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MOTHEO FET COLLEGE TO GO ISO9001:200

The Quality Management Unit recently obtained a grant of R120,000  from the Mining Qualification Authority to implement the internationally recognised ISO 9001:2000 quality management system at the college. A contract has been concluded with KUSILE Consulting Services to assist the college in the exercise and the process is due to start early in 2006. Once the system is fully functional the college will be audited by the South African Bureau of Standards and, if found competent, be accredited by the SABS.

The immediate question on everyone’s mind will be: “How will the college benefit from this?”

The benefits to the college are bound to be significant in that it will have implemented a comprehensive total quality management system that enjoys international recognition. This implies that qualifications obtained by our students will be more readily recognised both inside and outside the borders of South Africa.

The college will also find it immensely easier to receive programme accreditation from the various SETAs in that there seems to be a trend towards ISO 9001:200 by many SETAs as an accreditation requirement. It is also obvious that this will also assist us to gain full provider accreditation from UMALUSI.

Once accredited by the SABS we will also be able to use their logo in our marketing material. This, together with a claim to be ISO 9001:2000 compliant, will greatly enhance our marketing efforts and lend greater credibility to our qualifications in the world of work, a very necessary marketing ploy in an area where we have to compete with private institutions for customers.

It must however,  also be pointed out that the introduction of the ISO 9001: 200 quality management system will make greater demands on Management, staff and students to comply fully and to adhere to the requirements of the system. It will be especially crucial for Management to enforce the system vigorously at all levels and to actively participate in the quality management processes of the system.  Failure to do so will inevitably result in a collapse of the system and the resultant negative impact on the college, e.g. loss of SABS accreditation and even loss of programme accreditation from some SETAs.

It is thus obvious that while the system holds many advantages for the college, it also requires total commitment from every stakeholder. It must be understood that this is not an exercise that is seated only in the Quality Management Unit and therefore its responsibility only; no, this is a system that must be owned by everyone.

The second question that will most probably arise is: “What is ISO9001:2000?” Let me try and give you a brief summary.

The International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) is a worldwide federation of standards bodies. The standards developed are geared towards assessing institutions’ abilities to meet customer, regulatory and the college’s own particular needs and requirements. In essence the standards advocate a process approach to quality management. This enhances the eventual output in that there is constant control over and linkages between the various processes which function individually and in combination to achieve the desired results, in other words, the sum total of all the activities that will determine the college’s ability to meet and satisfy the needs of its customers, internal and external.

ISO 9001:2000 bases effective quality control on eight quality management principles:

·          Customer focus – the end result of all processes must result in a fully satisfied customer.

·          Leadership – top management must actively lead and enforce the systems, policies, processes and procedures that constitute the quality management system. If management support is lacking the system will fail.

·          Involvement of people – the active involvement of all relevant stakeholders in the design of the system, their active buy-in and belief in the system is crucial to success.

·          Process approach - processes function either individually or in combination to achieve the desired results.

·          System approach to management – provides constant control and overview of processes in order to intervene quickly and remedy problems as they arise.

·          Continual improvement – ongoing evaluation and assessment of all components and factors in order to improve the level and quality of service and product delivery.

·          Factual approach to decision making – decisions are based on and informed by well researched, verifiable information

·          Mutually beneficial supplier relationships – everyone must benefit positively.

In conclusion, ISO standards do not intend to prescribe or enforce a uniform quality management systems method; instead, they determine specific elements that such a system must contain for compliance and certification. In other words, they determine the framework around which the college will construct its quality systems according to its specific requirements.