The Southern African Institute
of Government Auditors
Extended
Government Auditing
Specialism Programme
(E-GASP)
2014
SAIGA Offices:
PO Box 36303
MENLO PARK
0102
Tel: [012] 362-1221
Fax: [012] 362-1418
[email protected]
2014
registered
www.saiga.co.za
The Southern African Institute of Government Auditors
The Extended Government Auditing Specialism
Programme – E-GASP (2014)
Contents
TOPIC
PAGE
GASP is a RGA requirement
3
Format of GASP and E-GASP
3
GASP 2014 (E-GASP)
4
Time Frame (Block 1 and Block 2) Modules 1 to 7
4
Qualifying criteria
5
General approach during GASP
6
Minimum enrollments for GASP
6
Nomination and registration procedures
7
Venues for GASP 2014
7
Fees and payment
8
Specific dates
Block 1 (Modules 1 & 2)
Block 2 (Module 3)
Block 2 (Modules 4 to 6)
Block 2 (Module 7)
Formal written evaluations (assessments)
Results of GASP 2014
9
9
9
10
11
11
11
Date of the 2014 RGA-QE
11
Responsibilities of the AGSA
12
Responsibilities of SAIGA
13
Extended Government Auditing Specialism Programme - 2014
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The Southern African Institute of Government Auditors
The Extended Government Auditing Specialism
Programme – E-GASP (2014)
GASP IS A RGA-REQUIREMENT
All candidates who wish to qualify as Registered Government Auditor (RGA) have to
enroll and successfully complete the Government Auditing Specialism Programme
(GASP).
FORMAT OF GASP AND E-GASP
Since GASP was designed in 2008, the competence requirements for RGAs have
evolved considerably and the needs of the AGSA, as far as professional staff is
concerned, have also changed. Taking into account the above, an Extended
Government Auditing Specialism Programme (E-GASP) was developed. It comes onto
effect in 2014. For ease of reference any reference to GASP is meant to refer to the
new format (E-GASP).
During the period 2008 to 2013 the Government Auditing Experience (GAE)
requirements and certain Experience Bands in particular required trainee auditors to
attend a number of compulsory courses presented by the Institute. The GAE compulsory
course requirements are no longer applicable and the compulsory courses’ contents
have been incorporated into the Government Auditing Specialism Programme (EGASP).
Following a thorough review of the Common Body of Knowledge and Skills (COBOKS)
for RGAs and requests from the Auditor-General (South Africa) [AGSA], the requirement
that a candidate needs an additional fourth academic year, before being allowed to enrol
for GASP, was changed (to three years and the minimum required subjects) and the
GASP programme was extended to focus on specific knowledge and competence gaps
such as GRAP which is not normally found in the accounting syllabus of tertiary
institutions in South Africa. E-GASP is therefore specifically designed to meet the needs
and requirements of the AGSA with regard to its professional staff and to discount the
shortages of the Accounting programmes at South African universities.
GASP 2014 (or E-GASP) consists of seven four-day Modules, a number of assignments
and four summative assessments (written over four days). GASP is presented in two
main Blocks, with Block 1 being presented during May 2014 and Block 2 being
presented during August, September and October 2014. The assessments are written
after completion of each Block and the RGA-Qualifying Examination (RGA-QE) is written
at the end of November 2014. GASP is based on the following educational concepts:
•
•
•
Attendance of specific training interventions (a number of multi-day Modules).
Self-study assignments/extended reading.
Five-paper summative assessments/simulated qualifying examinations.
Extended Government Auditing Specialism Programme - 2014
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The Southern African Institute of Government Auditors
GASP 2014 (E-GASP)
Candidates can enroll for GASP 2014 as from the end of November 2013.
The last day to enroll is Thursday, 13 March 2014.
If sufficient, duly completed, successful applications are received by the SAIGA
Secretariat by 13 March by 12:00, GASP will be rolled out for 2014. Candidates are
advised to enroll as soon as possible to ensure that the programme will be presented in
2014. The faster the entries are received, the quicker SAIGA can confirm the decision to
present GASP 2014.
