Uncategorized
By Thapelo Molefe
The Minister of Higher Education and Training, Buti Manamela, has hailed the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) as a beacon of transformation, integrity, and innovation in South Africa’s education landscape, as he officially opened the new SAQA House in Hillcrest, Pretoria on Friday.
The event, which coincided with SAQA’s 30th anniversary, marked what Manamela described as a renewed commitment to excellence, integrity, and inclusiveness in education and training.
Manamela said far more than the unveiling of a new building, the occasion symbolised a bold new chapter for an institution that has, since its inception, been central to democratising education and recognising learning in all its forms.
“This new home represents not just bricks and mortar, but the living heart of South Africa’s qualifications system, one that connects aspiration with opportunity, and opportunity with hope,” Manamela said.
Reflecting on SAQA’s three-decade journey, the Minister paid tribute to its pivotal role in transforming a racially divided education system into one anchored on equity and inclusion.
Established in 1995 alongside the birth of democracy, SAQA was tasked with developing and maintaining the National Qualifications Framework (NQF), ensuring that all learning, formal, informal, or experiential is valued and recognised.
“From its very conceptualisation, SAQA has been a democratic tool transforming a previously inequitable system of race-based education into an integrated framework centred on the NQF,” Manamela said. “Today, the NQF stands as a cornerstone of our national education system, ensuring that every form of learning is recognised, valued, and connected.”
The minister highlighted that over the years, SAQA has emerged as a model of good governance and professionalism within the public sector, consistently achieving clean audits, advancing digital credentialing, and strengthening the recognition of foreign qualifications.
Manamela praised the authority for “building bridges where there were once barriers” and for creating pathways for citizens to pursue lifelong learning.
“Education is not preparation for life; it is life itself,” the Minister emphasised.
“Institutions like SAQA remind us that access to quality learning is not a privilege, it is a right that must be protected and advanced.”
Manamela also lauded SAQA’s growing global footprint, noting its leadership in regional and international forums on mutual recognition of qualifications, quality assurance, and digital transformation in education.
“Through this leadership, South Africa is not just participating in the global knowledge economy, we are helping to shape it.”
The National Qualification Framework covers 10 levels, starting with high school at level 1, through matric at level 4 then higher certificate, diplomas and degrees all the way to doctorates at level 10.
The Minister used the occasion to bid farewell to SAQA’s outgoing Board, led by interim chair Dr James Keevy, commending its members for their integrity and vision in steering the organisation through a period of unprecedented change.
Other board members include SAQA CEO Ms Nadia Starr, Ms Anne Kathleen Oberholzer, Mr Ashley Benjamin, Mr Bonisile McLaren Gantile, international governance expert Ms Jo-Ann Christine Agulhas, Dr Linda Meyer, Dr Mafu Rakometsi, Mr Mark Mamello Mafisa, Ms Sara Nyawa Dikwayo, representing the Chartered Accountancy profession, Dr Thabo Shadrack Mashongoane, Ms Trudi van Wyk, Mr Vijayen Naidoo, and Dr Whitfield Green.
“It is during this board’s tenure that SAQA achieved a series of milestones,” Manamela noted, “including consecutive clean audits, the rollout of digital credentialing initiatives, and the strengthening of international partnerships.”
In her reflection, SAQA CEO Starr described the new SAQA House as “a hub of thought leadership and critical reflection,” representing the spirit of collaboration and innovation that defines the NQF.
“This is more than just SAQA House — it is a tangible symbol of everything and everyone that makes the NQF a transformative tool,” Starr said.
“I look forward to the coming years of contemplation and collaboration as we advance the principles and promises of the NQF.”
As SAQA looks to the future, both Manamela and Starr underscored the institution’s mission to align South Africa’s education and training systems with global standards while empowering citizens through skills recognition, lifelong learning, and equitable access.
With a 30-year legacy built on trust and transformation, Mananela says SAQA now enters a new era, one defined by digital innovation, global leadership, and a steadfast commitment to ensuring that education remains the greatest enabler of social and economic change.
“May SAQA House stand as a beacon of learning, excellence, and service for generations to come,” Manamela concluded. “Together, we will continue to build a nation of lifelong learners, one qualification, one recognition, one dream at a time.”
INSIDE EDUCATION