Skills Planning, Research, Monitoring, Reporting and Evaluation provides evidence-based strategic direction through research, monitoring and evaluation to inform a credible skills planning mechanism in the safety and security sector. In its operations it contributes to the following strategic objectives:

• Institutionalised robust planning towards achievement of the SASSETA Mandate;
• Improved identification and understanding of the scarce and critical skills needs across the safety
  and security sector; and
• Increased integrity of Monitoring and Evaluation for planning and decision-making and
  accountability.

One of the core departments of the SETA, Skills Planning, Research, Monitoring, Reporting and Evaluation is responsible for the develop and facilitate SETA research strategy in line with NSDS III and the Sector Skills Plan and Career Guide and communicate it effectively to the sector and update it

The sub-programme conducts labour market analysis to forecast trends for sector profiling and skills supply and demand and conducts impact studies of skills development activities. It also provides skills planning support, benchmarking and for the sector.

Apart form providing career guidance in the sector through developing a Sector Career Guide based on labour market needs and scarce and critical skills, it also disseminates information on scarce and critical skills to stakeholders, provides support to skills development facilitators (SDF’s) on core unit standards relevant to skills development, and offers advice, evaluation and analysis of Workplace Skills Plans (WSP) and Annual Training Reports( ATRs)

Workplace Skills Plan (WSP) and Annual Training Report (ATR)

Note: If a company does not comply with the Workplace Skills Plan (WSP) submission requirements for any given year, the company forfeits the 40% of the allocation that would have been disbursed upon receipt of the Workplace Skills Plan (WSP) for the ensuing financial year. Such companies will need to endure a waiting period until the next Levy
Grant Disbursement Cycle.
The Workplace Skills Plan (WSP) provides SASSETA with the necessary information it requires to generate a comprehensive and targeted Sector Skills Plan (SSP).

Skills Levies and Grants

Closer to the end of each financial year, all companies that have submitted a Workplace Skills Plan (WSP) are also required to submit an Annual Training Report (ATR), reflecting the training, education and development activities of that particular company. Any deviations as set-out in the Workplace Skills Plan (WSP) would require detailed explanatory notes, in addition to the presentation of supporting documents relating to the education and training activities.

Appointment of Skills Development Facilitator (SDF)

As a pre-requisite, each company needs to register a Skills Development Facilitator (SDF) whose core objective within the company, is to report directly to SASSETA on education initiatives and training interventions.
Should you wish to effect any changes to a Skills Development Facilitator (SDF), kindly complete the Skills Development Facilitator (SDF) Registration Form, and follow the return instructions cited therein.

Organising Framework of Occupations (OFO) Codes: Sector Skills Plan (SSP)

The OFO is skills –based, coded classification system that captures jobs in the form of occupations and group occupations based on the skill specialization and skill level into successively broader categories that can be used for statistical purposes. It is a tool for having a common language for collecting and analyzing labor market information to define occupations in the different learning fields and economic sectors. The purpose of the OFO codes is to help identify scarce and critical skills. And ensure uniformity in naming occupations within and across sectors.

The Firearms Control Act 60 of 2000 (FCA)

The Firearms Control Act 60 of 2000 (FCA) was approved by cabinet on 2 April 2003 to replace the outdated Arms and Ammunitions Act 75 of 1969.

The Firearms Control Act 60 of 2000 (FCA)’s purpose is to:

• Enhance the constitutional rights to life and bodily integrity;
• Prevent the proliferation of illegally possessed firearms and, by providing for the removal of those firearms from society and by improving control over legally possessed firearms, to prevent crime involving the use of firearms;
• Enable the state to remove illegal firearms from society, to control the supply, possession, safe storage, transfer and use of firearms and to detect and punish the negligent or criminal use of firearms;
• Establish a comprehensive and effective system of firearm control and management; and
• Ensure the efficient monitoring and enforcement of legislation pertaining to the control of firearms.

The Firearms Control Act 60 of 2000 (FCA) dictates that all training providers offering training and development in firearms use, be accredited in line with the Skills Development Act 97 of 1998. SASSETA’s role as accreditation body for firearms training providers is legislated in Section 7(1)(d) and Section 80(1)(3) of the Act. It states that an official institution must ensure that the prescribed training is provided only by a person registered in terms of South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) (the Skills Development Act no 97 of 1998).

SASSETA has been accredited by South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) as an Education and Training Authority (ETQA) body. One of its core functions is to promote a high standard of education and training in this sector, and to accredit training providers to deliver qualification and unit standards registered on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF).
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) is an important component of the skills development process as it acts as the ideal platform from which to assess competency levels, and develop training mechanisms that pave the way for learners to obtain qualifications.
SASSETA’s role essentially is to assure the quality of the training and testing surrounding the Firearms Control Act 60 of 2000 (FCA).

To fulfil this role SASSETA will:

• Accredit education and training providers;
• Promote quality among providers;
• Train and register assessors and moderators;
• Monitor education and training provision;
• Evaluate assessment and facilitate moderation of assessments, including Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL);
• Issue certificates to learners