In 2014, GASP will consist of seven Modules, each consisting of four days.
To save on traveling and related costs, the Modules will be presented over four
consecutive days in a week. Candidates can travel on Mondays and each Module will
commence on Tuesday - ending on Friday.
TIME FRAME
GASP 2014 (E-GASP) will commence in the second week of May 2014 and is
summarised as follows:
Week in 2014
Type of intervention / event
BLOCK 1
06 to 09 May
13 to 16 May
Module 1
Module 2
30 May
Formal Assessment A (Paper 1) – four hours
BLOCK 2
12 to 15 August
26 to 29 August
02 to 05 September
09 to 12 September
30 Sep to 03 October
Module 3
Module 4
Module 5
Module 6
Module 7
15, 16 & 17 October
Formal Assessment B (Papers 2, 3 & 4)
– three hours each
GASP Results published
RGA-QE registration opens
31 October 2014
31 October 2014
19, 20 & 21 November 2014 RGA-Qualifying Examination
23 January 2015
RGA-QE results published
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The Southern African Institute of Government Auditors
QUALIFYING CRITERIA
Candidates are allowed to enroll for GASP if they meet the following criteria:
A three year degree or diploma from a tertiary institution registered with the Department
of Higher Education and Training in South Africa.
Minimum required subjects which have to be passed successfully are:
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Financial Accounting (three full years)
Auditing (two full years) – excluding internal auditing
Management Accounting / Financial Management (two full years)
Taxation (one full year)
Computer Information Systems (one full year)
Commercial Law (one full year)
Statistics / Research Methodology (one full year).
The Institute acknowledges that tertiary institutions may use different names for the
above generic subjects (some given above “/”).
The following has to accompany the application (scanned in pdf format):
1) A GASP 2014 Application Form (all required information filled in)
2) A completed GASP Checklist
3) Certified copies of the subject lists (official documents issued by the tertiary
institution)
4) Certified copies of the degree/s of the candidate
5) If the name on the degree certificate or subject lists is not the name of the
candidate due to changes in the name after marriage, a certified copy of the
marriage certificate
6) A copy of the candidate’s ID document.
Please note that all file names have to contain the surname of the applicant and a
description of the contents of the pdf file (for example: Smith – Degree Certificate; Smith
– Subject lists; Smith – GASP Checklist; Smith – Application Form GASP 2014).
If SAIGA does not receive the all application documents (degree certificates, subject lists
[pre and post graduate], GASP checklist, etc. as required) and if the forms are not duly
completed and signed, and if the files names are not in the required format, an
application can be judged as unsuccessful. SAIGA is under no obligation to request the
outstanding documents. Therefore candidates have to make 100% sure that they submit
all required documents and that they fill in all the required fields on the application form.
After an initial assessment of the application, the candidate will be invoiced for the GASP
application fee. The final result of the GASP application will be communicated to the
candidate only after the receipt of payment of the application fee has been faxed to the
SAIGA Secretariat (012 362-1418).
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The Southern African Institute of Government Auditors
In order to enroll for GASP it is not a requirement that candidates have completed their
period of practical training. If they pass the RGA-QE, they do, however, first have to
complete their period of practical training before being allowed to register as RGA.
The Common Body of Knowledge and Skills (COBOKS) for RGAs requires that all GASP
candidates are registered as trainee auditors for at least the duration of the GASP
programme. After a candidate’s application has been evaluated positively, the candidate
has to register with SAIGA as a trainee auditor. This requirement does not apply to
GASP candidates who have already been registered as a RGA trainee auditor whilst
working for the AGSA for a minimum period of three years.
It is assumed that a candidate, who enrolls for GASP, wants to qualify as RGA and
therefore has to meet SAIGA’s Government Auditing Experience (GAE) requirements. A
candidate who has, for example, completed his practical training programme under the
scheme of another professional body (e.g. SAICA articles), is assumed to now convert to
the RGA stream and in terms of SAIGA’s conversion policy, such candidate also still has
to be registered for at least one term as RGA trainee auditor.
