Pharmacy Education Set For Improved Quality Assurance Under CHE And SAPC Agreement

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The agreement recognises the complementary statutory mandates of the CHE, as the quality council for higher education, and the SAPC, as the statutory professional body responsible for regulating pharmacy education, training and professional practice in terms of the Pharmacy Act, 53 of 1974.

Quality enhancement

Through the MoA, the two councils have committed to work together in a structured and coordinated manner to enhance the quality, relevance and responsiveness of pharmacy qualifications offered by higher education institutions.

The agreement seeks to reduce unnecessary duplication in quality assurance processes, provide greater clarity on roles and responsibilities, and ease the regulatory burden on higher education institutions offering pharmacy programmes, while ensuring that graduates are equipped with appropriate knowledge, skills, competencies, values and ethical grounding required for professional practice.

Commenting on the signing of the agreement, CHE CEO Dr Whitfield Green, said it marked an important step towards a more coherent quality assurance system.

“This agreement represents an important step in strengthening collaboration between the CHE and statutory professional bodies in the interest of a coherent and effective higher education quality assurance system.

“By working closely with the South African Pharmacy Council, we aim to enhance alignment, reduce duplication and ensure that pharmacy qualifications meet both national academic standards and the needs of professional practice and society,” Green said.

SAPC registrar and CEO, Vincent Tlala, welcomed the agreement, highlighting its significance for both the profession and the public.

“The memorandum of agreement affirms our shared commitment to safeguarding the quality and integrity of pharmacy education and training in South Africa.

"Through structured collaboration with the CHE, the SAPC will continue to ensure that pharmacy graduates are competent, ethical and well prepared to contribute meaningfully to the healthcare system and to the promotion of patient-centred pharmaceutical care,” Tlala said.

Key areas of collaboration under the MoA include:

• Alignment and cooperation in the accreditation and review of pharmacy programmes and qualifications.• Joint participation in the development and review of qualification and professional standards through Communities of Practice.• Collaboration on national and targeted quality reviews of pharmacy qualifications.• Information sharing and coordinated responses to identified quality concerns in pharmacy education and training.• Joint research, knowledge dissemination, conferences, and dialogue platforms on quality assurance matters in pharmacy education.• The development of communication protocols and joint communiqués on matters of mutual and public interest.

The agreement also establishes mechanisms to support collaboration, including the formation of a joint steering committee and agreed protocols to guide engagement, information sharing and conflict resolution.

It further emphasises the shared responsibility of the CHE, the SAPC and higher education institutions to produce competent, ethical, and socially responsive pharmacy professionals who can serve the healthcare needs of the South African population.

The agreement will be effective for five years and will be subject to regular review to ensure its continued relevance and impact.