education and training background and experience, special and additional learning needs, relevant student performance and achievements, and must maintain student confidentiality. |
| (e) | Policies and procedures must be in place for accurate capture, maintenance and regular updating of information. Electronic and paperbased systems must match where both exist. |