GENERAL APPROACH DURING GASP
The seven four-day Modules form the core of the GASP training intervention. Between
the various Modules candidates will have to do additional reading and self-study and
also prepare and submit a number of assignments based on the course contents of
particular Modules. Details will be communicated to candidates during the lectures. Not
all Modules will require the submission of formal assignments, as Modules of practical
application will take preference. The assignments will be prepared and assessed by
SAIGA. Each GASP Block is completed by the writing of summative assessments (one
four-hour assessment after Block 1 and three three-hour assessments after Block 2).
The last three summative assessments are designed to mirror the RGA-QE format.
Successful completion of GASP is determined based on the following criteria:
A.
B.
C.
Satisfactory attendance of the seven GASP Modules.
The cumulative mark of the various assignments.
The summative assessment mark (the average % of Papers 1 to 4).
The ratio between the above is A & B = 25%; C = 75%. SAIGA reserves the right to
change this ratio if circumstances necessitate this. Candidates will be given due advance
notice of this.
In line with the admittance requirements for examinations at tertiary institutions, a final
mark of 40% is needed to successfully complete GASP and be allowed to enroll for the
RGA-QE. As the RGA-QE is an alone-standing separate examination, no marks are
carried over from GASP to the RGA-QE.
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MINIMUM ENROLMENTS FOR GASP
GASP cannot be presented unless a minimum economically viable number of
participants enroll. This minimum number is provisionally set on 25. If sufficient, duly
completed successful applications are received by the SAIGA Secretariat by Thursday,
13 March 2014 by 12:00, GASP will commence.
NOMINATION AND REGISTRATION PROCEDURES
Applications for GASP 2014 have to be submitted directly to SAIGA as soon as possible
after the application process opens in November 2013.
All have to be submitted via e-mail. The duly completed application forms and supporting
documents have to be scanned and e-mailed to [email protected]
File names have to describe the nature of the document and contain the applicant’s
surname.
All applications, with all required documents and forms attached, must be received by
the SAIGA Secretariat no later than Thursday, 13 March 2014 by 12:00. SAIGA may
consider certain late applications but only in exceptional circumstances (for example
university examination results only available after the closing date). Late applications
must be accompanied by a letter – certified before a Commissioner of Oath – explaining
reasons for the late application. A late application fee is payable.
All successful GASP applicants have to be registered as trainee auditors for at least the
duration of GASP. So even if a candidate has completed his/her CA articles, or another
learnership or practical work period, they still have to register as trainee auditors for
2014 to be able to do GASP 2014. The only exception is GASP candidates who have
already been registered as RGA trainee auditors whilst working for the AGSA for a
minimum period of three years (i.e. they have already completed their minimum
RGA/SAIGA traineeship with the AGSA).
If the person registering for GASP 2014 is already registered as trainee auditor (RGA
route), no further action needs to be taken.
If the person registering for GASP 2014 is not already registered as RGA/SAIGA trainee
auditor, then, after being informed of the successful application for GASP 2014, the
applicant has to submit an application to register as trainee auditor with SAIGA. To
obtain the necessary forms on the SAIGA website www.saiga.co.za go to “members”
then to “how to become a RGA” and at the bottom of this page under the heading:
Forms / documents for use in this section.
Successful GASP 2014 candidates will have to register for the November 2014 RGA-QE
after the results of GASP 2014 are published on Friday, 31 October 2014.
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VENUES FOR GASP 2014
All GASP lectures are presented in venues of the Southern African Institute of
Government Auditors. SAIGA will inform GASP participants of the venues well in
advance. In previous years all lectures were presented in Pretoria and it is envisaged
that this practice will continue.
The summative assessments (30 May 2014 as well as 15, 16 & 17 October 2014) will be
written in Pretoria in a SAIGA designated venue to best simulate the RGA-QE which is
written in November 2014.
