Section 8 - Programme articulation, certification, accreditation and validation

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Regional Strategy for Technical and Vocational Education and Training

Caribbean Community Secretariat Competency - based Curriculum Design
TVET Council, Barbados - Ministry of Labour and Social Security,
Barbados, 19 to 23 November 2001

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Section 8 Programme articulation, certification, accreditation and validation

Major Action: Create effective linkages among TVET programmes and institutions

The logic of stepwise continuation from one stage to the other is not always followed. It often happens that students may pursue courses in one institution and find that linkages to a higher one are not in place. An existing example of good articulation is the case in Jamaica where studens in the four Community Colleges may do the first year of the Business Administration Diploma and transfer to the second year at CAST.

The Technical and Community Colleges in the Region are now exploring ways in which this concept may be development. UWI has developed what are essentially transfer arragements through the challenge examinations.

CARICOM Survey p. 131

Rationale

The TVET programmes offered across the region are examined and certified in a variety of ways. The examinations fall into three categories -Institutional, Regional and External.

The lack of articulation of the various programmes and the mix of certification procedures pose problems of no- menclature, levels and equivalencies. Therefore, there is need to regularise measurement and evaluation practices in order to improve standards, facilitate transfer from one institution to another and provide certification that is meaningful in terms of knowledge, skills and attitudes. Rationalising the processes for articulation, certification and validation should also serve to strengthen both the programmes offered and also the functions of the examining bodies.

The modularisation of programmes using a competency based approach facilitates the determination of levels of competency achieved, programme articulation, profiling, certification and accreditation.

In several of the territories local examinations are used to certify programmes. These certification procedures need to be monitored and harmonised at national level and with the activities of the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) and other examining systems.

Beyond the proficiency levels examined by CXC, the TVET Institutions have the responsibility 10 design and examine TVET programmes. In this regard, linkages among Institutions will serve to enhance activities and reduce duplication of effort. These linkages where they exist need to be strengthened. Linkages of the TVET Institutions with the University of the West Indies (UWI) and the University of Guyana (UG) are also necessary for programme articulation, certification, accreditation and validation.

At all levels the measurement of performance in TVET should be in terms of knowledge, skills and attitudes. A concern about existing measurement procedures is the lack of adequate testing of practical skills. In order to test practical skills. criteria for the various proficiency levels will need to be developed. Access to tools and equipment and adequate time in the workshop are other considerations for skill development and practice. The development of desired attitudes in the area of TVET should also be an integral component of programmes in TVET. These skills and attitudes could be measured on an on-going basis.

School-based assessment is an effective strategy for continuous assessment. However, for this to work properly, teachers will need to be trained in school-based assessment procedures. Also, criteria for the various levels of acquired competence will need to be clearly defined in order to obtain a profile of the student.

The activities required at national and regional levels to establish and operate the required linkages will be carried out respectively by the National Training Agency of any country and by the Regional Advisory Committee.

At the national level is will be necessary to establish and coordinate a system for measurement and evaluation up to the secondary level as shown below -

At the regional level it will be necessary to develop and implement strategies for streamlining, for certification, accreditation and validation procedures. This will involve:

-appointment of a sub-committee by the Regional Advisory Committee to detail procedures and carry out tasks;
- development of strategies for programme articulation;
-specification of standards;
-development of strategies for determining equivalencies;
-linkages among Institutions to implement strategies to facilitate certification, accreditation and validation.

The Inter-American Centre for Knowledge Development in Vocational Training (ILO/Cinterfor)
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