Early Childhood Development Practitioner ECD NQF Level 4
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 early childhood
development 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
National Certificate Vocational (NCV) at NQF Level 3 Or Any other NQF Level 3 qualification.
DURATION
The duration of this course is 12 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.