Mortician

The purpose of this qualification is to prepare a learner to operate as a Mortician. A Mortician communicates with and advises the bereaved; removes and prepares the deceased prior to refrigeration; completes documentation and conducts administrative functions; conducts coffining and visitation preparation; plans prepare and delivers a professional burial and exhumation service; and market self, organisation, products, and services. In addition, learner attributes include but are not limited to problem-solving, selecting and applying appropriate procedures; summarising and interpreting information from a range of sources, discussing the issues and reaching a resolution based on available information, and complying with ethical standards. A qualified learner will be able to: • Communicate effectively with the bereaved. • Remove and conduct pre-cooling preparation of the deceased. • Perform documentary and administrative functions relevant to the mortician. • Coffin and prepare the deceased for a visitation. • Provide professional burial and exhumation and marketing service.

The Occupational Certificate: Mortician expires in June 2023 and was therefore reviewed and aligned to meet qualification policy requirements. This qualification is needed due to the shortage of qualified Morticians that meet current transformational challenges in South Africa to address all types of cultures, customs, and religious services without any racial or ethnic biases. Key industry representative bodies, the National Funeral Directors Association, and the United Funeral Association of South Africa, (represented by nominated representatives), as well as a range of small, medium, and large funeral parlours from various provinces in South Africa, participated in the development and verification of this qualification. Typical learners of this qualification are those who are interested in providing professional funeral services to the bereaved. The Elementary Occupational Certificate: Mortician will contribute to the development of the learner by providing learners with the skills, knowledge, insights, and competence to enable them to provide professional burial and exhumation services, advice, and care to a range of customers. This occupational qualification will benefit the society, sector, and the economy as it provides a foundation in funeral services and practices that will allow persons to enter a formal career in the funeral services industry. It will promote professional standards and cost-effective services in the funeral sector and will assist in addressing the current challenges faced by the industry to provide new entrants to the industry to obtain a recognised national qualification. The typical occupations related to this qualification include embalming, beauty, and funeral-related occupations. Professional registration is not a requirement for this occupation or learning process.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL): RPL for Access: Learners may use the RPL process to gain access to training opportunities for a programme of learning, qualification, part-qualification, or skills programme if they do not meet the formal, minimum entry requirements for admission. RPL assessment provides an alternative access route into a programme of learning, qualification, part-qualification, or skills programme. Such an RPL assessment may be developed, moderated, and conducted by the accredited Skills Development Provider which offers that specific qualification/part qualification/skills programme. Such an assessment must ensure that the learner is able to display the equivalent level of competencies required for access, based on the NQF level descriptors. RPL for Exemption from Modules: For exemption from modules through RPL, learners who have gained the stipulated competencies of the modules of a programme of learning, qualification, part-qualification, or skills programme through any means of formal, informal, or non-formal learning and/or work experience, may be awarded credits towards relevant modules, and gaps identified for training, which is then concluded. RPL for Awarding Credits: Learners who have gained the stipulated competencies of the modules of a programme of learning, qualification, part-qualification, or skills programme through any means of formal, informal, or non-formal learning and/or work experience, may be awarded credits towards relevant modules, and gaps identified for training, which is then concluded. A valid Statement of Results is required for admission to the EISA in which confirmation of achievement is provided that all internal assessment criteria for all modules in the related curriculum document have been achieved. For a Skills Programme, the accredited Skills Development Provider (SDP) must ensure all modular competency requirements are met prior to the FISA and keep record of such evidence. Upon successful completion of the EISA/FISA, RPL learners will be issued with the QCTO certificate for the qualification, part-qualification, or skills programme. Quality Partners are responsible for ensuring the RPL mechanism and process for qualifications and part-qualification is approved by the QCTO. Entry Requirements: An NQF Level 2 qualification.

• Communicate effectively with the bereaved, including counselling.
• Remove and conduct pre-cooling preparation of the deceased.
• Complete documentation and administration relevant to the mortician.
• Coffin and prepare the deceased for a visitation.
• Plan, prepare and deliver a professional funeral/memorial service, including burial, cremation, or repatriation.
• Provide marketing and product services relevant to the mortician.