Abstract
M.Comm.
The lack of black chartered accountants after 16 years of democracy in South Africa has drawn wide attention, especially due to the noteworthy efforts made by the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA) to address this concern. One of the most significant initiatives introduced by SAICA to address this concern is arguably the Thuthuka Programme, the main aim of which is to improve the accounting qualification of blacks by addressing the issues affecting them.
Even though the programme is more often than not argued to be effective, research has shown that all programmes have to be continuously assessed in order to remain successful. However, being constantly assessed would require that the programme is tested for effectiveness after taking into account all the most recent factors. The chartered accountancy profession in South Africa is to experience a significant development by the introduction of a new competency framework that will become effective in 2013. The framework sets out detailed guidelines for the required level of competency that an entry level trainee is required to have. This framework, if not taken into consideration, could negate the purpose of the Thuthuka programme, since it could result in even fewer blacks qualifying due to inadequate preparation for them to meet these requirements.
The objective of this minor dissertation is therefore to use the SAICA competency framework to evaluate the Thuthuka programme in its current form. The research methodology followed a structured approach, comprising, first, a literature study and, second, an empirical study. The research instrument used was a questionnaire that was based on the competencies identified in the competency framework. All of the undergraduate students in the Thuthuka programme at the University of Johannesburg made up the sample on which the research was based, which tested and analysed the current levels of competency that they have gained from being part of the programme.
The results suggest that the programme is generally effective in this regard, as is evidenced by the general improvement for each competency, as the students move from their first year of study to their third year. The results further identified that while first- and second-year students are often not adequately competent as required by the competency framework, third-year students are adequately competent in all the overall competencies.