20 June 2023

TO:        NATIONAL DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

               PROVINCIAL DEPARTMENTS OF HEALTH

               NURSING EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS (NEIs)

               ALL STAKEHOLDERS

SUBJECT – PRESCRIBED LECTURER: STUDENT RATIOS FOR EDUCATION AND TRAINING OF NURSES

1. PURPOSE

The purpose of this circular is to share with the National Department of Health, Provincial Departments of Health, Nursing Education Institutions (NEIs) and relevant stakeholders about the revised Lecturer: Student Ratios in facilitation of theory and Work Integrated Learning (WIL).

2. BACKGROUND

2.1     The South African Nursing Council (SANC) is a statutory body which functions in terms of the Nursing Act, 2005 (Act No. 33 of 2005). It has a responsibility to establish, improve, monitor and control the conditions, standards and quality of Nursing Education & Training and Practice within the ambit of the Nursing Act and any other applicable laws.

2.2   The SANC engaged with Education and Training Stakeholders regarding the issue of                          Lecturer: Student Ratios because of the view that the current ratios are inadequate to meet the needs of the country and many students currently being admitted to higher education studies. It was also indicated that Nursing education and training has become very expensive considering that an increase in the number of students requires simultaneous increase in the number of Lecturers and other resources to ensure quality education and training. The benchmarking exercise was conducted with other countries including African countries in particular. Although there are variations, it became clear that other countries also have approved Lecturer: Student Ratios guidelines.

2.3     The Council deliberated on this matter in the ordinary meeting held on 30-31 March 2023 and resolved to approve the revised Lecturer: Student Ratios below.

Table 1 below depicts the revised ratios for undergraduate programmes for theory and Work Integrated Learning (WIL).

Table 1: Undergraduate programmes

Table 2 below depicts the revised ratios for Postgraduate Diploma programmes (Clinical and non-clinical) for theory and WIL.

Table 2: Postgraduate Diploma Nursing programmes

3. IMPLICATIONS

3.1       The Nursing Education Institutions must ensure that distribution of teaching workload is fair and realistic to ensure quality teaching. Other factors to be considered include e.g. the weighting of the modules in terms of credits.

3.2       Increase in student numbers is not automatic, Nursing Education Institutions must still apply for extension of accreditation scope as stipulated in Sub-regulation 7(1) of the Regulations Relating to Accreditation of Institutions as Nursing Education Institutions (Government Notice No. R.173 of 8 March 2013).

3.3       The Nursing Education Institution must have offered the programme for at least a year before applying for an increase in the number of students.

3.4       The Letter of Support is still required for utilization of clinical facilities in the public sector, especially where the clinical spaces are more than what was allocated.

3.5       The Memorandum of Agreement signed within the last five (05) years will still be valid except where the clinical placement spaces are increased more than what was approved in terms of the (MOA/MOU).

3.6       Situational analyses conducted within the last five (05) years are still valid except where there have been major changes in respect of the services offered.

For further information in respect of this Circular, you are advised to contact Ms SJ Nxumalo – Deputy Registrar at (012) 420 1059 or on e-mail at: jnxumalo@sanc.co.za

____________________

PROF NG MTSHALI

REGISTRAR AND CEO

SOUTH AFRICAN NURSING COUNCIL

DATE:  ___________________     

Click the link below to download the Circular as a PDF

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1June 2023

TO:        NATIONAL DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

               PROVINCIAL DEPARTMENTS OF HEALTH

               NURSING EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS

               ALL STAKEHOLDERS

This Circular serves as confirmation of the South African Nursing Council’s fees and fines as stipulated in the Government Gazette published on 26 May 2023. 

1. ANNUAL FEES FOR 2024
   • NORMAL ANNUAL FEES

 The annual fees for the calendar year 2024 for different categories of Nurse Practitioners are provided in the table below:

• REDUCTIONS IN ANNUAL FEES FOR AGE 60 AND OVER

The Council has resolved to introduce reduced fees for Nurses 60 years of age and over as per the table below:

• 60 TO 64 YEARS OF AGE ON 1 JANUARY 2024 (25% REDUCTION)

• 65 YEARS OF AGE AND OLDER ON 01 JANUARY 2024 (50% REDUCTION)

NB: To qualify for the discount amounts, Nurse Practitioners may be required to submit a certified copy of their identity document in order to confirm their age.

Notes:

• The annual fees for 2024 must be received by the SANC on or before 31 December 2023.
• The amounts in the tables above all include 15% VAT.

2. RESTORATION FEES FOR 2024

The restoration fees for different categories applicable from 1 January 2024 are shown in the following table.

Notes:

The reduced restoration fee only applies to a Nurse Practitioner:

• Who must have been removed from the register at his/her own request; or
• Who must be 60 years of age or older on 1 January 2024. However, this must be confirmed with the Council before paying the reduced amount.

3. VOLUNTARY REMOVAL

A Nurse Practitioner who no longer wishes to practise in South Africa or who is unemployed, may request, in writing, for a voluntary removal of his/her name from the register, by completing the form available from the SANC. If a voluntary removal is granted by the SANC, the Nurse Practitioner’s name will be removed accordingly on the 31^st of December of the year in which the application is received. Once removed, the Nurse Practitioner will no longer be required to pay annual fees while he/she is removed from the register.

If the Nurse Practitioner requires reinstatement onto the register, he/she will, in addition to paying the reduced restoration fee, be required to complete a Restoration Form which can be accessed from the SANC website, www.sanc.co.za. It must be noted that practising while not being registered is illegal.

4. CLOSING DATE FOR PAYMENT OF ANNUAL FEES

Please note that for the calendar year 2024, the closing date for the payment of annual fees is 31 December 2023. Payments must reach the SANC bank account on or before the closing date. You are, therefore, urged not to leave payment for the last minute to avoid problems associated with making payments at year end.

Remember: Bank transfers from non-FNB banks may take up to 3 working days and you are therefore advised to pay well in advance to meet the 31 December 2023 deadline.

5. OTHER FEES

Please note that Annual Nursing Education Institution fees are payable from the 01 October 2023 to the 31 December 2023. Other fees and fees payable by institutions will be applicable with effect from 01 January 2024.

6. PERSAL DEDUCTIONS

The signing of Resolution 3 of 2019 in September 2019 by the National Department of Health together with major trade unions in Public Health and Social Development Sectoral Bargaining Council (PHSDSBC), brought into effect the implementation of PERSAL deductions from the 2020 APC season for all employees falling under the scope of the PHSDSBC.

As a result of this agreement, affected Nurse Practitioners are urged not to pay the annual fees on their own as the employers are required to pay on their behalf in terms of Resolution 3 of 2019.  

7. eREGISTER

The SANC has made an eRegister facility available on the SANC website which can be utilised by employers to verify the registration status of all Nurse Practitioners in their employment. Employers are urged to utilise this facility in the absence of a physical Annual Practising Certificate (APC).

Visit: https://www.sanc.co.za/eRegister.aspx for more details.

8. COMMUNITY SERVICE PRACTITIONERS

Community Service Practitioners are not eligible to be issued with an APC, and therefore, should NOT pay annual fees. They MUST pay a conversion fee on completion of their Community Service in order to be registered as Nurse Practitioners using the REGFPRA registration fee code instead of ANLFEES (e.g. 12345678REGFPRA).

Yours sincerely

______________________________

PROF NG MTSHALI

REGISTRAR AND CEO:

SOUTH AFRICAN NURSING COUNCIL                 

Click the link below to download the Board Notice No. 48660

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