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

Develop Government communication policies, strategies and processes 
SAQA US ID UNIT STANDARD TITLE
12435  Develop Government communication policies, strategies and processes 
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  6 
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 have or seek responsibility for developing government communications policies, strategies and processes that ensure the policies and objectives of government are popularised.

Persons credited with this unit standard are able to:
  • develop and give strategic direction to government communications policies, strategies and processes. 
    		•

    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
  • Experience in operational framework of communication processes
  • Experience in managing delivery of communication processes
  • Knowledge of analysis and research
  • Knowledge of communication management skills and decision making processes 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD RANGE 
    The following scope and context applies to the whole unit standard:
  • The term "media" in this unit standard refers to print and electronic.
  • The term "media" encompasses all that is written, oral and/or graphic, in the private and public sectors.

    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 
    Develop government communication policies. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    1. Current and potential communication policies are analysed in terms of their effectiveness, fitness-for-purpose, strengths and weaknesses. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    2. The policies are in line with the objectives of government and within its constitutional and legislative framework. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    3. The policy strategies and action plans are informed by government communication agendas. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4 
    4. The policies are effective in terms of including communication lobbying techniques. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 5 
    5. The policies are appropriate and effective in terms of the type of communication and the level of the user. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 6 
    6. The policies are developed through liaison with key stakeholders and role players in order to contribute to and comment on the internal and external processes related to policy development. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 7 
    7. Opportunities for affected parties to contribute to policy development are provided in terms of internal and external processes. 

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 2 
    Develop government communication strategies. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    1. The strategies enable government to achieve the communications objectives set in terms of method, media and timing. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    2. The strategies are based on an analysis of current situations of government communication as adopted by cabinet. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    3. The strategies are based on the required quality of communication strategies of different government structures. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4 
    4. Communication strategies are in line with and enhance government's national strategic communication objectives and policies. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 5 
    5. The strategies are developed through democratic communication principles with key stakeholders and role players. 

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 3 
    Develop government communication processes. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    1. The quality of communication is improved through the refinement of current communication processes. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    2. The communication processes have the potential to enable government to meet its communication objectives. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    3. The processes are in line with the communication policy and give effect to the communication strategy. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4 
    4. Shortfalls in the communication policies are identified in terms of gaps and incorrect processes, and corrective action is taken. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 5 
    5. Communication strategies and operational frameworks are evaluated in terms of various research methodologies. 


    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:
  • Organising contingencies for possible problems where strategies contradict the policies; understanding solutions relating to different types of communications; taking corrective measures when strategies fail reach the target audience.

    Understand the world as a set of inter-related parts of a system:
  • Understanding the complementary functions of policies and strategies. 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO WORKING 
    Work effectively with others and in team:
  • Communicating with other government departments; maintaining good working relations with policy and strategy coordinators. 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO ORGANISING 
    Organise and manage oneself and one's activities responsibly and effectively:
  • Consulting government adopted policies and strategies; developing policies and strategies in line with government overall policies; or the constitution. 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO COLLECTING 
    Collect, analyse, organise and critically evaluate information:
  • Collecting and analysing all information needed to develop communication policies, strategies and processes. 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO COMMUNICATING 
    Communicate effectively using visual, mathematical and/or language skills:
  • Identifying best methods for the policies and strategies to be understood. 
    		•

    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 
    Elective  58012   National Certificate: Disaster Risk Management  Level 7  NQF Level 07  Passed the End Date -
    Status was "Reregistered"     		 2018-12-31  CHE 


    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.