NSA presentation to the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee MHET

1. NSA presentation to the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee (MHET) 13 April 2011

2. Introduction The National Skills Authority(NSA) is established in terms of Chapter 2, section (5) of the Skills Development Act (SDA) 97 of 1998, as amended (Act 37 of 2008), It is appointed to serve as an Advisory Body to the Minister for a period of five years The NSA is led by a Chairperson who is appointed by the Minister and supported by an Executive Officer who is an employee of the Department. The NSA is supported by the NSA Secretariat which is located in the DHET

3. Composition and structure Chairperson (Appointed by the Minister) 5 members each nominated through NEDLAC from: Organised Labour, Organised Business Community (women, youth, people with disabilities, urban and rural: civic). 5 State (DoL, DTI, DHET, DPSA and DCOGTA) 5 Education & Skills Development providers Public Private SACPO HESA ABET 5 Ministerial discretionary appointments (SAQA, QCTO, 2 Employment Services & 2 People with special knowledge)

4. Structure

5. Summary of functions

6. NSA Secretariat The NSA Secretariat is responsible for supporting the work of the committees and managing the day to day operations of the NSA including: Assisting the NSA to perform its roles and functions; Ensuring the implementation of NSA decisions; Preparing NSA reports for the Minister; Ensuring that reports on the NSDS implementation are prepared and submitted to the NSA; Establishing and maintaining links between the NSA and other relevant bodies including the HRD Council, QCTO and SAQA; Dealing with NSA members� queries to enable them to fulfill their functions; Dealing with public enquiries on the functions and activities of the NSA; and Liaising, in an agreed manner, with the Research agency working with the HRD component of the DHET

7. NSA Repositioning The NSA Draft Repositioning report (December 2009) seeks to expand on these functions by establishing new areas of focus and by strengthening existing NSA functions. These include: Working to improve the NSA�s: status as an advisory body, and Its relationship with other advisory bodies in the areas of human resources Capacitating the NSA�s: Secretariat Establishing, under the auspices of the Secretariat: a structural and functional relationship with the DHET�s skills branch

8. NSA Budget NSA receives budget allocation from the DHET through voted funds and in the main these funds are for the administration activities such as: Personnel expenses for Secretariat staff Administration and logistics (printing, travelling, venues, subsistence, etc) The NSA Secretariat directorate that is housed in the Skills Development branch of the DHET is responsible for the allocation Other NSA activities such as the Skills conference were traditionally funded from the special NSF window as and when needed. Discussions to make standing annual allocation to the NSA are underway and awaiting the finalisation of the repositioning project

9. NSA Budget estimates

10. 2011 in Focus The following NSA 5 key areas of advice to the Minister over the next five years were presented for noting and further inputs: Review Skills development legislative framework to support integration of education and training and the national priorities of government (inclusive of the NSF framework) Develop Framework on the mobilisation of business, government, community and labour to take full ownership of the NSDS III Post school education and training that encourages society to support and build a developmental state Strengthen the monitoring and evaluation functions particularly on the NSDSIII performance and governance. Research, development and innovation to promote beneficiation and business enterprise development opportunities. �

11. Conclusion Once the repositioning is concluded, the NSA will be appropriately capacitated to optimally execute its advisory mandate Thank you