Johannesburg - A power struggle between two strong organisations in the residential property sector could have far-reaching consequences for the professionalisation of estate agents.
Differences between the Estate Agency Affairs Board (EAAB) and the Services Sector Education and Training Authority (Services Seta) over the new training syllabus for estate agents has resulted in the Services Seta withdrawing bursaries for learnerships worth million of rands.
Sake24 has confidentially ascertained that more than 1 000 bursaries worth some R9 000 each are at issue.
The organisations are disputing, inter alia, which has the legal right to accredit the training providers, as well as the standardisation of programmes and the training publication introduced earlier this year by the EAAB.
The EAAB currently falls under the Department of Trade & Industry, and the Services Seta under the Department of Labour.
The Services Seta wants to accredit the training providers because it reckons the board does not have the right to do so.
The board believes it has a role to play and that its training publication for a Level 4 qualification from the National Qualifications Framework, which sells at R490 a copy, should be compulsory.
The Seta considers that the publication should serve merely as a study aid.
Another important issue is that estate agencies have contributed to a skills development fund, which contributions are now being withheld.
- Sake24.com
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