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SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY 
REGISTERED UNIT STANDARD THAT HAS PASSED THE END DATE: 

Manage government communication processes and strategies 
SAQA US ID UNIT STANDARD TITLE
12163  Manage government communication processes and strategies 
ORIGINATOR
SGB Government Communication and Information Stms 
PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY
-  
FIELD SUBFIELD
Field 04 - Communication Studies and Language Communication Studies 
ABET BAND UNIT STANDARD TYPE PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL NQF LEVEL CREDITS
Undefined  Regular  Level 7  Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L7  5 
REGISTRATION STATUS REGISTRATION START DATE REGISTRATION END DATE SAQA DECISION NUMBER
Passed the End Date -
Status was "Reregistered" 		 2018-07-01  2023-06-30  SAQA 06120/18 
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2024-06-30   2027-06-30  

In all of the tables in this document, both the pre-2009 NQF Level and the NQF Level is shown. In the text (purpose statements, qualification rules, etc), any references to NQF Levels are to the pre-2009 levels unless specifically stated otherwise.  

This unit standard does not replace any other unit standard and is not replaced by any other unit standard. 

PURPOSE OF THE UNIT STANDARD 
This unit standard is for people who are required to direct and channel government communication strategies and processes to the target market and to assess the effectiveness of the strategy, in meeting government needs.

Persons credited with this unit standard are able to:
  • Analyse, select and evaluate communication processes and strategies. 
    		•

    LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING 
    The credit calculation is based on the assumption that learners are already competent in the following areas of learning when starting to learn towards this unit standard:
  • Communications, language or journalism at a minimum of NQF Level 6
  • Developing government communication strategies
  • Knowledge of and interpretation of government policies
  • Knowledge of different kinds of media and scope of coverage
  • Knowledge of target market segmentation
  • Experience in management 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD RANGE 
    The following scope and context applies to the whole unit standard:
  • This unit standard may be assessed in a workplace environment, or in a training or education environment if simulated work conditions can be provided, or in a combination of both environments.

    Specific range statements are provided in the body of the unit standard where they apply to particular specific outcomes or assessment criteria. 
    		•

    Specific Outcomes and Assessment Criteria: 

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 1 
    Analyse communication processes and strategies. 
    OUTCOME RANGE 
    internal and external government communications 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    1. The analysis is conducted in a professional manner without causing undue disruption to normal work processes. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    planned, co-ordinated, evaluated
     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    2. Communication processes are analysed in terms of the flow of information to the target audience. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    3. Communication strategies are analysed in terms of method and media applicable to the target audience. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4 
    4. Message is analysed in terms of achieving the communication outcomes. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 5 
    5. The target audience is analysed in terms of the understanding of the various intended messages. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 6 
    6. Factors that contribute to achieving effective communication are identified in relation to communication processes and strategies. 

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 2 
    Select communication processes and strategies. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    1. The communication process selected is appropriate in terms of the message to be communicated and the media to be used. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    2. The communication strategy selected is appropriate in terms of the target audience. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    3. The formulation and language of the message are appropriate for the target audience. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4 
    4. The consistency of the message is maintained relevant to the target audience in terms of delivery, content, method and language. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 5 
    5. The communication process selected is accessible to the target audience. 

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 3 
    Evaluate communication processes and strategies. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    1. The effects of the communication are determined and assessed in terms of achieving the initial communication outcomes. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    2. The communication process and strategy selected is assessed in terms of relevance to the target audience. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    3. Opportunities for feedback from the target audience are identified and exploited in terms of future improvements of communication processes and strategies. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4 
    4. Results of different communication processes and strategies are assessed in terms of the different types of media. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Print, Radio, Audio-visual, Digital, other
     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 5 
    5. The interpretation and understanding of various communications by different target audiences is ensured to be in accordance with the original intention of the communication. 


    UNIT STANDARD ACCREDITATION AND MODERATION OPTIONS 
    Accreditation Options:
    Providers of learning towards this unit standard will need to meet the accreditation requirements of the Public Sector ETQA.

    Moderation Option:
    The moderation requirements of the Public Sector ETQA must be met in order to award credit to learners for this unit standard. 

