Workshop | Botswana National Qualifications Framework: reviewing policies; advancing implementation

Botswana’s National Qualifications Framework (the National Credit and Qualifications Framework) is at the stage of advanced implementation and review. Its coordinating institution, the Botswana Qualifications Authority, seeks constant improvement of and innovation in the country’s qualification system.
Workshop | Botswana National Qualifications Framework: reviewing policies; advancing implementation

It keeps all policies under review and is seeking to advance the implementation of the framework to fulfil its function of raising the quality and maintaining the relevance of the qualifications available in the country.

Botswana is a member of the SADCQF and the new ACQF. Thus, BQA intends to use the NQF to both contribute to the country's education and training agenda and further lifelong learning, and to integrate with the regional and continental frameworks for purposes of qualifications recognition abroad, and learner and worker mobility.

And so, the ACQF-II and BQA are co-organizing a workshop to review specified national policies and work together on issues related to their implementation. This in-person event will take place in Gaborone during the period 1-3 April 2025, kindly hosted by the BQA, and include the ACQF-II team and BQA staff.

It will address four pressing policy priorities in Botswana, namely RPL, CATS, assessment of learners, and referencing of the NQF to regional and continental qualifications frameworks.

Other topics such as micro credentials and qualifications mapping are equally under review by the BQA for purposes of renewal and improvement, and the Authority foresees similar workshops or events, as part of its integrated approach to implementation of the NQF.

Successful implementation of the NQF and accompanying policies relies on stakeholder consensus, therefore the BQA proposes widening the pool of participants in future consultations and events, once these initial discussions among the coordinating body members of staff have identified and proposed broad lines of change.

Background – the ACQF

ACQF goes back to 2021. Its current edition is “ACQF-II”, formally launched in Addis Ababa in July 2023. It supportstheimplementationofACQFasacontinental policy instrument, contributing to transparency, comparability and recognition of qualifications, collaboration between NQFs, promotion of lifelong learning, and support to Member States in the development of NQFs and related policies.

It is an example of African Union to European Union cooperation, which seeks to benefit countries, regions and the entire continent.

  • When Apr 01, 2025 to Apr 03, 2025 (UTC / UTC0)
  • Where Botswana Qualifications Authority, Gaborone
  • Add event to calendar iCal

Timing

Item

Facilitation

Day One: Tuesday, 1 April

09:30 – 11:00

Welcome and introductions.

Agenda and the event’s intended outcomes.

ACQF update.

Botswana NQF - state of play; reviewing national policies and practices; future implementation.

BQA

BQA

Michael Graham, ACQF Team

BQA

11:00 to 11.30

Tea break

  

11:30 to 11:45

RPL in Botswana - remarks on policies, practices and implementation.

BQA

11:45 to 13:00

RPL:

- an overview of concepts, principles, benefits and good practices.

- Botswana’s draft policy and draft guidelines: analysis and comments.

Discussion in plenary

Patrick Werquin, ACQF Team

BQA/All

13:00 to 14.00

Lunch break

  

14:00 to 15.30

Tea served

Review of draft RPL policy and draft guidelines - discussion in groups. Using guiding questions, groups identify necessary amendments/additions/updates etc.to policy paper and guidelines.

Groups report back to plenary.

All

BQA

Day Two: Wednesday 2 April

09:30 to 09:45

CATS in Botswana – remarks on policies, practices and implementation.

BQA

09:45 to 11:00

CATS:

  • an overview of concepts, principles, benefits and good practices.

  • Botswana’s draft policy and draft guidelines: analysis and comments.

Discussion in plenary.

James Mwewa, ACQF Team.

BQA/All

11:00 to 11:30

Tea break

  

11:30 to 13:00

Review of draft CATS policy and draft guidelines - discussion in groups. Using guiding questions, groups identify necessary amendments/additions/updates etc.to policy paper and guideline

Groups report back to plenary.

All

BQA

13:00 to 14:00

Lunch

  

Day Three: Thursday 3 April

09:30 to 09:45

Botswana and referencing, remarks.

BQA.

09:45 to 11:00

Referencing:

- purposes, benefits, criteria, processes, recent developments.

  • - Botswana and referencing to SADC QF and ACQF – analysis and comments on national policy paper and guidelines.

Discussion in plenary.

Robin Phoolchund, Michael Graham, ACQF Team.

BQA/All.

11:00 to 11:30

Tea break.

  

11:30 to 12:30

Review of draft Referencing policy and draft guidelines - discussion in groups. Using guiding questions, groups identify necessary amendments/additions/updates etc.to policy paper and guideline

Groups report back to plenary.

All

BQA

12:30 to 13:30

Lunch

  

13:30 to 13:45

Assessment in Botswana, policies, practices and implementation.

BQA

13:45 to 14:30

Assessment:

  • an overview of concepts, principles, benefits and good practices.

  • Botswana’s draft policy and draft guidelines: analysis and comments.

Discussion in plenary.

Patrick Werquin, ACQF Team.

BQA/All

14:30 to 15:00

Tea break.

  

15:00 to 15:45

Review of draft assessment policy and draft guidelines - discussion in groups. Using guiding questions, groups identify necessary amendments/additions/updates etc.to policy paper and guidelines.

Groups report back to plenary.

All

BQA

15:45 to 16:30

Summary – principal updates to the four sets of policy documents and guidelines.

BQA