Building a Lifelong Learning Strategy in Jamaica: Building a Lifelong Learning Strategy in Jamaica Presentation for Caribbean Lifelong Learning Forum
16 May 2006
Tom McArdle
World Bank consultant
Senior Director
Planning & Project Development
HEART Trust/National Training Agency, Jamaica
Background: Background Partnership: World Bank and HEART Trust/NTA
(Dr. Lorraine Blank) 2003
Process: Earlier Review of TVET (2001) Data Gathering and Interviews
Business Survey
Private Providers Survey
Stakeholders “Way Forward” Workshop
Focus: Post-Secondary Training
Since Then: Lifelong Learning Task Force and Policy
Development
Slide3: Jamaica and the West Indies
Slide5: Contrasts: “Two Jamaicas”
High End Tourism vs. Urban & Rural Poverty
Slide6: Population 2.6m
Lower Middle Income
GDP per cap US$2,820
Poverty 15% Interest Rate 17.7%
Inflation 14%
Unemployment 11.7%
Female 16.4%
Male 7.9% Services Economy
High migration & remittances
High inequality, Crime
HDI #79 Jamaica at a Glance Tourism & Distribution Economy
Slide7: Achievements and Commitments Achievements
Over 90% Pre-primary Enrollment
Universal Primary
Universal lower Secondary
Commitments
Achieve Universal Upper Secondary
Expand Tertiary
Expand Skills Training/Upgrade Workforce
Slide8: Why Emphasis on Lifelong Learning is Important School Leavers
Almost 1 in 5 leave after Grade 9
Among Grade 11 school leavers
1 out of 3 don’t sit exams
Of those who sit:
5 out of 10 fail English 6 out of 10 fail Mathematics
Slide9: Why Emphasis on Lifelong Learning is Important? 75% of employed/unemployed have no vocational, technical or professional training
74% of first time job seekers have no vocational, technical or professional training
Slide10: Why Emphasis on Lifelong Learning is Important? 60% of persons under 34 have no academic qualifications
Over 75% of persons 35+ have no academic qualifications
20% of adults are illiterate and another 15% possess only basic literacy skills
Slide11: Post Secondary Providers
Slide13: LLL Enrolments Expanding 02-03 04-05
All Tertiary 28,700 50,376
All HEART 35,900 61,040
JAMAL (literacy) 11,400 11,219
76,000 122,635
HEART is J$3.2b of J$5.2b (61%) of public spending on training of US $84m/yr
Slide14: Private Sector Involvement Significant at all levels of education and training
Significant investments by employers (in-service upgrading and 3% HEART Tax)
Private sector participation on boards and standards settings for HEART & NCTVET
Slide15: Private Sector Involvement 90% of firms involved in training
Mostly skill upgrading rather than
compensating for deficiencies
Training more likely for more
educated workers
60% use training plans
50% do training needs analysis
Slide16: National Training Agency Financing
Regulating
Operating QA
Standards Development
Accreditation
Certification Financed by 3% Payroll Levy
Slide17: Planning
Financing
Enabling
Assuring Quality
HEART Trust Institutions
Private Sector Training Providers
Secondary Schools
NGO, Church and CBO Training Providers
Special Needs Groups Training Providers
Community Colleges
Tertiary Institutions
Training Firms Accredited Training Organisations (ATOs) Career Guidance
Job Placement
Training Needs Assessment
Work-Based Training Assistance Trainer & Instructor Training
Learning Materials
Entrepreneurship Accreditation
Certification
Standards Development
Assessment Development
National Register What is the National Training Agency?
Slide18: HEART Trust/NTA Financing 3% payroll levy + earnings + interest and grants finances:
10 Academies and Institutes: 28,000 served
16 Vocational Training Centres: 20,500 served
>100 Community-Based Training projects: 9,400 served
On-the-Job Training: 5,000 served, 1600 firms
Productivity training: 80 firms, 20,000 workers/year continued…
Slide19: HEART Trust/NTA Financing Instructor training and upgrading, and professional programmes: 3,800 served
Training at 13 SDC and MOEYC facilities
14 Technical High Schools assisted (2,400)
National Council for TVET (Standards, accreditation, certification, QA)
Slide20: HEART Enrolment-Participation
Training Programs: Training Programs Four components of content:
Skills training
Educational & employability components
Information Technology
Entrepreneurship
Core + Electives to customize
System Problems: System Problems Nearly half of applicants cannot pass admission test-limits access despite measures taken
Limited uptake of CBT in schools and tertiary institutions, but growing
Challenges with higher-level training
Financing mechanisms favour lower-level training, $ assistance not needs-based.
