In 2012, the Quality Assurance Unit continued its trust to provide leadership for the development of a management system to support the achievement of financial stability and the delivery of world class examinations.

(i) Achieving financial stability

Focus was on defining a document control system to complement document management systems that were in need of revision to keep pace with expansion of ICT and the organisation’s business. As the quality management system emerged over the last three years, the portfolio of process documentation has increased and so too the need for standardised templates, version control and ease of access to documentation. The document control system leverages the organisation’s enhanced Information and communication technology to manage documents and to optimize divisional support for the Archives and Records Management Unit management of forms, records and other vital documentation.

In 2012, ICT was also leveraged to manage training resources, communication and submissions from Quality Champions who, for the first five months of the year, championed the development of the QMS via the provision of leadership for divisional initiatives. Easy-access repositories were setup for newly developed templates, procedures and process maps, quality resources and training materials for orienting and retraining staff. Via these resources, the three-hour face-to-face Module ‘Quality 104’ and bespoke small group sessions - especially to support the development and review of documentation, and capacity building continued in support of the organisation’s thrust to achieve through people.

(ii) Delivering world class examinations

Commencing in 2012, many of the Council’s processes, which had served the organisation through the development and early implementation of the CSEC, CAPE and CCSLC programmes were being systematically reviewed to support the efficient development and management of an expanding portfolio of quality examination products and services. Articulation and consistency between policies, processes, process documentation and records maintained were deemed to be touchstones of quality.

Most notable achievements in 2012 include the development of (i) an Information System Security Policy to support the maintenance of the integrity, confidentiality and availability of the Council’s information systems, (ii) a Social Media policy to provide guidance on employees’ use of social media, (iii) the revision of the Council’s procurement procedures, (iv) revision of the draft TVET policy and associated strategies (v) the development of document management procedures and templates and (vi)the development of frameworks for documentation to support the Council’s business development thrust and its management of its Human Resources.

Preparation for comprehensive audits of the following processes commenced in the last quarter of 2012: (i) Development of Syllabuses, (ii) Development of examinations, and (iii) Recruitment of examination personnel. The focus of the audits is on risk identification and mitigation, and in preparation for these audits, technical support was provided to owners who needed to augment and update their documentation. These three audits, with those of three other key processes are scheduled for completion in early 2013.