Grace 12 certificate vs. members of parliament

By Clive Mutame Siachiyako 

...“a minimum academic qualification, a grade twelve certificate or its equivalent”...these word are sending fireworks in the air somehow. This can tempt you to laugh at MPs for being 'cry babies'. Prior to this academic qualification requirement for one to stand as MP, [at least] two pieces of documents were approved by parliament. The amendment of the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) Act and the introduction of the Zambia Qualifications Framework (ZQF) Act No 13 of 2011, which I believe most of the MPs participated in their establishment into legal documents usable in the land. If some were absent then I don’t know why they didn’t update themselves on the matters of the August House.

 Getting down to my points, the clause on MPs’ minimum academic qualification has options: i) Grade 12 certificate or ii) the equivalence. What could be the equivalence? Under the technical education, vocational and entrepreneurship training (TEVET) Act of 1998 read together with the Amended version of 2005, there is a provision for bridging courses to cover for grade 12 certificate and equivalencing of qualifications. Some of the qualifications that can be equivalenced are trade test certificates.

A quick answer on what a trade test certificate...? It’s a certification given to those assessed in terms of their acquired knowledge, skills and competence in any occupation but they don’t possess a formal qualification. I mean such a competence or skill hasn’t been certified. The technical education, vocational and entrepreneurship training authority (TEVETA) is mandated to carryout trade tests. There are a number of windows within trade test that one can have their skills assessed and get certification and have that qualification placed within the ZQF. TEVETA also currently does the equivalencing although the mandate would be shifting to the ZAQA-Zambia Qualifications Authority (if it has not shifted already). The equivalencing is done within ZQF qualifications descriptors.

Let me explain more what this means and what could amount to it. There are people who have been working in carpentry or metal fabrication workshops with friends or parents and they have mastered the skill of making carpentry or metal fabrication products. There are people also who have been working in tailoring shop helping or as their means of livelihood and they have mastered the art of designing, cutting and tailoring a couple of attires. Others have been working as casuals in construction of all kinds and have acquired unquestionable practical skills to marvel.

The trade testing is done on practical competences or both theoretical and practical. This is dependent on the level of trade test one is sitting for. There are three levels of trade test. Level 3 based on assessing practical skills. Level 2 adds theoretical knowhow of things within a given field, while level combines theory and practical knowhow. Trade test is a recognised qualification on the ZQF. Trade Test level 1 is on ZQF level 3, which is above the Grade 12 certificate. The ZQF has 10  levels from primary certificate [Level 1] to doctorate [Level 10].

Is this internationally comparable? Yes, globally there are national qualification frameworks (NQFs). These provide a number of learning pathways that are both informal, formal, on-the-job training, etc. Within the region, there are regional qualifications frameworks such the SADC qualifications framework to which the ZQF is part of. The SADC portal was to that effect established for regional comparability and qualifications harmonised.

So let the MPs and others scared of the Grade 12 qualification clause better relax and take a sit. If what I am reading in the media is true about some Mps baby-crying over the Grade 12 clause....sorry but I expect MPs to be the last ones to complain because the pieces of legislation I mentioned above passed through their hands in parliament. If they were absent during debates on those legislations or they didn’t get the real implications, then kaya, it’s themselves to blame.