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 7 Programme Consolidation and Development

Major Action: Review, Upgrade, Intensify and Extend TVET offerings

Rationale

Technological developments are increasingly impacting on everyday activities in the region. The importance of technology in daily living and the role of technology for economic development are essential considerations in developing a system for the provision of TVET in each territory. Schools need to respond to the demands of a changing environment and therefore now have the responsibility to ensure that as part of General Education, all students acquire scientific and technological literacy and competence in certain basic skills that have been tradition- ally considered to be domain specific to TVET. This means that there will be need for major reform in the education system. The reform will involve the development and reorientation of curricula, shifts in emphases, and attitudinal changes.

In certain instances, for curriculum reform to be effective in meeting national or regional development needs, appropriate policy decisions and support from other sectors will be required. For example, in the case of agriculture, political will, land tenure, fiscal incentives, adequate infrastructure, marketing arrangements and appropriate technologies are essential if technical and vocational education in agriculture is to lead to the application of the skills acquired for the development of the agriculture sector.

Within recent times TVET has made some rapid strides in the formal, informal and non-formal sectors. The progress made is evident in the proliferation of TVET programmes across the region. These programmes will need to be consolidated in efforts to further develop and improve TVET. Also special efforts will be required to deal with gender bias concerns and the provision of programmes for handicapped persons.

There are many different TVET systems available among which are the following: formal Instruction-based courses; shared arrangements between Institutions and employers; Modular approaches:learning/training; Competency/performance-based programmes; Self-instructional programmed learning packages; Distance learning modes; Apprenticeship training CARICOM Survey, p.55

At the formal level, in attempting to provide a large number of students with some basic skills in TVET, some territories have developed core programmes or prevocational programmes made up of a cluster of skills. At higher levels in the Secondary school system technical and craft programmes are offered. CXC examines nineteen (19) subjects in TVET at the secondary level. The Technical Institutes and colleges also offer and examine a wide range of programmes. In efforts to enhance programme development and delivery, linkages are being established among Institutes. For example the College of Arts, Science and Technology (CAST) in Jamaica has estab1ished linkages with the Sir Arthur Lewis Community College in Saint Lucia.

The informal system can also involve training for indigenous skills and handicraft. There are some outstanding examples of informal training in the Caribbean. Two of these are the HEART Youth Employment Programme in Jamaica and the Servol Life Centre in Trinidad. At the non-formal level, some Ministries, for example those for Labour, Trade, Tourism and Youth and Community Development provide training which sometimes include apprenticeship training. Also, organisations such as the 4H Club, Youth groups and Community Centres provide skill training.

These efforts at the informal and non-formal levels should be encouraged and harmonised with mainstream activities since skills training has to be a shared responsibility among the various sectors in order to provide a large cohort of people with core skills that are necessary for survival and to meet the demands of a changing labour market.

The consolidation of programmes offered in the various sectors will involve an identification and review of course offerings. The review process should aim to:

-ensure that programmes are relevant to the needs of the target population;
-remove unnecessary overlaps in subject areas;
-ensure that programmes are up- to-date in terms of content and methodology;
-improve programme articulation and facilitate transfer from one programme to another.

Clearly defined criteria are necessary for the reshaping of existing curricula and the introduction of new programmes. Priority areas for TVET could be determined from an analysis which involves:

-identification of those sectors showing rapid growth, for example, tourism, the service industry and computer related areas;
-analysis of current unemployment problems and the need to train for self -employment;
-identification of new and emerging areas of technology

Five subject areas which have implications for immediate TVET programme development are:

-Computer Studies
-Business Methods
-Energy Systems
-Environmental Issues
-Science and Technology, including bio-technology

With the new development in Technology, constant attention will have to be given to the development of the new curriculum areas. The developments will have to take place at all levels of the educational system Primary, Secondary and Tertiary - to provide the necessary articulation between the different age groups. The creation, development and encouragement of centres of excellence for Science and Technology are also desirable objectives. CARICOM Survey E.16

In all areas of TVET, students are expected to acquire competencies in skills which can be categorised as introductory skills, entry level skills for further training, and marketable skills for the world of work.

In consolidating and developing programmes for TVET, other issues that will need to be addressed include the development of partnerships between Institutions and Industry, and linkages among Institutes for programme articulation, certification, accreditation and validation (dealt with in the fo1lowing section). Through partnership programmes, Business/ Industry can share responsibilities for ski11 development, contribute financially and share expertise and resources.

Partnership programmes can be fostered in a variety of ways such as:

-job placement
-work attachments
-advice on courses
-donation of equipment
-part-time teaching staff
-financial assistance

TVET programme consolidation and development will involve:

• development of policies and programmes to incorporate TVET as part of general education
• Review and updating of existing programmes in terms of knowledge, skills, attitudes and experiential exercises.
• Development of programmes in new areas of technology and modules to meet needs of handicapped persons.
• Modularisation of programmes to facilitate profiling, articulation, certification, accreditation and validation.

 The National Training Agency, operating with sub-committees as desirable, will institute and oversee the specific actions required at the national level to achieve the objectives discussed. Such specific, national level actions will be guided as necessary by the work of the Regional Advisory Committee.

 

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