Weak absorption of graduates; low growth in jobs-signs of change now
HEART Partnerships: HEART Partnerships Team Jamaica
Culinary Institute of America
Caribbean Institute of Technology
Alpart-bauxite industry apprenticeship
UTech
Technical High Schools
Rationalisation of TVET in Secondary Schools
Digital Design, CPEC, GTZ, IDB, UNICEF, UNDP, SRC, Heritage, CCCJ, Jamalco
Slide24: HEART’s Mandate for 2005-2008 Increase participation to 100,000 per annum
Certify one-half of workforce by 2008
Respond to investments in tourism and bauxite-alumina
National Qualification Framework: National Qualification Framework Unit competency standards like Australia and New Zealand
Assessment tightly linked to standards
Recognition of prior learning
Pathways for recognition & progression: on-the-job, training programs, online learning, etc.
Slide26: NQ Framework Higher levels possible based on buy-in by tertiary sector
Slide27: New Features of the System Unit competency standards-modular delivery, assessment and certification
“Learners” are assessed and certified on each competency
Competencies accumulate into a National Qualification on a National Qualification Register
Accredit training providers incl. firms
Use of credits to enable articulation
Slide28: New Features of the System Strengthened industry training lead groups producing more standards (about 300 titles)
Firms working to become accredited training and/or assessment providers
NCTVET role changing from assessment to quality assurance-assures quality of assessment
Creates a broader market for training and certification services
Slide29: Results so Far 2/3 of system on new framework
Greater access to training system, and access to certification framework
More flexible system
System that can bridge secondary, “post-secondary” and tertiary education-more inclusive
System beginning to produce more higher- level certifications, and
Can better accommodate upgrading for existing workers, great increase last two years
Slide30: Results so Far (271 % increase in participation)
Major Opportunities: Major Opportunities Large investments in new hotels, and bauxite alumina industry-wanting certified workers
Work-based training: 330,000 workers say they have skills and some training but no certification
Regional initiatives-CANTA
Articulation with Tertiary Education: Picking Low-Hanging Fruits: Articulation with Tertiary Education: Picking Low-Hanging Fruits Child Care Certificate 2 diploma programme
I.T. diploma degree programme
“Engineering” diploma degree
Agriculture Certificate 2 diploma
Multi skilled construction Certificate 2 degree in construction management
Mutual benefits to providers & learners
Issues in Articulation with Tertiary Education: Issues in Articulation with Tertiary Education University Council of Jamaica
Question of “terminal” qualifications
Restrictions on vocational programs in community colleges
Lack of understanding of CBT
How to assess tertiary learners in NQF framework
Many Rivers to Cross: Low levels of basic education in the workforce and poor English
Educational inequities put over half of school leavers at a serious disadvantage in access to LLL opportunities
Financing of training is not needs-based
Acceptance of a National Qualifications Framework (MOE, tertiary institutions)
CXC Technical-Vocational subjects? Many Rivers to Cross
Many Rivers to Cross: Getting more firms to embrace standards-based concept and certification
Re-orientation of citizenry to lifelong learning process
Micro-business sector-how should training assist?
Many Rivers to Cross
Many Rivers to Cross: How to balance the need for higher level training and tertiary-level training vs. demand for lower-level training aimed at the poor?
Competition between social demand and economic demand
Combining NCTVET and UCJ-National Qualifications Authority concept Many Rivers to Cross
Slide37: Kevin Smith
Mason for 5 years, no certification 3 units through assessment of prior learning
+
5 units through On-the-Job training & assessment
+
3 units through institutional training and assessment NVQ Flexible Pathways
The Promised Land: An investment-attractive workforce
High skill—High wage jobs
Meeting the aspirations of the people
Restoring dignity to working life
Recognizing multiple learning pathways
Integrating the education and training system The Promised Land
Slide39: ONE LOVE
ONE HEART
ONE AIM
ONE DESTINY