#BTColumn – Ideologies, biases of TVET (Part 1)

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by this author are their own and do not represent the official position of the Barbados Today Inc.

by Wayne Campbell

“I feel strongly that we have to have an education system that starts with preschool and goes through college. That’s why I want more technical education in high schools and in community colleges, real apprenticeships to prepare young people for the jobs of the future.” – Hillary Clinton.

There is a global concern regarding the continued stigmatisation of technical and vocational education and training (TVET). The bias against vocations, from cosmetology, carpentry and welding is very obvious in the education system. It can be argued that this discrimination is borne out of ignorance as well as a historical association between slavery and manual work.

Unfortunately, we have internalised this trauma and as a result, generations after generations have had to deal with this discrimination in post-slavery societies. The jobs available after Emancipation were manual and back-breaking; similar to what existed on the sugar plantations. After Emancipation in 1838 parents did not wish to see their children follow in their footsteps.

Over the decades we have inherited and we have continued to nurture an elitist education system which primarily caters to the children of the ruling class. There are societal and cultural issues which state that TVET is rooted for the academically challenged students and regrettably this ideology has caused many students to turn their backs on TVET.

The International Centre for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (UNEVOC) which connects member states of the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) proclaims, one of the important distinctions that traditionally occurs in any consideration of work, and education for the world of work, is between work that has a largely intellectual component, and that which is highly practical in nature and requires the individual concerned to work more with their hands.

Technical and vocational education and training is understood as comprising education, training and skills development relating to a wide range of occupational fields, production, services and livelihoods. TVET, as part of lifelong learning, can take place at secondary, post-secondary and tertiary levels.

Policy makers over the years have not paid adequate attention or resourced technical and vocational education and training. The society has been misled by a culture of fear and ignorance regarding what technical and vocational education and training (TVET) entails. Our traditional secondary schools still shun technical and vocational training and education.

However, it can be argued that such schools are catering to their stakeholders and as such are transferring the skills necessary for those who will emerge as leaders in years to come. It appears that we are finally emerging from our self -induced hibernation to the realisation that most of the careers in the 21st century will be skills based.

The ongoing coronavirus pandemic has thrown a spanner in the online modality for many teachers and students. Technical, Vocational, Education and Training, TVET, consultant at the University of the West Indies, Professor Halden Morris, says over 75 per cent of TVET teachers and students are facing struggles with online classes.

Professor Morris was speaking at a virtual forum recently to discuss how skills development has been affected by the onslaught of the COVID 19 pandemic on Caribbean job markets. Education Minster Fayval Williams in her sectoral presentation recently stated that about 120,000 students have been absent from classes since the start of the academic year.

It can be argued that a significant number of those students have had technical challenges connecting to their online classes.

Even in instances where students have the electronic gadgets many are ill-equipped due to a lack of technical knowledge and readability.
How many of us are aware of the existence of the National Council on Technical and Vocational Education and Training (NCTVET)?

The NCTVET is the responsible body for information on qualifications, training and assessment and certification relevant to facilitators, learners, employers and other key stakeholders in the Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) system in Jamaica. Jamaica’s education systems like most other systems globally place students into one dominant intelligence model.

Many of us can remember those students who did the sciences were the ones who were considered the brightest. The majority of students, or the others of us did the humanities and were not viewed as that bright. The education system develops assessments along this false narrative; sadly, most of us have bought into it.

Fast forward and now we can confirm what we have long suspected that there are multiple intelligences. Unfortunately, the education system is slow in recognising and appreciating this reality.

The Ministry of Education, Youth and Information in Jamaica has a Technical and Vocational Education Unit, headed by an Assistant Chief Education Officer (ACEO). The Technical and Vocational Education Unit has as its responsibility the supervision and development of Technical and Vocational programmes in schools.

The unit ensures that these programmes offer students the skills, knowledge, attitudes, habits and values that are in demand in the society, and which consequently will contribute to the nation’s productivity goals.

The unit monitors the Technical and Vocational programme in schools through five areas: Agriculture, Business Education, Home Economics, Industrial Education and Visual Arts.

In addition the unit also helps to supervise the Technical and Vocational Work Experience Programme, Career Advancement Programme (CAP), Technical & Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Rationalization in Secondary Schools Project.

In the Caribbean region, the Caribbean Examination Council (CXC), headquartered in Barbados offers the Caribbean Vocational Qualification or CVQ. The Caribbean Vocational Qualification or CVQ as it is commonly called is rooted in a competency-based approach to training, assessment and certification. Candidates are expected to demonstrate competence in attaining occupational standards developed by practitioners, industry experts and employers.

Those standards when approved by CARICOM allow for easy movement across the region. Students who sit the Caribbean Vocational Qualifications can be certified at five levels. There are five levels; Level 1 addresses directly supervised/entry; Level 2 deals with supervised skill workers, Level 3 independent or autonomous skilled worker; Level 4 focuses on specialised or supervisory worker and Level 5 speaks to managerial and/or professional worker. CVQs are awarded to those candidates who would have met the required standards in all of the prescribed units of study.

Wayne Campbell is an educator and social commentator with an interest in development policies as they affect culture and or gender issues. waykam@yahoo.com