ZQA seek to improve quality human resource
By Francis Maingaila
Lusaka (13-09-18) Zambia Qualifications Authority has introduced itself to the Human Resources Personnel and pledged not only to recruit highly qualified personnel with required qualifications.
ZQA Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Miriam Chiyaba told the Human Resources Officer that attended the meeting at Southern Son Hotel in Lusaka that the recruitment qualified official plays a vital role in the operation of the company.
She said ZQA will be evaluating the qualification held by prospective candidates before certifying the shortlisted workers fit for employment.
According to Chiyaba, ZQA wants the qualifications for potential employee to comply with the required standard of recruitment in the country in terms of uniformity for the avoidance of confusion.
Chiyaba was of the view that the required conditions for qualification should be in comparison with the local and internationally recognised standards.
“Since ZQA is mandated by law not only to promote learning, evaluate and scrutinise both training, we are responsible for setting standards of qualifications.”
She added that the recommended qualifications in Zambia will follow the three year tier as provided in the general education, trade and occupation and higher education qualification.
“The idea of this process is to enable all qualifications to be in harmony with each other and the ideal candidate have access, mobility and progression.”
She added that these trainings should be done under the supervision of the competent authorities as provided by the law that governs learning and training in Zambia.
She explained that the role of the authority is to development and manage qualifications as provided by the same law that gave birth to ZQA.
In order to manage the process, Chiyaba explained, ZQA has developed the Information System which is connected to other assessment organisations in the world that will enable smooth operation and identification of qualifications both local and international.
She said the qualifications that do not suit into the system will be deemed not available and the applicants will be rejected automatically.
Some of the institution ZQA collaborate with that are internationally accepted are Accelerated Programs for Economic Integration and United Nation Education Scientific Organisation, (UNESCO).
She said the Human Resources Profession is key in managing the resources in an institutions in so far as it bring qualified personnel in an institution.
She said ZQA will help the Human Resources Personnel to get qualified personnel through validation and evaluation processes of qualifications for ideal candidates saying this will enable the company both in private and public sector to have right people in right places.
Meanwhile ZQA Standards and Setting Manager one Fidelis Cheelo told the Human Resources Officers that attended the function that ZQA has designed knowledge and skills qualifications base expected of the people looking for employment.
According to Cheelo, the qualifications will help the industry in terms of comparative requirement that are in tune with the laid down standards in the frame work developed by ZQA.
He said there will be no equivalent qualifications that will accepted when the implementation of the standard qualification begin to be enforced.
He also said there are plans to find ways in which students that do A levels after completing grade twelve can be accepted in the system.