By Johnathan Paoli
The Department of Higher Education and Training has confirmed that the National Accredited Technical Education Diploma (NATED) Report 190/191 N3 examination results will be standardised for the final time, marking a decisive step in the phasing out of South Africa’s long-standing NATED qualification framework.
The move represents a major turning point in the country’s technical and vocational education system, bringing closure to the lower levels of a programme that has shaped skills training for decades.
The final standardisation follows the formal phase-out of N1–N3 programmes, which came into effect in January 2024 in terms of Government Gazette 49518.
As part of this process, the October/November 2025 examination sitting was the last opportunity for candidates to write N3 examinations under the NATED system.
Quality assessment institution, Umalusi, will issue certificates for these final results, after which no new N3 examinations will be offered.
Beyond 2025, the department has indicated that administrative services related to N3 will be limited to the re-issue or replacement of existing certificates.
This effectively brings the lower NATED levels to a permanent close, ending new enrolments and assessments while preserving the integrity of qualifications already obtained.
Both the department and Umalusi have emphasised that all NATED certificates already issued remain valid, and that learners who have completed N1–N3 qualifications will not be disadvantaged by the withdrawal of the programme.
Employers, training institutions, and other stakeholders are expected to continue recognising these qualifications as legitimate legacy credentials within the national education system.
The phase-out of N1–N3 represents the conclusion of a technical education model that has historically provided structured theoretical instruction in engineering, business, and service-related fields.
These programmes formed the foundation of vocational training at public and private TVET colleges and served as entry points into higher NATED levels and diploma pathways.
However, the department argued that the NATED framework, particularly at the lower levels, has become increasingly misaligned with the needs of a modern and rapidly changing labour market.
The department pointed to limited workplace exposure, outdated curricula in some fields, and uneven assessment practices as key reasons for restructuring the system.
The closure of N1–N3 forms part of a broader reform agenda that will ultimately see all NATED programmes from N4 to N6 phased out and replaced by Occupational Qualifications overseen by the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations.
While N4–N6 programmes remain operational for now, the department confirmed that the system is in its final years and that no long-term continuation is planned.
New enrolments into NATED programmes will still be permitted for a limited period, but colleges are expected to stop accepting new registrations around mid-2026.
Some institutions may close enrolments earlier depending on capacity, staffing, and readiness to transition to the new system.
Students who are already enrolled in N4–N6 programmes will be allowed to complete their studies, provided they do so within the prescribed transition timeframe.
Under the department’s transition plan, the National N Diploma pathway will close permanently in June 2029.
By that deadline, students must have completed all required theoretical subjects across N4, N5, and N6, accumulated the necessary 18 months of workplace experience, and submitted all documentation for the award of the diploma.
Learners who fail to meet these requirements before the deadline risk exiting the system without a completed qualification.
The department warned that partial NATED studies will not be transferable into the new Occupational Qualifications framework, as the two systems are structurally different and do not merge.
This has placed increased pressure on current NATED students to plan their studies carefully and avoid delays that could jeopardise completion.
Occupational Qualifications are being introduced as the primary replacement for NATED programmes and are designed around competency-based training rather than theory-heavy instruction.
These qualifications include compulsory work-integrated learning and are developed with direct input from industry to ensure relevance to current labour market needs.
Occupational Certificates are aligned to the National Qualifications Framework and linked more clearly to apprenticeships, artisan development, and employment pathways.
For prospective students planning to study from 2025 onwards, the transition presents a choice between committing to the remaining NATED pathway within its closing window or enrolling directly into Occupational Qualifications that will remain in place long term.
Standardisation is a quality assurance process that uses statistical and analytical methods to ensure that examination results fairly reflect learners’ knowledge, abilities, and aptitude, by minimising the influence of external factors that could distort performance outcomes.
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