Processes and Procedures

Gambia Skills Qualifications Framework

 Code of Conduct

for

External, Internal Moderation

and

Assessment Practice

“Making Skills Work”

 Introduction

 One of the aims of the National Training Authority is to ensure quality and credible locally attained Gambia Skills Qualifications with international recognition. Quality may be said to be a generic term used to include a number of key aspects of established procedures on mode of operations of an NTA GSQ Accredited Centre.

 The range of outcomes expected of an NTA accredited centre are therefore not limited to inclusive assessment procedures that offer participation, equity and reliable standardization. It also embodies systems which provide efficient recording and evaluation. Centres are also expected to have a team of well-informed, committed and supported tutors, sufficient in number for the planned GSQ provision.

 In order to achieve this, NTA requires all stakeholders including GSQ trainees, Assessors, Internal Verifiers, Centre staff and External Moderators to commit themselves to the following code of conduct.

The NTA GSQ Code of Conduct

 For

  NTA GSQ Trainees, Assessors, Internal and External Moderators.

 In general, individuals should be guided by the highest possible standards of personal integrity, professional competence, sound judgment and discretion whilst fulfilling their respective roles as trainee, provider, assessor or verifier and in particular:

 Role of the NTA External Moderator

 Acting on behalf of the NTA for the quality assurance of NTA GSQs External Moderators must:

• Regard the needs and best interests of the client and NTA as of the utmost importance and take this into account in all their dealings
• Ensure not to make any misleading claims and must be prepared to provide evidence of competence where required to do so by NTA
• Be aware of the Data Protection Act.
• Not disclose privileged information obtained during the course of their work to any third party.
• Provide honest and truthful advice to clients to the best of their ability.
•  Not act or communicate in any discriminatory manner and should be fully committed to the implementation of equality of opportunities in both service delivery and staffing matters.
• Disclose any relationship or interest which could, or be seen by others to influence their professional integrity or objectivity
• Avoid any action or situation which is inconsistent with their professional obligation or which may impair their integrity.
• Where circumstances result in a situation which is inconsistent with their professional obligations or which might cause a conflict of interest, it is the responsibility of the external moderator to investigate the source and immediately report the matter to the Assessment and Certification  Specialist of the NTA.
• Refrain from discussing other external verifiers or NTA personnel in a derogatory manner
• Not seek to further their own interest in any way and at all times represent NTA with professionalism.

Role of Assessor/Internal Verifier

 In working at either of the above capacities, the NTA expects the Assessor/Internal Verifier to effectively and efficiently execute his/her role in such a manner to ensure client and user involvement, participation and ownership. 

It is the responsibility of the assessor to: 

• Plan and prepare assessment in consultation with the candidate
• Prepare the candidate
• Conduct the assessment
• Make a judgment
• Provide feedback to candidate
• Record the assessment
• Review the assessment

In carrying out his/her duties, the assessor must adhere to the highest degree of standard and personal integrity. Assessments must be conducted with due care and diligence and adherence to assessment principles   including but not limited to fairness; validity; reliability; appropriateness; integration of work and learning, manageability; and authenticity.

 It is the responsibility of the Internal Verifier to ensure that: 

• Assessment is appropriate, consistent, fair and transparent and does not unintentionally discriminate against the learner
• Ongoing advice and support is received by tutors/assessors
• Assessment requirements are clearly understood by learners who are also to be given opportunities to generate enough evidence to enable them achieve any assessment
• Evidence of learner achievement is clearly mapped to the assessment criteria
• Work is presented in a manner that supports effective verification
• All awards of credit are valid, reliable and consistent

All internal verifiers must have an understanding of quality assurance and internal verification arrangements must include but not limited to:  

1.      A person appointed and charged with the responsibility of coordinating the internal verification process

2.      a planned structure for internal verification that incorporates all of the centre’s GSQ provision

3.      An annual timetable for internal verification that has been agreed. The timetable should also including internal verification meetings

4.      list of all those involved with clearly defined roles and responsibilities

5.      Sampling of assessed work

6.      standardization of assessed work

7.      full and clear records

8.      Action plans

9.      Evaluation and review

10.  To have an appeals procedure in place and continuous review  

The Internal Verifier’s work is subject to review by the External Verifier. 

The Trainee/ Candidate / Assessee 

The candidate is responsible for: 

l      Selection of evidence

l      Consider standards and plan activities

l      Change in working practices

l      Generating evidence

l      Presenting evidence

l      Comply with any rules and regulation of their centre in which they are trained and/or assessed.

l       Comply with the ethics of the NTA as may from time to time be expected of any GSQ trainee or candidate for assessment. 

Natural Justice and Appeals 

The GSQF defines appeal as: 

The right of a candidate who is aggrieved by an assessment or other operational decision to appeal to the NTA in writing (email is acceptable).  However, it must be noted that appeals are not just made by students. They can come from anyone affected by a decision. For the purpose of this document, appeals can be launched by

·        a candidate against an assessor’s decision or the training centre itself.

·        The Training Centre against an External Moderator’s report or NTA sanction.  

A Candidate appealing against an Assessment Decision: 

Where a candidate is not satisfied with the decision of an assessor, the GSQF policy guidelines must be followed.  

1.      Initially the candidate should appeal in writing to their assessment administration centre stating their grievance. 

2.      The appeal should be sent no longer than 2 weeks after receiving the aggrieved assessment results or the aggrieved operational decision.

3.      The assessment administration centre should investigate the grievance and respond in writing to it within 2 weeks of its receipt.  A copy of the response should be forwarded to the Quality Assurance Director of the NTA.

4.      If the individual is not satisfied with the assessment administration centre’s response they have the right to appeal directly to the Quality Assurance Director of the NTA within 2 weeks.

5.      The NTA should investigate the matter and give a reasoned response to the aggrieved individual within 2 weeks of first hearing of the grievance.  This decision is final. 

A Centre appealing against an External Moderation Report or NTA Sanction. 

Where a centre is not satisfied or thinks that the report of an external moderator is not fair or does not reflect the reality that may lead to sanctions imposed by the NTA, the centre can appeal as follows:  

1.      Initial appeal in writing to the Assessment and Certification unit of the NTA

2.      The appeal should be sent no longer than 2 weeks after receiving the aggrieved moderation report or the aggrieved operational decision.

3.      The NTA should investigate the grievance and respond in writing to it within 2 weeks of its receipt.  A copy of the response should be forwarded to the Quality Assurance Director of the NTA.

4.      If the Training Centre is not satisfied with the A & C team response, they have the right to appeal directly to the Standards and Lead Body within 2 weeks.

5.      The Lead Body should investigate the matter and give a reasoned response to the aggrieved individual within 2 weeks of first hearing of the grievance. The decision shall be final. 

Comments and Complaints 

If anyone wish to make a comment or a complaint about the quality; nature or delivery of services by the NTA or a centre you can either, discus your concerns with a member of staff or you can contact the A & C team of the NTA. 

Adherence to policy 

It is the responsibility of all centres to adhere to this policy of conduct and also make sure that candidates are aware of its existence,