A national qualification framework (NQF) is a systematic ladder of qualifications in a country’s education system. NQFs vary considerably as some only include information about a country's higher education system while others include the whole range of the educational system.
The African continent has a diverse panorama of qualifications frameworks (national and regional), marked by some dynamism, manifested by starting development of NQFs in some countries, or by the approval of NQF legal basis in other countries and review and renewal of certain aspects of the NQF or the RQF in a range of other countries.
Some of these countries have advanced in elaborating an integrated / comprehensive national qualifications framework, inclusive of all levels of qualifications from all sub-sectors (e.g.: The Gambia, Malawi and Mozambique). Eight countries are developing their NQFs, engaging stakeholders and different ministries in the consultation process.
The Handbook is also an advisory and informative document for associated users or interested individuals who may wish to use or learn more of the UAE arrangements with respect to the national framework of qualifications.