TVET REFORMS: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF SOUTHERN AFRICA AND WEST AFRICA

1. TVET REFORMS: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF SOUTHERN AFRICA AND WEST AFRICA BY ERIC ODOTEI

2. Background • West Africa – 17 nations: • 12 Francophone • 4 Anglophone – Gambia, Ghana, Sierra Leone & Nigeria • 1 Portuguese • French speaking countries follow French TVET system • English speaking countries follow English TVET system

3. Background • FOCUS OF THE PAPER • IN WEST AFRICA: TVET system of the English Speaking West Africa • Specifically, the TVET system being developed in Ghana • IN SOUTHERN AFRICA • There are many countries – 15 SADC countries all at various levels of development • Specifically, the TVET system in Botswana

4. ANALYSIS OF THE TVET REFORMS IN BOTSWANA AND GHANA

5. Ghana TVET Reforms

6. Ghana TVET Reforms • Part of Education Reforms launched in 2007. • Two policy documents: • TVET Policy Framework for Ghana, • Council for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (COTVET) Act

7. 1. TVET POLICY FRAMEWORK • Priority TVET Sectors: • Fisheries and Aqua Culture • Agriculture and Agro-Related Industry • Business and Commercial • Arts and Crafts • Electrical/Electronic Engineering • Mechanical Engineering • Automotive Engineering • Building Construction • Draughtsmanship • Tourism and Hospitality • Information and Communication Technology

8. Goals of the Framework • Flexible human resource supply, responsive to changes in labour market • Quality skilled workforce to produce goods that are competitive in the local and global market

9. Strategies of the Policy Framework • Improvement of efficiency and management of TVET system • Establishment of the Council for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (COTVET) • Coordination of all aspects of TVET

10. Strategies of the Policy Framework • Improvement of trainability of the workforce • Introduction of compulsory subjects • Computer Studies, • Mathematics, • General Science, • Social Studies and • English • French (when teachers are available)

11. Strategies of the Policy Framework • Improvement of training quality and relevance • Demand driven and competency-based system • Skill standards to be determined by industry • Recognition of Enterprise-based training • Implementation of open-access system, incorporating flexible delivery modes • Sustainable funding of TVET • Establishment of Skills Development Fund

12. 2. THE COTVET ACT, 2006 • The functions of COTVET include: • Formulate policies on skills development • Coordinate, harmonise and supervise activities of both public and private providers • Rationalise assessment and certification system • Quality assure delivery within TVET • Maintain a national database on TVET • Facilitate research and development in TVET • Source funding to support TVET activities • Facilitate cooperation between training providers and industry • Advise Govt on matters related to TVET management

13. The COTVET Act • COTVET is governed by a Board which consists of 15 persons, including • A Chairperson from industry • The Executive Director of the Council • Representatives from government, employers associations, labuor organisations, institution of Engineers, association of private TVET institutions • Two persons nominated by the State President

14. The COTVET Act • For its activities, the COTVET has three standing committees, namely: • The National TVET Qualifications Committee • The Industrial Training Advisory Committee • The Training Quality Assurance Committee • The reforms in Ghana at its early stages of development

15. Botswana TVET Reforms

16. Botswana TVET Reforms – Policy Documents • The policy documents giving birth to the reforms are: • National Policy on Vocational Education and Training (1997) • The Vocational Training Act No 22 of 1998

17. The Vocational Training Act • Legally established the Botswana Training Authority as a body corporate with the following objectives: • Coordinate vocational training activities to achieve better integration • Monitor and evaluate the VT system being developed • Advise on policy related issues of VT

18. The Botswana Training Authority • The Functions of the Authority include the following: • Promote access to Vocational Training • Accredit, register and monitor both public and private training institutions • Accredit and register trainers of vocational training • Develop and review national training standards • Regulate assessment and testing in VT • Initiate, support and conduct research in VT

19. Botswana Training Authority • The Botswana Training Authority has been in existence for the last 10 years • Has tried and tested its systems of quality assurance, monitoring and audits, standards development and moderation of assessment.

20. COMPARISON BETWEEN GHANA AND BOTSWANA TVET REFORMS

21. Governance of TVET BOTSWANA GHANA • BOTA is responsible for TVET awards up to Certificate Level • TEC has oversight of all awards from Diploma and above, including all TVET awards • Efforts now being made to bring all under one body - HRDC • COTVET is responsible for all levels of TVET provision (pre-tertiary and tertiary level education and training).

22. NATURE AND DELIVERY OF TVET BOTSWANA GHANA • Outcomes based training • Various institutions – government, private, NGOs, community based • Outcomes based training • Various institutions – government, private, NGOs, community based

23. QUALIFICATIONS FRAMEWORKS BOTSWANA GHANA • Three Level TVET Framework - BNVQF • Nine Level TVET QF

24. FRAMEWORKS • It is important to note that Botswana has developed a Ten-Level National Credit and Qualifications Framework. • Steps are underway to operationalise this through the establishment of NCQF Unit in the Ministry of Education and Skills Development

25. Other TVET Delivery Modes in Botswana • BTEP • Foundation Certificate • Certificate • Advanced Certificate • Diploma • Trade Tests • Trade Test C • Trade Test B • National Craft Certificate (NCC) • Effort are being made to place these within the BNVQF and ultimately into the NCQF once operational

26. Certification BOTSWANA GHANA • BNVQF awards - BOTA • BTEP awards – Department of Technical Vocational Education and Training (DTVET • Trade test awards – MTTC • Three awarding bodies accredited by COTVET • Proficiency Levels (Levels 1 and 2) – National Vocational Training Institute (NVTI) • Certificate Levels (Levels 3 and 4) – NVTI and Dept of Technical Education, MoE • Diploma upwards – National Council for Tertiary Education

27. Conclusion • Ghana TVET reforms are just beginning • Has a lot to learn from Southern Africa • Study tours have been undertaken to Southern Africa including Botswana • Ghana has a unique TVET QF which provides parallel alternative route to academic education for those who go through the TVET route

28. THANK YOU