Quality Partners

The NQA actively networks with similar organisations and other parties to ensure that it keeps abreast of current trends and developments in education and training at a local, regional and international level. Its networking includes the following:

SADC Technical Committee on Certification and Accreditation

The NQA currently represents Namibia’s membership on this Committee. The Committee is principally concerned with overseeing progress towards the Regional Qualification Framework for the Southern African Development Community. The Committee is looking to establishing common principles and procedures for the evaluation of qualifications and to strengthen quality assurance systems in the Member States.

Memoranda of Understanding

The NQA has entered into and is negotiating formal MoUs with the quality assurance bodies within the region. Such MoU’s are intended, amongst others, to:

• strengthen information sharing about providers and their courses
• build and share staff skills and expertise in quality assurance
• facilitate research on qualification and quality assurance matters of shared interest.

Formal agreements currently exist with:

• Botswana Qualifications Authority (BQA)
• Tertiary Education Council of Botswana (TEC)
• Malaysian Qualification Agency (MQA)
• Council on Higher Education (CHE)
• South Africa Qualification Authority (SAQA)
• Mauritius Qualification Authority

National quality assurance alignments

The NQA sees formal agreements with national stakeholder groups and bodies as essential in coordinating standards setting, accrediting education and training institutions and their courses, and in looking to optimise opportunities for articulation and credit transfer.

Formal agreements exist between the NQA and the:

• Programme Management Unit of the Namibia Training Authority

This agreement sees the recognition of the PMU-NTA has having the responsibility for coordinating the setting of competency standards and associated national curriculum modules for vocational trades up to and including NQF Level 5. The NQA and the PMU-NTA will jointly conduct the accreditation of vocational training providers whose activities encompass the same scope of the NQF.

• Roads Authority of Namibia

A similar agreement exists with the Roads Authority for qualifications and training concerning roads construction and maintenance across all levels of the NQF.
 

The NQA and the National Council for Higher Education are in discussions about the manner in which they will conduct their respective quality assurance arrangements. The NCHE will register private higher education institutions in Namibia and, with the concurrence of the NQA, accredit the courses offered by all higher education institutions.

The NQA maintains close working relationships with the:

• Directorate for National Examinations and Assessment (DNEA)
• National Institute for Educational Development (NIED)
• Directorates for Vocational Education and Higher Education within the Ministry of Education
• The University of Namibia (UNAM)
• The Polytechnic of Namibia
• The Colleges of Education