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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: |
| National Occupational Certificate: Bookkeeper |
| SAQA QUAL ID | QUALIFICATION TITLE | |||
| 125145 | National Occupational Certificate: Bookkeeper | |||
| ORIGINATOR | ||||
| Development Quality Partner - FASSET | ||||
| PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY | NQF SUB-FRAMEWORK | |||
| QCTO - Quality Council for Trades and Occupations | OQSF - Occupational Qualifications Sub-framework | |||
| QUALIFICATION TYPE | FIELD | SUBFIELD | ||
| National Occupational Cert | Field 03 - Business, Commerce and Management Studies | Finance, Economics and Accounting | ||
| ABET BAND | MINIMUM CREDITS | PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL | NQF LEVEL | QUAL CLASS |
| Undefined | 166 | Not Applicable | NQF Level 04 | Regular-ELOAC |
| REGISTRATION STATUS | SAQA DECISION NUMBER | REGISTRATION START DATE | REGISTRATION END DATE | |
| Registered | EXCO 0936/25 | 2025-11-13 | 2029-11-13 | |
| LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT | LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT | |||
| 2030-11-13 | 2033-11-13 | |||
| 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 replaces: |
| Qual ID | Qualification Title | Pre-2009 NQF Level | NQF Level | Min Credits | Replacement Status |
| 77143 | Further Education and Training Certificate: Accounting Technician | Level 4 | NQF Level 04 | 120 | Complete |
| 73712 | Further Education and Training Certificate: Local Government Accounting | Level 4 | NQF Level 04 | 120 | Complete |
| PURPOSE AND RATIONALE OF THE QUALIFICATION |
| Purpose:
The purpose of this qualification is to prepare a learner to function as a Bookkeeper. A Bookkeeper manages financial records, including transactions, ledgers, and reconciliations, ensuring accuracy for businesses or individuals. A qualified learner will be able to: The qualification equips learners with a blend of cognitive, occupational, and social benefits essential for personal and professional growth. Learners will develop process and numerical reasoning skills. Learners will gain practical competencies to manage financial records, process transactions, and support regulatory compliance that enhance employability and readiness for entry-level finance roles or self-employment. Learning the qualification fosters key workplace behaviours such as integrity, attention to detail, and professionalism, enabling learners to collaborate confidently within diverse organisational environments. These skills will also facilitate interfacing effectively with internal and external clients, which becomes a valuable skill in cases where the learner embarks on possible entrepreneurial self-employment ventures. Learners who have completed the qualification will possess the following key attributes: Rationale: The qualification will respond to a need for skilled professionals who will independently manage and maintain financial records, generate basic financial reports, and ensure compliance with tax and other financial regulatory frameworks. Bookkeepers are vital for small enterprises, startups, and established professional environments such as medical and legal practices, agricultural operations, and private schools, where in-house bookkeeping supports, continuity, and informed decision-making are required. The absence of competent bookkeepers frequently results in financial mismanagement, tax contraventions, and business failures. A strong foundation in managing financial records, processing transactions, and ensuring regulatory accuracy, a qualified Bookkeeper is well-positioned to offer freelance bookkeeping services to small businesses, startups, and individuals. This creates opportunities for self-employment and the establishment of their own bookkeeping practices, enabling them to build entrepreneurial ventures that provide essential financial services in their communities while generating sustainable income and contributing to local economic development. This qualification will benefit the South African financial accounting sector by ensuring that a credible platform exists for training and development of a dependable layer of support professionals that sustain accurate day-to-day financial functions and improve data quality for decision-makers, in the corporate environment, self-employed professionals/practitioners, and for a full range of small and medium enterprises. The qualification enables professionalisation of small businesses, encouraging trust and stability in service delivery across key community institutions. Individuals with this qualification will also be able to strengthen the community's capability to manage volunteer and community-based organisations. At the economic level, Bookkeepers play a direct role in improving regulatory compliance and financial transparency in the informal and formal sectors, which contribute to increased fiscal accountability and encourage long-term business sustainability. Typical learners: The qualification was developed in consultation with the following stakeholders: Typical occupations in which the qualifying learner will operate include: |
| LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING |
| Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL):
RPL for Access to Training: Learners may use the RPL process to gain access to training opportunities for a qualification if they do not meet the formal, minimum entry requirements for admission. RPL assessment provides an alternative access route into a qualification. Such an RPL assessment may be developed, moderated, and conducted by the accredited Skills Development Provider that offers that specific qualification. Such an assessment must ensure that the learner is able to display the equivalent level of competencies required for access, based on the NQF level descriptors. RPL for exemption from modules: For exemption from modules through RPL, learners who have gained the stipulated competencies of the modules of a qualification through any means of formal, informal, or non-formal learning and/or work experience may be awarded credits towards relevant modules, and gaps identified for training, which is then concluded RPL for Access to the External Integrated Summative Assessment (EISA): Learners who have gained the stipulated competencies of the modules of a qualification through any means of formal, informal, or non-formal learning and/or work experience may be awarded credits towards relevant modules, and gaps identified for training, which is then concluded. A valid Statement of Results is required for admission to the EISA, in which confirmation of achievement is provided that all internal assessment criteria for all modules in the related curriculum document have been achieved. Upon successful completion of the EISA, RPL learners will be issued the QCTO certificate for the qualification. Quality Partners are responsible for ensuring the RPL mechanism and process for qualifications and part- part-qualification is approved by the QCTO Entry Requirements: |
| RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING? |
| Y |
| QUALIFICATION RULES |
| This qualification is made up of compulsory Knowledge, Practical Skill, and Work Experience Modules:
Knowledge Modules: Total number of credits for Knowledge Modules: 84 Practical Skill Modules: Total number of credits for Practical Skill Modules: 42 Work Experience Modules: Total number of credits for Work Experience Modules: 40. |
| EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES |
| 1. Maintain financial transaction records and compile financial reports.
