SAQA

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 THAT HAS PASSED THE END DATE:

General Education and Training Certificate: Horticulture

SAQA QUAL ID	QUALIFICATION TITLE
49668	General Education and Training Certificate: Horticulture
ORIGINATOR
SGB Ornamental Horticulture and Landscape
PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY			NQF SUB-FRAMEWORK
AgriSETA - Agriculture SETA			OQSF - Occupational Qualifications Sub-framework
QUALIFICATION TYPE	FIELD		SUBFIELD
National Certificate	Field 01 - Agriculture and Nature Conservation		Horticulture
ABET BAND	MINIMUM CREDITS	PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL	NQF LEVEL	QUAL CLASS
Undefined	131	Level 1	NQF Level 01	Regular-Unit Stds Based
REGISTRATION STATUS		SAQA DECISION NUMBER	REGISTRATION START DATE	REGISTRATION END DATE
Passed the End Date - Status was "Reregistered"		SAQA 06120/18	2018-07-01	2023-06-30
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT		LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2024-06-30		2027-06-30

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 does not replace any other qualification and is not replaced by any other qualification.

PURPOSE AND RATIONALE OF THE QUALIFICATION

Purpose:

This qualification provides learners with a firm foundation of portable skills with which to enter the horticultural industry in its broadest sense, or if already employed in the industry, be able to look forward to a career path in any sector of the industry.

A Learner achieving this qualification will be able to work effectively and productively within the field of horticulture knowing:

The basic differences between the various plants.

How plants are categorized.

How to prepare the soil for planting.

How to grow, handle and care for plants.

How to apply water to planted areas correctly.

The principles of health and safety are embedded in all the learning aspects of the qualification.

The qualification addresses an urgent industry needs to skill its workforce, to produce and maintain high quality plants and landscapes.

One of the first impressions that a tourist has of a country, is the beauty of its parks, gardens and sports facilities. This qualification aims to introduce and consolidate world class standards of horticultural excellence to enhance South Africa as a tourist destination. The resultant spin-offs will have a positive impact on job creation and economic empowerment in the country.

Rationale:

This qualification is aimed at those people with limited formal education. It represents a strategic development in the career and learning pathway of individuals, both from a vocational point of view, as well as from a learning point of view.

For those wishing to enter the industry, whether they are unemployed or as an Entrepreneur, this qualification offers a solid foundation of all aspects in the horticultural industry including:

Landscape construction and maintenance

Amenity horticulture

Sportsturf

Arboriculture

Plant propagation

Interior plantscaping

Retail nurseries

Floristry

As the core is generic to all the above sectors of the horticultural industry, the qualification embodies the principle of portability and forms the base for any future learning. Accordingly, this will facilitate the employment of learners within the industry.
This qualification addresses both the current and future needs of horticulture in South Africa
The qualification is accessible to the learner, in both the urban and rural environs. The varied scope illustrates the multiple vocations that are available.

LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING

The industry will encourage potential Learners to embark on this qualification as it has universal relevance to the industry and is nationally recognized. Learners who would like to access this qualification should have demonstrated competency in Communication and Numeracy at ABET Level 3.

Recognition of prior learning

The qualification may be achieved in part or as a whole through the Recognition of Prior Learning.

RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING?

QUALIFICATION RULES

This qualification consists of a minimum of 131 credits, composed of:

Fundamental: 41

Core: 65

Electives: 25

EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES

1. Apply the principles of health and safety in the horticultural environment.

2. Understand the structure of plants and the functions of their various components.

3. Demonstrate an understanding of the necessity of water for plant growth.

4. Describe the amount of water to be applied at the most suitable frequency to ensure the healthy growth and development of plants.

5. Identify the soil types that commonly occur in landscaped areas.

6. Propagate ornamental plants from seed.

7. Conduct the care of ornamental seedlings.

8. Plant and establish ornamental plants from containers into open ground.

9. Mulch and enrich the soil in established landscapes.

ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

The provisions of the health and safety act, as they relate to horticulture are described.

