EAC to harmonise technical and vocational education and training
KAMPALA, Uganda, February 23, 2010/African Press Organization (APO)/ — A workshop on the harmonisation of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Institutions in the EAC Partner States ended recently at the Imperial Royale Hotel in Kampala, Uganda.
The workshop reviewed the Final Report on the harmonisation of the East African Education system and training curricula. In particular, the workshop focused on the TVET systems, institutions, courses and curricula of different levels in bid to harmonise the systems by validating the report on the harmonisation of education systems and training in East Africa in terms of accuracy and adequacy of content specific to TVET; assessing the scope and viability of the recommendations of the study with specific reference to TVET; reviewing the TVET institutions programmes in various Partner States in bid to harmonise them; and proposing a time bound Action Plan for the harmonisation process.
The workshop, which was chaired by Dr. Idrissa Muslim Hija, Executive Director, Vocational and Training Authority, Zanzibar, the United Republic of Tanzania, was attended by experts from TVET institutions of the Partner States, officials from the Ministries responsible for EAC affairs and officials from the East African Community Secretariat.
Leaders of delegations were; Mr. Suleiman H. Mmwiry, Director of TVET Ministry of Education and Vocational Training, The United Republic of Tanzania; Eng. Henry Francis Okinyal Commissioner for Business, Technical, Vocational Education (BTVET), Republic of Uganda; Mr. Higiro Gervas, Curriculum Developer, National Curriculum Development Center, Republic of Rwanda; Mr. Humphrey Tsuma, Deputy Director of Technical Education Ministry of Higher Education Science and Technology, Republic of Kenya; and Mrs. Nisubire Justine, Chief of Cabinet Vocational Training and Literacy, Republic of Burundi.
The Principal Education Officer at the EAC Secretariat, Mr. Aloysius Chebet informed workshop participants that the roadmap towards the achievement of EAC development objective includes the harmonisation of the EAC education systems and training curricula, a process which was started in 1998. He said the EAC Secretariat was mandated to undertake a regional comparative study in this regard, which the Inter-University Council for East Africa (IUCEA) was contracted to undertake.
Partner States’ TVET experts however observed that the study lacked adequate information in the area of Technical and Vocational Education and Training, with TVET confused with basic education sub-sector in most cases.
The workshop also strongly recommended the need to expedite harmonisation of the TVET sub-sector in the region and urged the experts who attended the Kampala workshop to develop respective Country Papers on the TVET systems and submit them to the EAC Secretariat by 15 March 2010.
The Secretariat was also urged to facilitate a group of experts to collate and compile the submissions that shall constitute the working document for the proposed Technical Committee.
A TVET Technical Committee composed of policy makers and practitioners with membership from all Partner States shall develop proposals and recommendations on harmonisation of the TVET systems for presentation to the Sectoral Council on Education, Science and Technology, Culture and Sports.
The Kampala TVET experts workshop came up with 15 general recommendations to the Partner States as follows:
There is need to explore mechanisms of upgrading the TVET sub-sectors to Directorate status in the Partner States;
Partner States to establish TVET Regulatory Bodies responsible for accreditation and quality assurance;
Partner States to develop and/or update their respective National Training Strategies;
Adequate financial resources to be made available for major investments in infrastructure, human resources, and equipment;
All Partner States to have legal frameworks to govern the TVET sub-sector;
Training programmes for TVET Teachers/Trainers should be strengthened to include pedagogical skills acquisition but with more emphasis on upgrading, updating and up skilling;
Training programmes for TVET managers to be strengthened to develop competencies focused in enhancing innovation and creativity;
Recruitment and retention of TVET Teachers/Trainers should be accorded the importance it deserves by providing good remuneration, enabling upward mobility, and conducive working environment;
Each Partner State to develop a National Qualification Framework that will provide benchmarks for all qualifications and competencies to enable comparisons of qualifications and determining credit transfers for trainees in the region. The Frameworks must also ensure that informal competencies, and prior learning are given due recognition;
Partner States to develop and enhance Competence Based Education and Training curricula and approaches at all levels;
There is need for clear strategies to link TVET Training Institutions and Industries/Enterprises;
The EAC Partner States to learn from best TVET practices in other Regional Economic Communities;
Noting that in the Partner States TVET was being managed by different bodies, the Experts recommended that studies should be conducted to establish how TVET could be harmonized and managed under one streamlined structure per country;
The TVET system to address cross cutting issues including HIV and AIDS, people with special needs, gender, environment, marginalized and nomadic people; and
The TVET systems must enhance stronger Public-Private Partnership to promote access, equity, quality, relevance, increased funding modalities and apprenticeship.
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SOURCE
East African Community (EAC)
