There have been some important developments in the qualifications landscape which have a profound impact on qualifications and designations in South Africa. These have a fundamental impact on you.

There have been some important developments in the qualifications landscape which have a profound impact on qualifications and designations in South Africa. These have a fundamental impact on those planning to enter the CIA program in the future.

The South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) is the custodian of qualifications and professional designations in South Africa. The Skills Development Act has made provision for quality councils under SAQA and these councils oversee the registration of qualifications in the three main spheres of education and training. While the councils for the schooling and higher education sectors have long been established, the council overseeing trades and occupations has only recently been established. As a result, professional qualifications had in the past been registered directly with SAQA. With the establishment of the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO), all professional qualifications must now be registered with the QCTO as their direct registration with SAQA is expiring next year.

As previously communicated, our qualifications (learnerships) are in the process of being registered with the QCTO. This essentially means that they will become national qualifications administered under the auspices of the QCTO. Once candidates have completed the qualifications and they have been assessed by us, they will earn the designations Internal Audit Technician (IAT) and Professional Internal Auditor (PIA) respectively. These qualifications are the IIA SA's preferred route to the CIA as we believe that it is essential that internal auditors should serve articles as this lends credibility to the profession and helps to prepare a strong pool of CIAs in the country.

The CIA had previously been registered as both a designation (badge of competence conferred by a professional body) and a qualification (obtained through training and a test of knowledge) on our National Qualifications Framework. The changes in the regulatory framework have affected the CIA as well. We are currently in the process of working with SAQA and the IIA Global to address the status of the CIA designation. The IIA Global will however not re-register the CIA as a qualification under the QCTO, primarily for two reasons. Firstly, the CIA would have to undergo changes to meet the QCTO requirements, which would detract from its uniform standard around the globe. Secondly the registration process would affect the ownership of the qualification as it would then become a national qualification. Under the new dispensation an occupational qualification must comprise of three components, i.e. knowledge, practical skills and structured experience.

Currently we register all CIA candidates with SAQA, through Fasset, as learners entering the qualification. Once the individual has completed the CIA program, that person would be recognised on SAQA's database as having obtained the qualification. Should employers or anyone from the general public want to verify your qualification with SAQA, your name, with your qualification, will appear on the National Learners Records Database (NLRD). The NLRD is the management information system of the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) and holds records of individual learners and their achievements. The NLRD provides decision-makers with comprehensive information, especially in the fields of labour market trends and education and training, as well as verification of qualifications obtained by individuals in South Africa.

With the CIA qualification being removed from the NQF, CIAs who qualify in future will no longer be recognised on the SAQA qualifications database. We have however been given until June 2019 as a teach-out period. As candidates have four years to complete the CIA and we have to align that period with the teach-out period, the IIA SA will only register new learners with Fasset until 31st October 2015. Those who have entered the in the program before that cut-off date will have until June 2019 to complete the program and still be recognised by SAQA. The same applies to those who have already obtained the CIA qualification. They will continue to be recognised by SAQA going forward.
It is important to note that your CIA status with the IIA Global will not be affected in the process. Once we have finalised our discussions with SAQA regarding the status of the CIA designation in South Africa, we will communicate the outcome to members.

Registration to sit for global certifications exams
This serves to also remind you that, effective 01st October 2015, all processes related to global certifications must go through the IIA Global's Certification Candidate Management System (CCMS). All elements related to registrations for global certifications will go through the CCMS and all queries must then be directed to the IIA Global, not the IIA South Africa. The IIA SA ceased to take in registrations and handle queries as from the end of September 2015. The IIA Global's eligibility, entry requirements and fees, which govern the registration process, are stipulated in the Certifications Handbook.