The KwaZulu‑Natal College of Nursing has received approval from the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) NQF Qualifications Committee to offer a Bachelor of Nursing at NQF Level 8 with a minimum of 480 credits, the KwaZulu‑Natal Department of Health said on Monday.
Direct route to higher study and specialisation
The department said the new degree will provide a stronger and more direct academic pathway for nurses who wish to progress into postgraduate study and specialist programmes. Under the previous arrangements, nurses generally had to complete lower‑level qualifications before advancing academically. The Bachelor of Nursing now puts graduates at NQF Level 8, which the department said places them in a more advantageous position for further study.
Health MEC Nomagugu Simelane welcomed the SAQA decision and congratulated the college’s management and staff for their work in training nurses. She underlined the significance of the announcement occurring during Women’s Month, noting the predominance of women in the nursing profession and praising their role in care provision.
"[I]t bears testimony to the excellent work that is being done by the management and staff of the college, who continue to ensure that we produce nurses who are well equipped to serve our people," Simelane said during an official KZN Health Chat podcast.
Policy background and transition
The approval follows a multi‑year transition in which public nursing colleges have been integrated into the higher education framework. That process began in 2015 and, by 2019, the KZN College of Nursing was among ten public nursing colleges designated to offer qualifications including bachelor's degrees under the revised framework set to come into effect from 2020. The department did not specify the date the college submitted the specific Bachelor of Nursing qualification for SAQA consideration.
The milestone recognises both the college’s administrative work to meet qualification standards and a broader national effort to raise the academic level of nursing training in the public sector.
- Qualification: Bachelor of Nursing
- NQF level: 8
- Minimum credits: 480
- Institution: KwaZulu‑Natal College of Nursing
| Year | Policy milestone |
|---|---|
| 2015 | Start of transition to new nursing qualifications |
| 2019 | KZN College named among ten public colleges designated for higher education qualifications |
| 2020 | New higher education framework implementation target |
Implications for learners and the health system
The department said the degree will better prepare graduates for advanced study and specialisation, which could support staffing needs in specialised clinical services. It also signals a shift in how public nursing colleges align with universities and the broader higher education sector.
Simelane used the announcement to call for a more representative nursing workforce, encouraging greater male participation in what she described as a "women‑intensive profession". The statement highlights both workforce development and equity objectives associated with strengthening nursing education.
In a parliamentary reply in July 2026, the national Department of Health previously outlined difficulties and delays in moving public nursing colleges into the higher education system. The SAQA approval for the KZN College of Nursing represents a concrete step in addressing those long‑standing structural challenges, although the department has not yet provided an implementation timetable for when the new degree will begin enrolling students.
As the qualification moves from approval to delivery, colleges, provincial health departments and higher education planners will need to finalise curriculum, staffing and placement arrangements so that learners can access the promised progression route without unnecessary delay.
