National Diploma: Public Finance Management and Administration

Programme Overview

Although the Local Government SETA is accredited to quality assure delivery of this qualification, a Memorandum of Understanding between LG SETA and the Public Service SETA allows PSETA to quality assure the qualification in the National and Provincial Government spheres, while LG SETA will quality assure Local Government providers. However, learner results from providers for the National and Provincial Government spheres will be uploaded and reflected against the LG SETA.

Purpose:

The purpose of the NQF level 5 Public Finance and Administration qualification is to provide a structured programme for public officials that work with senior management officials so as to provide support to strategic leadership and management needed to transform all spheres of government. The need for well-qualified efficient, client-oriented public officials is therefore identified as a priority in all the three spheres of government. The National Diploma in Public Finance Management and Administration (NQF level 5) is aimed at practitioners working in the public sector. It is a qualification in a career pathway towards an accomplished public finance management and administration specialist.

The National Diploma in Public Finance and Administration consists of exit level learning outcomes covering accounting reporting, administration, auditing, budgeting, economics, information systems, business calculations, risk management and legislative framework for the public sector. The competencies covered in the unit standards encapsulate the competencies required by public officials working at the operational level.

The qualification will therefore enhance the ability of the qualifying learner as a public finance official to perform the necessary financial administration tasks expected as well as improve management abilities. In this way, the qualification enhances transferability of skills within different spheres of the public sector. At the same time, a learner will gain a firm foundation required for studies leading to qualifications registered at NQF levels 6 and 7. All these enhance transferability of skills between the private and public sector.

With regard to the implementation of public financial management and administration reforms, the qualification serves, as a basis of an effective implementation process by defining and identifying those competencies required by technical public officials. The possession of relevant knowledge, skills and attitudes by technical public officials is crucial to the implementation of public sector financial management and administration reforms. Thus, the qualification contributes to the upliftment of the South African economy in line with the aims of existing skills development legislation through enhancing of skill levels of public sector employees.

Qualifying learners could follow a career within the Public Sectors in:
Financial Services.
Administration.
Management.
Accounting.
Project/Public Entity Management.