EDUCATION Minister, Shaik Baksh, has advocated the need for a stronger partnership with the private sector to advance the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programme to meet the needs of the industry. Speaking at the recent opening of a two-day workshop on quality assurance at the National Centre for Educational Resource Development (NCERD), Baksh said more investment by the private sector in TVET will improve quality delivery and expansion of programmes as well as enhanced standards and facilities.
Training in the area of technical and vocational education, the minister stressed is free and backed the introduction of a training levy, noting that a proposal is being developed for consultation on the issue.
He noted that the private sector periodically has complained about the quality of graduates from training institutions but contended that the corporate body has a role to play in addressing this shortcoming.
Baksh also underscored the need to train and upgrade more TVET instructors to ensure quality delivery of programmes and reported that a survey is being done to determine the quantities of tools and equipment needed at the various TVET centres.
Under the recently signed $US9.6M TVET project to facilitate the construction of technical and vocational institutes at Leonora in Region Three (Essequibo Islands/West Demerara) and Park Mahaicony, Region Five (Mahaica/Berbice) also caters for the training of TVET instructors and re-tooling of selected TVET institutions.
The local TVET programme seeks to provide opportunities to build capacity, enhance skills and the human resource base to meet the national developmental goals.
Baksh on that point said his Ministry has already implemented the mechanism at the secondary level to produce students for the technical institutions and work has already started to get the local TVET programme compliant with regional standards.
Accreditation by CARICOM, he noted will enable the local TVET Council to adopt a framework that will allow it to assume a more integrated approach to the discipline, moreso as it relates to the Secondary School Competency Certificate Programme (SCCP).
The minister pointed out that the Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) has introduced a similar programme, the Caribbean Certificate of Secondary Level Competence Examinations (CCSLE) which has already been accepted by several sister CARICOM states.
He said the SCCP has already been implemented and Guyana would eventually in another three to four years replace it with the CCSLE as by that time the foundation would be laid for the regional examination.
He said too that greater emphasis is being placed on the molding of the TVET programmes to be relevant to the needs of the private sector.
The minister said a task team has examined the programmes that are offered at the various technical institutes and there will be changes in September reflective of the demands of the labour market.
In addition, he reported that the Ministry of Education has completed a draft TVET policy which has been circulated to the private sector and remains open to engage a consultant to examine the strategy with the view of promoting a vibrant local TVET programme.