2. Facilitate the performance of basic financial transactions. 3. Maintain industry-specific financial compliance requirements for an entity. 4. Administer inventories and asset registers. 5. Administer taxation compliance protocols. |
| ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA |
| Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1:
ELO 1: Maintain financial transaction records and compile financial reports. Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2: ELO 2: Facilitate the performance of basic financial transactions. Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3: ELO 3: Maintain industry-specific financial compliance requirements for an entity. Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4: ELO 4: Administer inventories and asset registers. Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5: ELO 5: Administer taxation compliance protocols Integrated Assessment: Integrated Formative Assessment: Formative assessments are conducted throughout the training of learners. A range of formal, informal, and ongoing assessment activities is used to focus on teaching and learning outcomes to improve learner attainment. Formative assessments are conducted continuously by the facilitator to feed into further learning, to identify strengths and weaknesses, and to ensure the learner's ability to apply knowledge, skills, and workplace experience gained. Formative Assessments are conducted by the accredited Skills Development Provider (SDP), and a variety of ongoing assessment methods may be used, for example, quizzes, assignments, tests, scenarios, role play, and interviews. Continuous feedback must be provided. Integrated Summative Assessment: Integrated Assessment involves all the different types of assessment tasks required for a particular qualification, such as written assessment of theory and practical demonstration of competence. To achieve this, the Internal Assessment Criteria (IAC) for all modules as found in the QCTO curriculum document must be followed. An accredited skills development provider (SDP) should implement a well-designed, formal, relevant, final internal Summative Assessment strategy for all modules to prepare learners for the EISA. These assessments evaluate learning achievements relating to the achievement of each module of the relevant components of the qualification. Internal Summative Assessments are developed, moderated, and conducted by the SDP at the end of each module or after integration of relevant modules, e.g., applied knowledge tests, workplace tasks, practical demonstrations, simulated tasks/demonstrations, projects, case studies, etc. External Integrated Summative Assessment: The Quality Partner is responsible for the management, conduct, and implementation of the External Integrated Summative Assessment (EISA), in accordance with QCTO set standards. Competence in the EISA is a requirement for certifying a learner. For entrance into the EISA, the learner requires a valid Statement of Results issued by the accredited institution indicating: The attainment of all modules for the Knowledge, Practical, and Work Experience modules. Or The attainment of all modules for the Knowledge and Application Components. |
| INTERNATIONAL COMPARABILITY |
| The South African (SA) qualification was compared to qualifications in Australia and the United Kingdom.
Country: Australia Institution: TAFE Queensland Qualification Title: Certificate IV in Accounting and Bookkeeping NQF Level: Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) Level 4 Duration: Two years Entry Requirements: Purpose: This qualification prepares individuals for roles in the accounting and bookkeeping industry, equipping them with skills to perform duties such as preparing financial reports, maintaining accounting systems, and ensuring compliance with financial regulations. The qualification will target individuals seeking to start a career in accounting or bookkeeping, current employees aiming to formalize their skills, and small business owners managing their own financial records. The qualification has the following key subjects/modules: Similarities: Differences: Country: United Kingdom Institution: Kaplan United Kingdom Qualification Title: Diploma in Accounting NQF Level: Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF) Level 3 Duration: One year Entry requirements: Purpose: The purpose of the qualification is to provide technical training in accounting. The qualification covers a range of essential and higher-level accounting techniques and disciplines. It is designed for individuals who want to pursue a career in accountancy or finance, equipping them with the skills needed for financial processes, including maintaining cost accounting records and preparing reports and returns. The qualification is approved by the Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT). The qualification is intended for individuals seeking to advance their accounting knowledge, those aiming for roles such as Accounts Assistant or Finance Officer, and learners progressing towards full AAT membership. Qualification structure: The qualification covered the following key subjects/modules: Similarities: Differences: Conclusion: The South African National Occupational Certificate: Bookkeeper compares favourably with the selected international qualifications from Australia and the United Kingdom in terms of occupational relevance, practical competence development, and alignment to labour market needs. While the international qualifications may include more specialised modules in certain areas, the South African qualification stands out through its strong integration of workplace experience, structured progression from entry-level accounting, and a comprehensive focus on regulatory compliance, professionalism, and the development of entrepreneurial potential, making it highly relevant for both employment and self-employment in a developing economic context. |
| ARTICULATION OPTIONS |
| This qualification provides opportunities for the following articulation options.
Horizontal Articulation: Level 04. Vertical Articulation: Diagonal Articulation: |
| MODERATION OPTIONS |
| N/A |
| CRITERIA FOR THE REGISTRATION OF ASSESSORS |
| N/A |
| NOTES |
| Additional Legal or Physical Entry Requirements:
Criteria for the accreditation of providers The curriculum title and code is: National Occupational Certificate: Bookkeeper: 331301-000-00-00 Encompassed Trade: Assessment Quality Partner (AQP) Finance and Accounting Services Sector Education and Training Authority (FASSET). |
| LEARNING PROGRAMMES RECORDED AGAINST THIS QUALIFICATION: |
| When qualifications are replaced, some (but not all) of their learning programmes are moved to the replacement qualifications. If a learning programme appears to be missing from here, please check the replaced 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. |