Criteria and Minimum Standards for the ACE

2006

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Programme Purpose

The Advanced Certificate in Education (ACE) is a 120 NQF credit, Level 6 qualification. Introduced by the Norms and Standards for Educators (February, 2000) as a replacement for the Further Diploma in Education, the ACE develops:

… further specialized subject/learning area/discipline/phase competence, or a new subject specialization in one or more of the roles as an advanced study intended to 'cap' an initial or general teaching qualification. Through this qualification learners will be prepared to embark on a course of study at NQF Level 7. It must, therefore, include appropriate demands in terms of rigour.

The ACE does not qualify candidates as professional educators in schooling, as admission to this programme requires applicants already to have a professional qualification. It is conceived of as a form of continuing professional education with the purpose of enabling educators to develop their competences and/or to change their career path and adopt new educator roles. The Report of the Standards Generating Body for Educators in Schooling (10 October 2001), describes the ACE as follows:

The ACE is a flexible Level 6 qualification aimed at providing educators with an opportunity of either updating, enriching and supplementing their existing knowledge in a particular area of specialisation or of changing their area of specialisation. The former might become necessary due to new developments in an area of study while the latter may be a response to changing national needs or a need for a change in career path. Access to the ACE is open to candidates who are already in possession of an approved Level 6 qualification in the field of education and training, and it creates additional opportunities for further study at Level 7.