Caribbean level vocational qualification to be offered at secondary schools

GINA, GUYANA, Thursday, February 02, 2017

After successfully introducing the Caribbean Vocational Qualification or CVQ at most of the technical institutes, the Ministry of Education is now moving to introduce on a phased basis, the competency-based qualification to students in secondary schools.

Deputy Chief Education Officer with responsibility for technical education, Patrick Chinedu Onwuzirike, told the Government Information Agency (GINA), that starting in September, the ministry will begin piloting the CVQ in ten secondary schools.

The CVQ will be implemented within the curriculum at the North-West Secondary in Region One, Aurora Secondary in Region Two, Parika-Salem Secondary in Region Three, Beterverwagting Practical Instruction Centre (PIC)  in Region Four, Belladrum Secondary in Region Five, Canjie Secondary in Region Six, Bartica Secondary in Region Seven, Mahdia Secondary in Region Eight, St Ignatius Secondary in Region Nine and Linden Foundation Secondary in Region 10.

Onwuzirike said the focus will be on delivering technical subjects that are aligned to the skills that are needed in each region.

CVQ is a regionally accepted qualification equating to an Associate and Bachelor’s Degrees. The award is proof that an individual has demonstrated the essential knowledge, skills and aptitudes within the occupation as set out in the regionally approved competency standards.

Currently, CVQs are planned to reflect a Qualification framework of five levels. These are: Level 1-Direct Supervised/Entry-Level Worker; Level 2- Supervised Skilled Worker; Level 3-Independent or Autonomous Skilled Worker; Level 4-Specialised or Supervisory Worker and Level 5-Managerial and/or Professional Worker.

This move by the ministry, follows similar steps taken by the Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) whereby, the regional body would have

reviewed its industrial technology programme offered at schools across the region and brought it in line with the standards and requirements of the CVQ, Onwuzirike explained.

Clarifying what will follow, Onwuzirike explained that the Secondary Competency Certificate Programme (SCCP) will be streamlined to take the format of the CVQ. The SCCP is a competency-based modularised programme designed with strong emphasis on what students can do in the workplace after completion of training.

The Ministry of Education has for the past 10 years successfully executed the SCCP in over 50 secondary schools and in the Practical Instruction Centre (PICs) across Guyana.

Coordinator of the SCCP, Ritesh Tularam, explained that the ministry has already satisfied all the requirements in terms of certifying the schools safe for the implementation of the CVQ. However, they are yet to  train the persons who would deliver the programme and who would be supervising  the programme.

Tularam said that for the implementation of the CVQ, 30 persons have been identified. He said that between now and September, these persons will be trained.

In 2016, Guyana was given the green light to award the CVQ, in Technical Vocation Education Training (TVET).

According to Onwuzirike most of the TVET institutions have completed the CVQ level one.

 

By: Macalia Santos