    UNIT STANDARD ESSENTIAL EMBEDDED KNOWLEDGE 
    Essential embedded knowledge will be assessed through the specific outcomes in terms of the stipulated assessment criteria. This includes the direct assessment of knowledge. 


    Critical Cross-field Outcomes (CCFO): 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO IDENTIFYING 
    Identify and solve problems:
  • Planning for contingencies; taking corrective action for failed strategies; communicating failures to officials during counselling.

    Understand the world as a set of inter-related parts of a system:
  • Understanding the impact brought forth by the strategies used. 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO WORKING 
    Work effectively with others and in team:
  • Interacting with all the media involved, discussing plans and solutions with team members; maintaining healthy working relations with stakeholders, target audiences, etc. 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO ORGANISING 
    Organise and manage oneself and one's activities responsibly and effectively:
  • Ensuring all strategies are in line with the national strategy; responding to public concerns accordingly. 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO COLLECTING 
    Collect, analyse, organise and critically evaluate information:
  • Monitoring effectiveness of the selected strategy; evaluating its effectiveness; changing if strategies chosen are failing. 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO COMMUNICATING 
    Communicate effectively using visual, mathematical and/or language skills:
  • Interacting with departments and the public; briefing and advising colleagues; issuing communiques and other material to assist when strategising. 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD ASSESSOR CRITERIA 
    Assessors should keep the following general principles in mind when designing and conducting assessments against this unit standard:
  • Focus the assessment activities on gathering evidence in terms of the main outcome expressed in the title to ensure assessment is integrated rather than fragmented. Remember we want to declare the person competent in terms of the title. Where assessment at title level is unmanageable, then focus assessment around each specific outcome, or groups of specific outcomes.
  • Make sure evidence is gathered across the entire range, wherever it applies. Assessment activities should be as close to the real performance as possible, and where simulations or role-plays are used, there should be supporting evidence to show the candidate is able to perform in the real situation.
  • Do not focus the assessment activities on each assessment criterion. Rather make sure the assessment activities focus on outcomes and are sufficient to enable evidence to be gathered around all the assessment criteria.
  • The assessment criteria provide the specifications against which assessment judgements should be made. In most cases, knowledge can be inferred from the quality of the performances, but in other cases, knowledge and understanding will have to be tested through questioning techniques. Where this is required, there will be assessment criteria to specify the standard required.
  • The task of the assessor is to gather sufficient evidence, of the prescribed type and quality, as specified in this unit standard, that the candidate can achieve the outcomes again and again and again. This means assessors will have to judge how many repeat performances are required before they believe the performance is reproducible.
  • All assessments should be conducted in line with the following well documented principles of assessment: appropriateness, fairness, manageability, integration into work or learning, validity, direct, authentic, sufficient, systematic, open and consistent. 
    		•

    REREGISTRATION HISTORY 
    As per the SAQA Board decision/s at that time, this unit standard was Reregistered in 2012; 2015. 

    QUALIFICATIONS UTILISING THIS UNIT STANDARD: 
      ID QUALIFICATION TITLE PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL NQF LEVEL STATUS END DATE PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QA FUNCTIONARY
    Core  50585   National Certificate: Public Service Communication  Level 6  Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L6  Passed the End Date -
    Status was "Reregistered"     		 2023-06-30  PSETA 
    Fundamental  48726   Advanced Diploma: Diplomacy  Level 7  NQF Level 07  Passed the End Date -
    Status was "Reregistered"     		 2023-06-30  PSETA until Last Date for Achievement 


    PROVIDERS CURRENTLY ACCREDITED TO OFFER THIS UNIT STANDARD: 
    This information shows the current accreditations (i.e. those not past their accreditation end dates), and is the most complete record available to SAQA as of today. Some Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionaries have a lag in their recording systems for provider accreditation, in turn leading to a lag in notifying SAQA of all the providers that they have accredited to offer qualifications and unit standards, as well as any extensions to accreditation end dates. The relevant Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionary should be notified if a record appears to be missing from here.
     
    NONE 


    All qualifications and part qualifications registered on the National Qualifications Framework are public property. Thus the only payment that can be made for them is for service and reproduction. It is illegal to sell this material for profit. If the material is reproduced or quoted, the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) should be acknowledged as the source.