The RGA-QE (19, 20 & 21 November 2014) will be written in Pretoria in a SAIGA
designated venue (participants will be informed well in advance).
FEES AND PAYMENT
The fees for GASP 2014 are made available on the SAIGA website together with all
other fees relating to registration as trainee auditor, RGA, the RGA-QE, etc. (On the
SAIGA website www.saiga.co.za go to “members” then to “how to become a RGA” and
at the bottom of this page under the heading: Fees payable in respect of this section –
2014/2015 year).
GASP fees are payable as follows:
A. The application fee of R4,560 (VAT incl.) with the application (R5,187 for late
applications). Should GASP not commence due to insufficient entries, this fee will
be refunded to successful GASP applicants. No refund will be made to
unsuccessful candidates – so do not apply if you do not meet the RGA subject
and degree requirements. Also note that you will only be informed of whether or
not your application was successful after you have faxed (no e-mail!) your proof
of payment to the SAIGA Secretariat (012 362-1418).
B. Fees for Block 1 (May 2014): R18,696 (VAT incl.) payable within 30 days after
being informed that your application for GASP was successful.
C. Fees for Block 2 (August to October 2014): 50% of the Block 2 fee (R22,857 VAT incl.) payable before the lectures of Block 2 start on 12 August 2014.
D. Fees for Block 2 (August to October 2014): 50% of the Block 2 fee (R22,857 VAT incl.) payable before Module 6 is completed (latest date for payment is
therefore 11 September 2014).
RGA-QE registration fees are payable on registration and must be paid before the
exams start.
In all cases, interest for late payments will be charged at prime plus 5%.
If fees are outstanding, candidates will not be allowed to write the assessments and will
not receive results thereof.
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SPECIFIC DATES
BLOCK 1
06 May 2014 – 30 May 2014
Module 1:
06 – 09 May 2014
06 – 07 May 2014
Effective writing skills
Principles of effective business writing. Simplifying words,
sentences and paragraphs to eliminate cumbersome writing.
Drafting, editing, reporting. E-mails, memos letters and reports.
08 May – 09 May 2014
Generally Recognised Accounting Practice (GRAP)
Selected GRAP statements, Case studies.
Module 2:
13 – 16 May 2014
13 May – 16 May 2014
Generally Recognised Accounting Practice (GRAP)
Selected GRAP statements, Case studies.
Comparisons between selected GRAP and GAAP statements.
Formal
Summative
Assessment A
for Block 1
30 May 2014 (4 hours)
Results of
Assessment A
(successful or not): 20 June 2014
BLOCK 2
12 August 2014 – 17 October 2014
Module 3:
12 – 15 August 2014
12 – 14 August 2014
The Regulatory Framework for government auditors
The PFMA, Treasury Regulations, the MFMA, Public Audit Act
and selected other legislation, directives and regulations.
15 August 2014
Ethics for government auditors
INTOSAI Code of Ethics, Ethics vocabulary, ethics and
governance (incl the King Code), compiling an ethics risk profile
and an ethics portfolio, institutionalising ethics; reporting on ethics,
acquiring ethics management competency.
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Continued…
BLOCK 2
Module 4:
26 – 29 August 2014
12 August 2014 – 17 October 2014
26 – 27 August 2014
Forensic auditing
Forensic auditing techniques. Identifying fraud, types of fraud,
detection of fraud schemes, the fraud triangle, internal controls,
responsibilities of auditors, fraud and management, fraud alerts,
cover-ups, fraud prevention.
28 – 29 August 2014
Performance auditing and the audit of performance
information
The performance audit process. The audit of pre-determined
objectives. Standards and approaches.
Case studies on performance auditing.
Module 5:
02 – 05 September 2014
02 – 03 September 2014
International auditing standards (IAS) applied in the AuditorGeneral’s audit manuals
Generally accepted auditing standards, specifically International
Auditing Standards (IAS) as they are applied in the AGSA’s audit
manuals.
