National Diploma: Public Finance Management and Administration

National Diploma Public Finance Management and Administration

Course Description

Note on quality assurance:

Although the Local Government SETA is accredited to quality assure delivery of this qualification, a Memorandum of Understanding between LG SETA and the Public Service SETA allows PSETA to quality assure the qualification in the National and Provincial Government spheres, while LG SETA will quality assure Local Government providers. However, learner results from providers for the National and Provincial Government spheres will be uploaded and reflected against the LG SETA.

Purpose:

The purpose of the NQF level 5 Public Finance and Administration qualification is to provide a structured programme for public officials that work with senior management officials so as to provide support to strategic leadership and management needed to transform all spheres of government. The need for well-qualified efficient, client-oriented public officials is therefore identified as a priority in all the three spheres of government. The National Diploma in Public Finance Management and Administration (NQF level 5) is aimed at practitioners working in the public sector. It is a qualification in a career pathway towards an accomplished public finance management and administration specialist.

The National Diploma in Public Finance and Administration consists of exit level learning outcomes covering accounting reporting, administration, auditing, budgeting, economics, information systems, business calculations, risk management and legislative framework for the public sector. The competencies covered in the unit standards encapsulate the competencies required by public officials working at the operational level.

The qualification will therefore enhance the ability of the qualifying learner as a public finance official to perform the necessary financial administration tasks expected as well as improve management abilities. In this way, the qualification enhances transferability of skills within different spheres of the public sector. At the same time, a learner will gain a firm foundation required for studies leading to qualifications registered at NQF levels 6 and 7. All these enhance transferability of skills between the private and public sector.

With regard to the implementation of public financial management and administration reforms, the qualification serves, as a basis of an effective implementation process by defining and identifying those

competencies required by technical public officials. The possession of relevant knowledge, skills and attitudes by technical public officials is crucial to the implementation of public sector financial management and administration reforms. Thus, the qualification contributes to the upliftment of the South African economy in line with the aims of existing skills development legislation through enhancing of skill levels of public sector employees.

Qualifying learners could follow a career within the Public Sectors in:

• Financial Services.
• Administration.
• Management.
• Accounting.
• Project/Public Entity Management.

Rationale:

The public officials in South Africa operate in a wide variety of roles within the public management structures. Often they work in diverse operating and service delivery circumstances. Therefore, they have to be widely acknowledged for their understanding and awareness of the unique characteristics and challenges they may face in the process of service delivery.

The sustainability of South Africa’s democratic process and developmental governance are strongly linked to capacity building within the three spheres of government, i.e. the national, provincial and local spheres of government. It is imperative that public officials receive an up-to-date relevant and respected public financial management and administration qualification that recognises that the knowledge and skills which South Africa’s public sector officials require have been satisfactorily obtained. In order to do that most effectively, public officials need to have excellent awareness and understanding of the changing needs of today’s public service delivery systems and to identify very clearly the highly relevant expertise which these officials bring to their roles in the public sector.

The exit level learning outcomes highlight many of the public finance management and administration skills required within the public sector. Such skills and knowledge are geared towards enabling public officials in all spheres of government to operate effectively and successfully in a demanding environment. Therefore, exit level outcomes and related assessment criteria are outlined for the areas of competence, which mark out public financial management as key and highly influential in public sector service delivery.

It is understandable that most public officials will occupy specialised positions that do not require all of the contributions outlined in this qualification. In that sense, some of the exit level outcomes are shown as electives that address specialised knowledge and skills.

The National Diploma in Public Finance Management and Administration is a specialised Qualification which offers administrative, managerial and financial knowledge and skills to learners who:

Have attained the National Certificate in Business Administration: Level 4 or any related financial, accounting, or public administration qualifications and wish to continue on a path of life-long learning within Public Finance Management and Administration or related qualifications.

Have worked in Public Administration, Accounting, Public Financial Management, Municipal Financial Administration/Management for many years, but have no formal Qualifications in their area of expertise.

Wish to extend their range of skills and knowledge of Public Finance Management and Administration so that they can become knowledge workers.

Are contracted in a learnership agreement.

Have recently taken up a position in Public Finance Management and Administration.

Have not yet acquired the skills and competencies required for learning in Public Finance Management and Administration at NQF level 6.

The skills, knowledge, values and attitudes reflected in the Qualification are building blocks that will be developed further in a related NQF Level 6. The intention is:

To promote the development of knowledge and skills that are required for the efficient performance of Public Finance Management and Administration functions.

To release the potential of people.

The National Diploma in Public Finance Management and Administration: Level 5 should produce knowledgeable, multi-skilled workers who are able to contribute to improved productivity and efficiency within the public sector. 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 should also assist new entrants to the public sector.

It will ensure that the quality of education and training in the public sector is enhanced and of a world-class standard.

The National Diploma at NQF Level 5 allows the learner to work towards a nationally recognised qualification. The qualification will allow both those in formal education and those already employed in organisations in the Public Finance Management and Administration field access to a Qualification that can be used as a benchmark to gauge their competence against local and international standards.

LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING

Learners should be competent in:

• Communication at NQF Level 4.
• Mathematics or Mathematical Literacy at NQF level 4.
• Computer Literacy at NQF Level 3.

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.

QUALIFICATION RULES

Level, credits and learning components assigned to the qualification:

The Diploma is made up of a planned combination of learning outcomes that have a defined purpose and will provide qualifying learners with applied competence and a basis for further training.

The qualification is made up of Unit Standards that are classified as Fundamental, Core and Elective. A minimum of 260 credits is required to complete the qualification.

In this qualification the credits are allocated as follows:

• Fundamental: 73 credits – 28%
• Core: 162 credits – 63%
• Electives: 25 credits – 10%
• Total: 260 credits – 100%

EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES

1. Conduct and apply mathematical analyses relating to economics and finance.
2. Discuss the selected legislative regulatory framework governing the public sector management and administration environment.
3. Apply principles of information systems to public finance and administration.
4. Manage and develop oneself in the public sector work environment.
5. Apply economics principles to finance and management decisions.
6. Apply knowledge of ethical principles and standards of professional conduct in public sector administration.
7. Apply communication principles in the coordination of selected public sector communication programmes.
8. Apply accounting principles and procedures in the preparation of reports for decision-making.
9. Apply the principles of budgeting within a municipality.
10. Apply cost management information systems in the preparation of management reports.
11. Apply principles, regulations and legislation underlying supply chain management in the public sector.
12. Conduct and apply statistical analyses required to make informed public sector finance decisions.
13. Apply selected GRAP statements to the periodic accounting reporting process.
14. Prepare and interpret tax reports and returns in accordance with South Africa’s tax revenue law.
15. Conduct auditing planning and implementation in a South African municipality.
16. Analyse and evaluate the impact of macroeconomic data on the operating environment of the public sector
17. Manage the development and performance of human capital in the public sector.
18. Apply operations research principles and tools in the management of project activities and resources.
19. Participate in the planning and implementation of disaster management systems.
20. Conduct working capital management activities in accordance with sound policy.
21. Apply principles of computerised systems to manage data and reports relevant to the public sector administration.
22. Apply principles of risk management to manage and report risk situations.
23. Apply the legislation governing the establishment and management of public entities.
24. Plan and implement public-private partnerships for municipal service delivery.