eLearning Systems (Pty) Ltd, trading as eDegree, is a South African company specialising in partnering with both private and public institutions to ensure the dissemination of higher education qualifications and learning programmes in South Africa and throughout Africa. eDegree's role is in the management of these educational projects, the marketing thereof, and both online and classroom-based tuition. eDegree provides assistance regarding the dissemination of academic content, the facilitation of learner-to-learner and learner-to-lecturer e-communication, and the management of project logistics.

eDegree is a leader in the research, delivery and development of learning material for adult learners. We design and develop didactically-sound training material which is designed to improve the knowledge and skills levels of learners from all backgrounds.

eDegree has the organisational range of expertise to offer human resources that are unsurpassed. eDegree is based in Gauteng Province, but has the resources, infrastructure and personnel to offer services worldwide. Below is a synopsis of the profile and experience of eDegree:

Partnerships with local South African Universities

eDegree has completed a ten year project of rolling out across Africa online degrees (BCom, BML, LLB and MBA) in partnership with local South African universities. In these partnerships, eDegree was responsible for the development of online content, its delivery and support, as well as the logistics of delivery across a range of geographical areas.

The project terminated owing to a decision on the part of the South African government to alter legislation governing local public universities and to prevent local residential universities from offering distance education courses.

Open University

The Open University's BA (Hons) in Business Studies is distributed in South Africa and throughout Africa by eDegree. At the Open University, Europe 's biggest University, there are no entry qualifications for undergraduates - exit levels are more important than entry levels. Offering an innovative, accessible and stimulating introduction to the world of business, the qualification is academically challenging and vocationally relevant, covers the different business disciplines in marketing, accounting and finance, human resources and information management. The Open University's style of teaching is called ‘supported open learning' which entails support from a tutor and services that are available to all students. The first part of the BA (Hons) Business Studies constitutes a Certificate in Business Studies. This is a qualification in itself and an exit point, as is the second part of the BA (Hons) Business Studies, the Diploma in Business Studies.

NQF Support Link (in Public-Private Partnership with SAQA)

eDegree has been appointed as SAQA's publisher for the production, development, distribution and dissemination of the NQF Support Link, a strategic initiative of SAQA which is aimed at implementing the NQF in South Africa effectively and, thereby, effecting systemic change in the education system.

As well as distributing NQF Support Link materials, eDegree is developing new NQF Support Link products in collaboration with SAQA.

Department of Education (Western Cape) (WCED)

This project sees the collaboration of WCED and eDegree in the development of an online learning platform for schools and Further Education and Training (FET) colleges in the Western Cape. It provides support:

  • In subjects in which there is insufficient teaching capacity and resources
  • To out-of-school youth
  • To teachers

The virtual school and co llege offer a blend of content and facilitated learning, including virtual learner support, content provision, exam preparation support, educator support, educator development material. This provides a blend of self-paced learning with interactive multimedia content and synchronous facilitator-led virtual classroom learning.

Adult Basic Education and Training (ABET)

Since 1997, eDegree has been developing paper-based training material and facilitator guides in all 11 official languages on ABET levels 1 - 4 in all learning areas. Our multimedia programmes on CD-ROM enrich this offering. We also have extensive experience in the provision of effective ABET interventions gained through the national deployment of our ABET programmes within organisations such as:

  • African Explosives
  • Armscor
  • Department of Agriculture, Conservations, Environment and Land Affairs
  • Department of Foreign Affairs
  • Dept of Correctional Services
  • FOODBEV SETA
  • Gauteng Dept of Education
  • Insurance SETA (INSETA)
  • Joint Education Trust
  • Pick ‘n Pay
  • SASOL
  • Services SETA
  • SETA for Secondary Agriculture (SETASA)
  • The Salvation Army
  • Vametco Minerals
  • Wholesale & Retail SETA

To date, a number of short, online courses have been developed in partnership with:

  • Cell C
  • Ernst & Young
  • Hollard
  • Institute of Directors
  • Media such as Business Day, Financial Mail and Sunday Times
  • Nedbank
  • SACOB
  • Services SETA

Course topics include:

  • Corporate Governance, Risk and Ethics
  • Compliance Risk Management
  • Buy to Let (a property investment course)
  • How to Tender
  • It's my Franchise
  • It's my Business
  • Trading for Success (a stock market course)
  • Forex trading course
  • Responsible Retirement Fund Trustees
  • It's my Project Management
  • It's my Labour Relations
  • How to be a Successful Marketer (under development)
  • AIDS in the Workplace (under development)
  • It's my Career

Some of these courses attract student enrolments in excess of 3 000 learners.