Accreditation represents approval granted by the Council of the NQA under Section 13 of the NQA Act that:

• specific courses offered by an education and training provider in Namibia meet acceptable standards
• the education and training provider has the ability to teach or deliver the specified courses, and
• he education and training provider has the ability to assess the performance of learners taking the specified courses.

Any education and training provider offering courses that lead to a qualification in Namibia may apply to the Council of the NQA to become accredited.  The provider may be a person, institution or organisation.  They must, however, be represented by or through a body corporate entity appropriately registered in Namibia.

Accreditation is not limited to conventional education and training providers.  Training centres, departments or institutes within companies, government departments and parastatals are eligible to seek accreditation for their courses.

(a)Certificate of Accreditation & Scope of Accreditation

• Accredited providers are required to display the Certificate of Accreditation issued by the NQA when accreditation has been confirmed.
• The Certificate will show the date on which accreditation will lapse.  Accreditation is not granted for more than three years at any one time.  Providers must apply for re-accreditation before the date shown on the certificate.
• Accreditation is granted for specified courses—the scope of accreditation.  The relevant scope must be displayed near the Certificate. 

(b)Government Gazette

• The information is also published in the Government Gazette.

(c)Enquiry Form

• Information can also be obtained from the NQA though an Enquiry Form available from the Office.
• This Enquiry Form may also be used to check with the NQA the quality assurance status of non-Namibia institutions and their qualifications.

Status of Provider

• NQA urges people to check the status of providers and courses BEFORE they enroll.
• NQA provides this service to the public to give information on the status of a provider and its courses (including providers from outside Namibia).  And, this service is FREE.
• NQA has an ENQUIRY FORM for people to use to find out the status of any provider.
• The forms may be obtained at Tel. +264 61 384100 or downloaded from NQA website – www.namqa.org by clicking on ‘resources’ under application forms.
• Complete form can be faxed to NQA (+264 61 384114), posted (P/Bag 13247, Windhoek) or delivered (44 Bismarck Street, Windhoek).
• This is a FREE SERVICE.
• NQA will respond in writing WITHIN ONE WEEK.
• It is better to find out BEFORE enrolling with a provider.

What are some of the criteria looked at when accreditation is granted to the Provider?

Quality is the key factor in all the work of the NQA. The NQA is committed to ensuring quality qualifications are available to all in Namibia. 

Not only do we try to do this through establishing the National Qualifications Framework but in also quality assuring providers and the delivery of their courses and programmes.

In granting accreditation, the Council of the NQA must be assured that an applicant meets the standards for delivery of a course or courses and the assessment of the performance of people taking a course or courses set by the NQA.

In looking at the application, attention is given to such things as:

• The processes for designing courses – stakeholders must be used
• The governance and management structure
• Proof of financial viability
• The recruitment of staff – they must have the necessary qualifications and experience, and they must keep up-to-date
• Learning facilities and resources – they must be appropriate and adequate to the type of the course – and they must stimulate learning
• Systems for managing quality
• Systems for monitoring the delivery of courses
• Guidance and assistance available to learners
• Assessment systems and record systems

What value does Accreditation has?

(a)  The Providers gain:

• external checks that they and their courses are of high quality
• an enhanced reputation in Namibia and the region
• wider acceptance of their qualifications
• Possible access to additional sources of funding or student subsidies.

(b)  The Learners will:

• gain an assurance of the quality of the course they are enrolling in and that the outcomes of that learning will likely be recognised by employers or other providers
• gain an assurance that the provider has good learner support systems
• likely be able to move more freely between accredited institutions and have their previous learning recognised or cross-credited.

(c)  The Industry and the Professions gain:

• greater confidence in the quality of education and training courses offered in Namibia
• opportunities to work more closely with providers in the design and evaluation of courses.