Background to the Directorate

The Directorate: Quality Assurance was established in August 2005.  Between 1997 and 2005 the Quality Assurance functions were managed by the Directorate: Human Resource Development.

While the introduction of Quality Assurance activities into the education system in South Africa was originally necessitated by the need to evaluate the performance of the system and to evaluate institutions, the current mandate of Quality Assurance is far broader and is tasked with:

• Managing the introduction and co-ordination of all Quality Assurance Management Systems in the WCED

   

• Conducting, promoting and quality assuring the Monitoring and Evaluation of policies, systems programmes and projects in the WCED

   

• Creating Monitoring and Evaluation systems/tools/instruments which enable the WCED to collect relevant data

   

• Ensuring reporting on findings and recommendations

   

• Co-ordinating accountability systems in the WCED

   

• Providing support to WCED officials in the development and use of monitoring and evaluation instruments and

   

• Implementing the integrated quality management system for the support of educators (developmental appraisal and performance measurement) and institutions (the process of "whole school evaluation").

Vision and Mission of the Directorate

Vision The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) is an organization in which there is a quality improvement and accountability mindset (culture), and in which monitoring, evaluation, review and continuous improvement & creative solution-seeking are normal managerial processes.  These foci enhance the relationship between quality and equality. Mission Our mission is to: Build a quality culture throughout the education system. Set up and maintain a coherent, co-ordinated Quality Assurance Management System in the WCED. Provide an effective, value adding Monitoring and Evaluation service to the WCED. Independent Quality Assurance processes, which include Monitoring Evaluation Reporting Review Verification Corrective Measures Business Process Mapping (Quality Management Systems)