Exploring the Potential of Artificial Intelligence for the South African Qualifications Authority

DOI

10.2991/978-94-6463-630-7_15How to use a DOI?

Keywords

Artificial Intelligence; National Qualifications Framework; Relational Agency; South African Qualifications Authority

Abstract

Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies continue to transform education, training and the world of work. Its implications for the education, training and work ecosystem, the National Qualifications Frameworks (NQFs), and regulatory authorities such as the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA), cannot be ignored. SAQA oversees the implementation and development of the South African NQF and coordinates its three SubFrameworks: general and further education and training; occupations and trades; and higher education. The NQF Act mandates SAQA to register qualifications and part-qualifications on the NQF, recognise professional bodies and register their professional designations, evaluate foreign qualifications, verify national qualifications, and maintain the National Learners’ Records Database (NLRD). This desk research explores the global readiness for AI adoption, emphasising ethical, fair, socially just, and human-rights-centred AI practices. Continental needs assessment and regional policy landscape studies highlight AI’s transformative potential but underscore the lack of regulatory policies, human and financial capital, infrastructure, and the need for research and education. Domestically, the Presidential Commission on 4IR (2019-2020), the National Digital and Future Skills Strategy (2020), the Digital Skills Forum (2024), and the inclusion of Coding and Robotics subjects in Grades R–9 curricula (2024), show South Africa’s commitment to the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) and AI. At an institutional level, SAQA can leverage AI through collaboration, conceptualised through Anne Edward’s ‘relational agency,’ with multiple stakeholders to enhance its core functions. While AI offers a range of benefits and opportunities, it also presents significant risks and challenges that require continuous cooperation and collaboration.

Copyright

© 2024 The Author(s)

Open Access

Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

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TY  - CONF
AU  - Tshepho Mokwele
PY  - 2024
DA  - 2024/12/31
TI  - Exploring the Potential of Artificial Intelligence for the South African Qualifications Authority
BT  - Proceedings of the Focus Conference (TFC 2024)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 270
EP  - 288
SN  - 2667-128X
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/978-94-6463-630-7_15
DO  - 10.2991/978-94-6463-630-7_15
ID  - Mokwele2024
ER  -