The duties and responsibilities of employers and employees to provide and maintain a safe working environment are explained.

2.

The role of the leaf in the structure and growth of a plant is explained.

The functions of the roots and stems, in the structure and development of a plant are described.

The role that the flower has in the reproductive process of a plant is explained.

3.

The necessity of water for the growth and development of plants is described.

The factors that affect the water requirements of plants are descried.

The importance of watering seedlings and newly transplanted material is explained.

4.

The ideal times and rates of application for watering are described.

The scheduling of watering to meet the seasonal and climatic conditions are explained.

5.

The classifications of topsoil and subsoil are explained.

The various soil types are described.

The necessity of tilling and enriching the soil before planting is explained.

6.

The preparation of the seed bed and the manual sowing of seed are demonstrated.

The monitoring and controlling of the germination environment is described.

7.

The maintenance and 'growing on' of seedlings is described.

The 'pricking out' of seedlings and the cultural care, prior to the transplanting stage is described.

8.

The procedures for the preparation and planting of ornamentals are described.

The backfilling, firming and leveling of the soil is described.

The initial care that the plants require is explained.

The procedures for the preparation and planting of annual is described.

9.

The materials used in mulching and the benefits derived are described.

The role that organic material plays in soil enrichment is explained.

The function of chemical fertilizers in soil enrichment of established plantings is explained.

Integrated assessment:

The integrated assessment allows the Learners the opportunity to show that they are able to utilize concepts, ideas and actions across unit standards. This will allow Learners to achieve competency that is in keeping with the purpose of the qualification.

An integrated assessment will indicate how theoretical learning is demonstrated in a practical environment in such a way that the application of the work learnt becomes second nature.

In conducting an assessment, the quality of the performance must also be evaluated i.e. both the performance and the thinking behind the action must be qualitative.

The assessment should include both formative and summative options and should use various assessment tools i.e. not by observation only. It is suggested that a Portfolio of Assessment form part of the summative assessment, with practical outcomes being demonstrated in a simulated or real work place situation.

A broad range of task-orientated and theoretical tools may be used, with the distinction between practical knowledge and disciplinary knowledge being maintained.

Unit Standards in the qualification must be used to assess the specific and Critical Cross Field Outcomes. It is recommended that the assessment tools give Learners the opportunity to account for their decision-making and problem solving in line with the Specific Outcomes and related Assessment Criteria.

As a result of this qualification being generic in forming the foundation for a career in horticulture, Learners should be assessed in occupational contexts and activities. The assessment should ensure that the foundational skills are portable and prepare them for further learning, whatever career path they may choose.

INTERNATIONAL COMPARABILITY

Comparisons of the unit standards from the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand, indicate similarities in general horticultural practices. However, given the climatic conditions relative to the countries from which the comparisons were done, deviations in content are unavoidable.

The horticultural qualifications in the United Kingdom and New Zealand begin at level 2, but much of their content is similar to that covered in this qualification.

Examples of comparable qualifications from the United Kingdom include:

Amenity horticulture: L2 reference 100 / 2393 / 8

Production horticulture: L 2 reference 100 / 2392 / 6

Certificate in horticulture: L 2 reference 100 / 4284 / 2

Certificate in gardening: L 2 reference 100 / 4231 / 3

Australia has horticultural qualifications from level 1. Due to the structure of their markets, and their production methodologies, many of the unit standards are also used in their agricultural qualifications.

To ensure portability and general applicability, the South African level 1 and 2 horticultural qualifications are generic. Specialisation into the diverse fields occurs at level 3 and above. Australia however has elected to specialise from level 1.

The following Australian qualifications were examined, and the notable similarities are:

1. Registration No RUH10298 - Certificate 1 in Horticulture (Arboriculture)

This level 1 qualification covers the practices and procedures used in tree establishment and basic pruning.