04 – 05 September 2014
Information Technology – Audit Perspectives
Information technology concepts and controls: preventative,
detective and corrective.
Computer assisted auditing techniques. Auditing of programmes
and auditing of data. Generalized audit software. Data bases.
Case studies.
Module 6:
09 – 12 September 2014
09 September 2014
Practical audit application
Case studies and the practical application of auditing standards
(general concepts, IAS, performance, etc.) in the government
auditing process and environment.
10 – 12 September 2014
Public sector accounting
National Treasury’s Guide for the Preparation of Annual Reports
and Annual Financial Statements, case studies and applications,
journal entries, etc.
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Continued…
BLOCK 2
12 August 2014 – 17 October 2014
Module 7:
30 September – 03 October 2014
30 September – 01 October 2014
GRAP for Local Authorities
Selected statements of Generally Recognised Accounting Practice
(GRAP) applicable to local authorities, case studies and related
MFMA requirements applied to the annual financial statements of
local authorities.
02 October 2014
GRAP Revision
Revision of study material dealt with in Modules 1 and 2
(May 2014)
03 October 2014
Examination techniques
Examination techniques are applied to auditing questions.
FORMAL WRITTEN EVALUATIONS
Formal
Summative
Assessments B
for Block 2
15, 16 & 17 October 2014 (3 hours per paper)
Results of GASP
(successful or not):
31 October 2014
RGA-QE
19, 20 & 21 November 2014
Results of RGA-QE
(successful or not):
23 January 2015
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RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE AGSA
The AGSA will assist in communicating the GASP 2014 programme to its staff.
If the AGSA pays the fees on behalf of certain GASP candidates, the AGSA will send the
relevant payment advices to SAIGA as soon as payment is done.
The AGSA will communicate any in-house / internally related information to the GASP
candidates (for example travel arrangements, rules relating to accommodation options,
submission of claims).
The AGSA will distribute the GASP candidates’ marked assessment answers back to
them through the AGSA’s internal post system (SAIGA will mark and deliver the papers
to the AGSA). This arrangement is necessary due to the short period between the writing
of the assessments and the RGA-QE (delays in the public postal system may hinder the
candidates’ preparation for the RGA-QE).
The AGSA will provide certain material for use during the programme to its staff (for
example: the Public Audit Act, the PFMA and other legislation, the Auditor-General’s
audit manuals, etc.). SAIGA and the AGSA will co-ordinate this aspect in advance.
RESPONSIBILITIES OF SAIGA
On receipt of the GASP registration, SAIGA will evaluate the candidate’s qualifications
and assess whether or not the candidate meets the COBOKS subject requirements and
the three-year degree/diploma requirement. If the candidate meets the requirements,
and if the candidate has paid the GASP application fee and faxed proof of payment to
SAIGA, SAIGA will communicate the successful application to the applicant.
If the application was unsuccessful, (and provided the application fee was paid), this will
also be communicated to unsuccessful applicants. Please note that the application fee is
not refundable if the application is unsuccessful.
As applicable, (if not already registered as trainee auditor), successful GASP applicants
will then have to submit a trainee auditor application form (with the relevant fees) to
SAIGA and the Institute will then also register the applicant as a trainee auditor.
SAIGA will present the actual Modules (including the assessments) at its own selected
training venues, reproduce material, provide course files, prepare and mark the
assignments and assessments and collect and manage the marks.
SAIGA will communicate the results of the GASP to fully paid-up candidates by
31 October 2014 and issue a certificate of completion of GASP to the successful
candidates. After candidates are informed that they were successful in the GASP
programme, they then have to register for the November 2014 RGA-QE.
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ANY ENQUIRIES REGARDING
THE GOVERNMENT AUDITING SPECIALISM
PROGRAMME (GASP) 2014
CAN BE ADDRESSED TO:
THE CHAIRPERSON OF SAIGA’S
EDUCATION & TRAINING COMMITTEE:
[email protected]
012 362-1221
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