Training courses

Well, I've just completed four days of training to become a assessor in terms of SAQA, NQF, IDETP, and who knows what other letters of the alphabet. This outcomes based training in theory is great but in reality it is a flop. Why? Because just in one small aspect alone, if I assess you to be not yet competent (euphemistic way of saying you FAILED) I must be able to back up my decision if the learner appeals. Therefore I can see the vast majority of assessors merely competising (Africa loves to make verbs of words that have no verb) learners merely to get their assessor money quick and not have to be bothered with appeals; especially because there is no extra pay for going through the appeal process.

Why did I do this course? Because the Land Rover Owners Club needs assessors as very soon 'off-road driving licences' will be required to use one's four wheel drive vehicle where it was intended to be used. Not a bad idea I hear many of you saying; environmental impact, bunny huggers, green peace and all that. I agree. Yes, I agree. However, and here I should have used capital letters on the HOWEVER, and that is like every new law which South Africa seems intent on threatening us with (more of a Police State than it ever was during the heady days of the conservative apartheid era, there has to be enforcement. Who I ask with tears in my eyes is going to enforce me going off-road? Are we going to have traffic cops on scramblers and quads and Range Rovers (they wouldn't settle for anything less than big, black Range Rovers so they can look like government bigwigs), now not hiding behind bushes, but actually driving from one bush to another.

Anyway back to the training. If I see how much content the trainer ( whoops, f.a.c.i.l.t.a.t.or.) left out then I can only say I'm glad for her she doesn't get paid according to how much she actually taught us. Short cuts like it was going out of fashion. Glad I was not paying for the course. There will be some pretty poor assessing going on out there based on the content of that course. But surely I must be wrong SAQA and NQF and IDTEP or what ever says it met a standard. How can I say this? Well I have Shirley's knowledge and experience to compare it with. It's a daily part of life at home here with all the GIMT and NAMPAK and CIDA going on.

What is it with the world today that everything must be capital letters? What if we started to TYPE IN ONLY CAPITAL LETTERS, WOULD gimt AND saqa AND nqf SUDDENLY GO SMALL?

Let me enjoy my Landy before petrol gets so expensive I won't have to worry about the new proposes laws. On a lighter note will an off-road enforcement officer be known as a bush pig?