BRIDGING POLICY AND PRACTICE: A PROPOSAL FOR RPL RUBRIC REFORM AND OVERHAUL OF THE NATIONAL LEARNERS' RECORDS DATABASE (NLRD)

This working paper forms the academic foundation for the Parliamentary Submission titled “Bridging Policy and Practice: A Parliamentary Proposal on RPL Rubric Reform and the Overhaul of the National Learners’ Records Database (NLRD)” (DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17542140). The study analyses systemic gaps between Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) policy and institutional practice within South Africa’s post-school education system. Using documentary autoethnography and an evidence set comprising official correspondence from six universities, SAQA, and DHET (2021–2025), it exposes persistent inequities rooted in administrative constraints such as the 10 % RPL admission limit, 50 % credit-transfer ceiling, and incomplete learner records on the National Learners’ Records Database (NLRD). The paper proposes a dual-rubric model integrating the SmartBridge™ digital-governance system and the Knowledge Harvesting System (KHS) methodology to enable transparent, practice-based evaluation of learning achievements, including indigenous and workplace knowledge. The final Parliamentary version (6 Nov 2025) incorporates the official SAQA response (31 Oct 2025) confirming review of the restrictive 10 % rule and outlines a policy roadmap for the national audit and reform of the NLRD. Keywords: Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL); SmartBridge™; Knowledge Harvesting System (KHS); Epistemic Justice; National Learners’ Records Database (NLRD); Policy Reform; SAQA; CHE; DHET. Notes This document supports South Africa’s 2025 Parliamentary process on RPL and data-governance reform. It links to the following supplementary records:– Annex A: Proposed Practice-Based Matrices (DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17544965)– Annex B: National Learners’ Records Database (NLRD) Report – 15 September 2025 (DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17545630)– SAQA CEO Response (31 October 2025) [New record to be linked] Citation: Kabane, Gqira (Israel). (2025). Bridging Policy and Practice: RPL Rubric Reform and Overhaul of the NLRD. Stone of David Projects Primary Co-operative. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17542140