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SAQA 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.
SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY 
REGISTERED QUALIFICATION: 

Occupational Certificate: Management Accounting Officer 
SAQA QUAL ID QUALIFICATION TITLE
112824  Occupational Certificate: Management Accounting Officer 
ORIGINATOR
Development Quality Partner - CIMA 
PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY NQF SUB-FRAMEWORK
-   OQSF - Occupational Qualifications Sub-framework 
QUALIFICATION TYPE FIELD SUBFIELD
Occupational Certificate  Field 03 - Business, Commerce and Management Studies  Finance, Economics and Accounting 
ABET BAND MINIMUM CREDITS PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL NQF LEVEL QUAL CLASS
Undefined  180  Not Applicable  NQF Level 05  Regular-ELOAC 
REGISTRATION STATUS SAQA DECISION NUMBER REGISTRATION START DATE REGISTRATION END DATE
Registered  SAQA 08127/19  2019-12-05  2024-12-05 
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2025-12-05   2028-12-05  

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 qualification does not replace any other qualification and is not replaced by any other qualification. 

PURPOSE AND RATIONALE OF THE QUALIFICATION 
Purpose:
The combination of modules that make up this qualification provides entry into the field of management accounting and prepares a learner for a junior management accounting position. The qualification also provides a foundation in the essential elements of accounting and business to people in other occupations that need such a foundation.

The qualifying learner will be able to:
  • Provide information on areas of economic activity relevant to an organisation's decisions and apply within this context the numerical techniques to support such decisions.
  • Identify and classify costs and cost behaviour and apply budgetary control measures.
  • Prepare financial statements within a conceptual and regulatory framework.
  • Apply ethical values in the context of corporate governance and company administration.

    Rationale:
    This qualification is the first step in the learning pathway to becoming a professional Management Accountant. A Management Accountant is currently one of the occupations in high demand in South Africa. This qualification was designed in co-operation with the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) and their stakeholders, and is aligned to international management accounting standards. This alignment will assist in keeping South African business practices in line with international norms. It will also enhance South Africa's international competitiveness and standing in the global economy. The implementation of the qualification can make a significant impact on the South African business environment and economy. This design of the qualification had two objectives in mind. First, it provides learners with a set of entry-Level skills with which they can enter junior roles in the financial divisions of organisations. Qualifying learners will be absorbed into the labour market with the ability to start earning an income while at the same time. Learners will be able to accumulate work experience necessary for the final Occupational Certificate: Management Accountant.

    The second objective is to provide basic financial skills to learners for a-wide range of non-financial occupations, for example, small business owners and non-financial managers. These skills are necessary for business success and ultimately for economic growth in South Africa. 
    		•

    LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING 
    Recognition of Prior Learning:
    RPL for Access to the External Integrated Summative Assessment:
    Accredited providers and approved workplaces must apply the internal assessment criteria specified in the related curriculum document to establish and confirm prior learning. Accredited providers and workplaces must confirm prior learning by issuing a statement of results or certifying a work experience record.

    RPL for Access to the Qualification:
    Accredited providers and approved workplaces may recognise prior learning against the relevant access requirements.

    Entry Requirements:
  • NQF Level 4 with Mathematical Literacy or Mathematics. 
    		•

    RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING? 
    Y 

    QUALIFICATION RULES 
    This qualification is made-up of the following compulsory Knowledge, Practical Skills and Work Experience Modules:

    Knowledge Modules:
  • 241102000-KM-01, Fundamentals of Business Economics, Level 5, 27 Credits.
  • 241102000-KM-02, Fundamentals of Management Accounting, Level 5, 27 Credits.
  • 241102000-KM-03, Fundamentals of Financial Accounting, NQF Level 5, 27 Credits.
  • 241102000-KM-04, Fundamentals of Ethics, Corporate Governance and Business Law, Level 5, 27 Credits.
    The total number of credits for Knowledge Modules: 108.

    Practical Skill Modules:
  • 241102000-PM-01, Apply the fundamentals of Business Economics to an Organisational Context, Level 5, 12 Credits.
  • 241102000-PM-02, Analyse the different Functions of the Organisation and their Interactions in relation with the Overall Strategy of the Organisation, Level 5, 12 Credits.
  • 241102000-PM-03, Apply a Holistic and Integrated Approach to Managing Organisations from External and Internal Perspectives, Level 5, 12 Credits.
    The total number of credits for practical skills modules: 36.

    Work Experience Modules:
  • 241102000-WM-01, Functioning in the role of Junior Management Accounting Officer, NQF Level 5, 36 Credits.
    The total number of credits for work experience modules: 36. 
    		•

    EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES 
    1. Provide information on areas of economic activity relevant to an organisation's decisions and apply within this context the numerical techniques to support such decisions.
    2. Identify and classify costs and cost behaviour and apply budgetary control measures.
    3. Prepare financial statements within a conceptual and regulatory framework.
    4. Apply ethical values in the context of corporate governance and company administration. 

    ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA 
    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1:
  • Explain the internal and external factors that impact on a business's ability to meet economic and customer goals.
  • Prepare information for business stakeholders using big data and data analytics and explain the implications of movements in the financial markets.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2:
  • Calculate the appropriate costs taking into account the impact of cost behaviour.
  • Calculate the full and marginal costs of products.
  • Prepare functional and flexed budgets and apply variance analysis, reconciling budgeted profit with actual profit, to inform decision-making.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3:
  • Explain basic accounting terminology, policies and the need for regulation and standards.
  • Apply the principles of double-entry booking in the recording of transactions, correction of errors, bank reconciliation, petty cash and sales tax.
  • Prepare financial statements including trial balance and cash flows.
  • Calculate basic accounting ratios.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4:
  • Identify ethical values attributed to professional accountants.
  • Identify and explain ethical dilemmas and ways of regulating ethical behaviour.
  • Explain the interaction between corporate governance, ethics and company administration in different forms of business organisations, and the related areas of contract law.

