NZQA transfers standard-setting to ITOs

A six-year project to transfer the setting of some NZQA unit standards and qualifications to several Industry Training Organisations (ITOs) is close to completion with the final standards and qualifications being transferred or deregistered this year.

The transfers follow recommendations from a 2002 review of the work carried out by NZQA. The review was to ensure that the unit standards and qualifications that NZQA was responsible for were relevant, useful, and met the needs of learners, providers, the community and government.

Since 2002, five areas have been transferred to ITOs, the most recent being the Epilepsy Care standards and qualifications transferred to the Career Force ITO and the Animal Care and Handling standards and qualifications to the Career Force and the Agriculture ITOs earlier this year.

Discussions are continuing between NZQA, ITOs and TEC regarding the transfer of Beauty Services standards and qualifications.

NZQA Manager of Qualifications Development and Tertiary Moderation, Linda Glogau, says careful consideration was given to the process to ensure that the unit standards retained by NZQA reflected its responsibilities in relation to national priorities of the Tertiary Education Strategy and the Industry Training Act 1992.

NZQA has negotiated the transfer of unit standards and qualifications to relevant Industry Training Organisations where possible, but some were unable to be transferred and these have been designated for deregistration.

The process recognises that a unit standard should be set and be able to be maintained by a suitably representative standard-setting body, but where such a body does not exist or there is no ongoing demand, standards and qualifications in such areas will be deregistered.

"One of the reasons this has been a long-term project is that there has been a lot of consultation and negotiation with stakeholders."

"Where unit standards and national qualifications are being deregistered there is the option for Tertiary Education Organisations to create their own 'local' courses/qualifications and apply to have these quality assured and placed on the NZ Register of Quality Assured Qualifications. This tends to involve approval and accreditation of a new non-unit standards based course or approval of changes to an existing approved course."

Recent areas deregistered include Core Health, Natural and Traditional Health and Healing and Sexual and Reproductive Health standards and qualifications. The final date for accredited organisations to award these standards and qualifications is December 2012.

Photography and Photographic Imaging unit standards have also been deregistered and the final date for award of these is December 2009.

NZQA has retained the First Aid and Cervical Screening standards and these are currently under review.

Reviews are also underway in the following areas and proposed final dates for award of these standards and qualifications have been set. These include :

• Level 6 and 7 Computing unit standards and qualifications. Deregistration is underway and the proposed final date for award is December 2011.
• Film and Television, Performance Production and Electronic Media unit standards and qualifications. Deregistration is underway and the proposed final date for award is December 2011. Some unit standards are being retained, reviewed and reclassified.
• Christian Ministries and Christian Studies unit standards and qualifications. Consultation regarding the final date for award is beginning.

For enquiries regarding these reviews, please contact National Qualifications Services.

For further information regarding deregistrations, please refer to the Framework Updates.