Training Provider Registration

The NTA officially launched the Regulations for the Registration of Vocational Education and Training Providers in March 2013, following the official publication thereof in the Government Gazette in December, 2012, (Notice 300).

The formulation and gazetting of the Regulations was a decisive and bold step towards a regulated, systematic approach to secure the sustainability and currency of training in Namibia, and to counter some of the symptoms of our training market, inter alia:

• Training providers which charge money for training and later on close down for undetermined reasons, fleecing monies from unsuspecting trainees;
• Training providers which charge exorbitant fees, but offer non-effective training, leaving trainees with no skills to competitively enter the job market;
• Training providers run by unqualified and underqualified managers and trainers;
• Training providers which lack the required human and infrastructure resources;
• Training providers which train in areas for which there is no demand; and
• Institutions with little or no understanding of the concept of quality in training.

Training providers, public and private, submit applications towards acquiring official registration status to the NTA’s  Registration, Monitoring and Support (RMS) Division. Amongst others, the application process involves the submission of evidence against a wide range of criteria. In order to assist a training provider that has applied for registration or has been registered, the NTA may provide, as determined by the Board, technical and professional advice and financial support to the training provider.

Quality officers perform an important role in this regard. Through site visits, they assess an applicant’s facilities, infrastructure and training staff qualifications. Amongst others, an application must be accompanied by:

• such supporting documents as the NTA may request in writing;
• written evidence by the applicant that the applicant complies with all legal requirements relating to the health and safety of persons on the premises; and
• written proof by the applicant that: a) the income of the applicant is or will be sufficient to sustain its training programmes; b) the applicant has established financial surety or guarantees to ensure that the applicant will meet its obligations to its enrolled learners and services; and c) if applicable, the training provider has already been accredited by the NQA, and is offering vocational education and training programmes.

These and other requirements are detailed in the registration regulations.

In considering an application for registration as a training provider, the Standards, Assessment and Certification Council (SACC), which meets on a quarterly basis, evaluates all the information and declarations provided by the applicant and any other relevant information. The SACC also considers the NTA’s evaluation reports which accompany the applications. The Council further considers whether, if registered, the applicant will in all its vocational education and training programmes maintain acceptable standards and whether the applicant has met all other relevant requirements in terms of the proposed vocational education and training programmes and qualifications it is to offer.

If the SACC has notified the CEO that it has approved an application, the CEO must forthwith register the applicant concerned as a training provider and must within 21 days after such registration issue, subject to regulation 9, and against payment of the appropriate non-refundable certificate fee charged by the NTA as contemplated in section 33(1) of the Act, to the applicant a certificate of registration; and record such registration in a computerised vocational education and training provider’s register to be kept at the NTA. In the event of the SACC notifying the CEO that it has not approved an application, the CEO will inform the applicant in writing, stating the reasons thereof.

The VET Act  and the regulations empower the NTA, as the agent of quality standards in Vocational Education and Training to identify instances of non-compliance, and to issue sanctions and/or penalties, if these are not rectified within a stated period.

Once granted official training provider registration status by the NTA’s Standards, Assessment and Certification Council (SACC), the training provider will comply with a periodic evaluation by the NTA at intervals to be determined by the NTA; and any other reasonable process arranged by the NTA after consultation with the training provider for the purpose of monitoring compliance with the requirements of the Act and the regulations.

Provision is made for a range of sanctions, escalating from enforceable undertakings and additional conditions on registration, through to cancelling the registration of a training provider.

As such, the NTA may:

• Amend, shorten, and/or revoke registration;
• Impose conditions on a registration;
• Issue directions under the legislation for an organisation to take specific steps or refrain from doing certain things;
• Issue infringement notices as an alternative to prosecution; and/or
• Prosecute organisations that breach the legislation.

Every registered training provider must within six months after the date of first registration as such and thereafter within three months after the anniversary date of registration, submit a report to the NTA. Amongst others, such a report must contain:

• A detailed overview of major achievements and challenges of the training provider;
• A register of learners enrolled in approved training programmes;
• Any anticipated changes to training programmes; and
• Internal audit reports aligned with criteria as per the NTA’s self-evaluation form.

The NTA keeps a detailed register of all training providers to whom the SACC has granted official registration status. This register also includes lists of unregistered and deregistered training providers.

Visit our registration portal to access the list of registered training providers and their course offerings and contact details.

Registered Training Provider Portal

The NTA’s Registration, Monitoring and Support (RMS) Division administers all training provider registration applications, whereas quality assurance auditors render technical and monitoring support to applicants.

Should you need any assistance in this regard contact us at: 061 2078 557/533/595 or registration@nta.com.na