    Integrated Assessment:
    Integrated Formative Assessment:
    The skills development providers will use the curriculum to guide them on the stipulated internal assessment criteria and weighting. They will also apply the scope of practical skills and applied knowledge as stipulated by the internal assessment criteria. Formative assessments lead to entrance into the integrated external summative assessment.

    Integrated Summative Assessment:
    An external integrated summative assessment, conducted through the relevant QCTO Assessment Quality Partner, is required to issue this qualification. The external integrated summative assessment will focus on the exit level outcomes and associated assessment criteria. 
    		•

    INTERNATIONAL COMPARABILITY 
    This part-qualification compares with standards and qualifications in the United Kingdom and Australia.

    United Kingdom:
    The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants based in the United Kingdom, is the largest professional body for management accountants in the world, and it has members in most countries. South Africa generally accepts the standards set by CIMA as the standards for management accountants. For this reason, the international comparability includes the analysis.

    The Occupational Certificate: Management Accounting Officer compares with CIMA's suite of qualifications, i.e. the Certificate in Business Accounting; the CIMA Diploma in Management Accounting, the CIMA Advanced Diploma in Management Accounting and the CIMA professional qualification.

    The Occupational Certificate: Management Accounting Officer compared with the CIMA Certificate in Business Accounting. This qualification is an entry-level qualification that provides entry into the learning pathway towards the CIMA professional qualification. It is also a stand-alone qualification for people who require a foundation in the essential elements of accounting and business. The Certificate consists of the following modules:
  • Fundamentals of Business Economics.
  • Fundamentals of Management Accounting.
  • Fundamentals of Financial Accounting.

    Entry into this qualification is open-ended.

    The CIMA qualifications have been evaluated by the National Recognition Information Centre for the United Kingdom (NARIC) and were compared to the Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF) for England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

    Australia:
    The International College of Management, Sydney, Australia (ICMS) offers a Bachelor of Business Management (Accounting) Degree that prepares students, among other related occupations, for a career in management accounting. The Degree takes 2.75 years to complete and consists of a combination of theoretical and workplace training. The CPA Australia and Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (Chartered Accountants ANZ) approved this Degree for professional accreditation by.

    This Degree aims to equip students with a variety of specialist and more generic soft skills, to enable them to work and contribute effectively in a range of complex environments, including management accounting. The Degree also aims to develop in students a thorough understanding of accounting principles and their application. The Degree also provides them with opportunities to learn directly from business experts and through real industry experience.

    First Year Modules:
  • Business Communication.
  • Principles of Marketing.
  • Introduction to Human Resources.
  • Accounting for Business.
  • Managing People and Organisations.
  • Business Economics.
  • Service Management and Innovation.
  • Financial Accounting I.
  • Principles of Responsible Leadership.
  • Management Accounting I.
  • Business Statistics.

    Second Year Modules:
    Terms 1 and 2: Industry training where students work in junior positions in organisations. Term 3:
  • Career Planning and Strategy.
  • Business and Corporate Law.
  • New Enterprise Creation.
  • Applied Leadership.

    Third Year Modules:
  • Research Methods.
  • Elective (out of a wide variety of subjects).
  • Strategic Marketing Management.
  • Business Ethics.
  • Strategic Management.
  • Elective (out of a wide variety of subjects).
  • Corporate Finance.
  • Research Project.

    Conclusion:
    The South African Occupational Qualification of Management Accounting officer compares favourably with the qualifications above in terms of content, duration and level of complexity. While the CIMA Certificate in Business Accounting integrates theory and practical skills, the Occupational Certificate distinguishes between theoretical or knowledge content and applied practical skills. The CIMA Certificate in Business Accounting does not require proof of work experience before students reach the final exit level.

    The Bachelor of Business Management (Accounting) Degree covers many of the topics included in the Occupational Certificate: Management Accounting Officer, although they are structured differently. The Australian qualification also includes work experience in the curriculum. 
    		•

    ARTICULATION OPTIONS 
    Horizontal Articulation:
    This qualification articulates horizontally with:
  • Occupational Certificate: Bookkeeper, Level 5.

    Vertical Articulation:
    This qualification articulates vertically with:
  • Occupational Certificate: Management Accounting Specialist, Level 6. 
    		•

    MODERATION OPTIONS 
    N/A 

    CRITERIA FOR THE REGISTRATION OF ASSESSORS 
    N/A 

    NOTES 
    Qualifying for External Assessment:
    In order to qualify for an external assessment, learners must provide proof of completion of all required modules using statements of results and work experience records.

    Foundational learning:
  • Not required for this qualification.

    Additional Legal or Physical Entry Requirements:
  • None.

    Criteria for the Accreditation of Providers:
    Accreditation of providers will be done against the criteria as reflected in the relevant curriculum on the QCTO website.

    The curriculum title and code is Management Accounting Officer 241102000#01.

    Encompassed Trades:
  • This qualification is not trade-related.

    Assessment Quality Partner (AQP):
  • QCTO. 
    		•

    LEARNING PROGRAMMES RECORDED AGAINST THIS QUALIFICATION: 
     
    NONE 


    PROVIDERS CURRENTLY ACCREDITED TO OFFER THIS QUALIFICATION: 
    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.