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The FUNCTIONS OF TVET CDAC COUNCIL

ByDr. Charles M.M. Ondieki

Chairman TVET CDACC

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IntroductionThe Technical and Vocational Education and Training Curriculum Development, Assessment and Certification Council was established as per article 44 of TVET Act no. 29 of 2013. The functions of the Certification Council are among others: • undertake design and development of curricula for the training

institutions and administer assessment ;• issue certificates to candidates who satisfy national TVET

examination and competence assessment requirements; • make rules with respect to such examinations and competence

assessments; • promote recognition of its qualifications in foreign systems; • promote and carry out research relating to its assessments and

examinations; and• promote the publication of books and other materials relevant to

its assessments and examinations;

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• The new TVET system involves the introduction of Competency Based Education and Training (CBET) Curriculum Development, Assessment and Certification system.

• The effective implementation of this new system requires the active participation of industry, employers, employees, learners, public and private training providers, NGOs, professional bodies, government agencies and departments and other stakeholders.

• One of the major functions assigned to TVET CDACC is the implementation of the CBET Framework. The concepts, principles and practices of CBET are new to most of the key stakeholders of this new TVET system.

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• This tends to hinder their participation in the implementation of the new system; many people would like the following commonly asked questions concerning CBET Framework be answered:– How different is the modular TVET system from the old

system?– What are the benefits of the CBETF?– How long does it take for one to obtain a TVET qualification?– Who issues TVET certificates?– Will industry recognize TVET qualifications?– Is the progression of training in the TVET system guaranteed?– What type of qualifications can be obtained under the

CBETF?

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– What happens to qualifications which existed before the establishment of the CBETF?

– What are the costs of training and certification for learners in the new TVET system?

– What happens with learner's achievements if they don't complete the full TVET qualification?

– What are the benefits of employing graduates from the TVET system?

– How can people without formal qualifications benefit from the TVET system?

– How would one get information about the qualifications being offered?

– Will the CBETF be accepted both nationally and internationally?

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CBET FRAMEWORKThe framework outlines the policies and processes for the implementation of all components of the Competency Based Education and Training (CBET). It states how:• National TVET qualifications are established in order to meet

Kenya’s occupational requirements, • Training providers are to prepare courses so that the trainees

will meet the industry specified competencies, • Assessment and certification will be conducted.• CBETF is aimed at achieving national and international

recognition for qualifications, knowledge, skills and attitudes of Kenyans in an increasingly globalized and competitive world. This will enhance the mobility of Kenyan workers nationally and internationally.

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CBET TARGET GROUP• CBET is a very flexible system that holds people from all walks of

life despite gender, tribe, color, financial status or location. These can be divided into the following target groups:

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Characteristics of CBET• CBET is individualized – learning is student centered and the role of the trainer

changes to that of consultant and facilitator• CBET is flexible, not time-based – learners progress through units/elements at

their own pace• Outcome-based – emphasis is put on the product and not the process; it

reflects the expectations of performance in the workplace.• CBET encourages specialization – Students can concentrate on the skills they

are confident of mastering.• CBET is employment-led: standards are set by the concerned industrial sector• No entry restrictions – anyone can apply for a program as long as they have the

ability to follow instructions. There are no set entry qualifications or age limits• CBET is practically oriented and theory is taught mainly as underpinning

knowledge• Training is fragmented – work is broken down into learnable units/elements of

competence• There is accreditation of prior learning – credits are cumulative.

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Competency Based Assessment for Awarding the Qualification

Assessor/s must collect sufficient evidence of competence from candidates in order to be able to reach an assessment decision. Sufficiency can be defined as evidence which has demonstrated that the candidate can:• Perform task skills.• Perform task management skills. • Contingency management skills.• Perform according to specific workplace environments. • Transfer skills to different situations.• The assessment system must enable assessors to document that

the evidence presented for assessment really is the work of the candidate.

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• Two methods are used: Continuous and summative assessments which are to be based on the modules of the curricula and assess the achievement of learning outcomes and the knowledge.

• Assessment resources for continuous and summative assessments will be developed by the staff of the institution.

• In order to have an effective quality assurance system that assures confidence in assessment decisions, there is a system of internal and external verification.

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Level No. Qualification Generalized DescriptionLevel 1 National

CertificateLevel 1 recognizes the acquisitions of entry level competencies

Level 2Level 3

National Certificate

Levels 2 and 3 recognize increasing levels of competencies.

Level 4 National Certificate

Level 4 qualification recognizes increasing levels of competencies and provides for full craftsmanship/ workmanship.

Level 5 Level 6

National Diploma

Levels 5 and 6 recognize the increasing levels of competencies of technicians including supervision and process management. Level 6 is for Advanced Diploma or Higher Diploma

Level 7 Bachelor’s Degree

Level 7 recognizes the vocational/technological competencies at Bachelor’s Degree level

TVET QUALIFICATIONS (TVETQ): In the new TVET system there will be Seven Levels of Qualifications

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Benefits and Challenges of CBET systemBenefits

• Industry defines what the students should learn in the program.

• Students are certified competent (able to) only if they are able to demonstrate those skills, knowledge and attitudes.

• Learners work toward a predetermined standard.

• Students learn the skills, knowledge and attitudes required in the workplace.

• Industry receives graduates who have demonstrated competence of the workplace.

• Learners know how they will be assessed before they begin each task.

• Instructors assess student’s current learning.

Challenges• Start-up of a CBET program is time

consuming.• CBET needs a lot of resources to

become established.• Resources must be committed for

the future.• Educators must become familiar

with and accept this new system.• Instructors will need assistance as

they begin to perform assessment duties

• Unless initial training and follow-up assistance is provided for the trainers, there is a tendency to “teach as we were taught” and CBET trainers quickly slip back into the role of the traditional teacher.

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Benefits

• Facilitates the evaluation and comparability of non-TVET qualifications acquired in Kenya and in other countries.

• RPL - Enables the recognition of skills, knowledge and values which an individual acquires outside the formal education and training system through work experience regardless of where or how they learnt them.

• The training is conducted in modules. Each module stands alone and a learner is credited with completed modules and will not repeat these modules if they rejoin the training at a later date.

• In the CBET system a learner will be continuously assessed and provided with feedback at each stage.

Challenges• A CBET course is only as effective

as the process used to identify the competencies. When little or no attention is given to identification of the essential job skills, then the resulting training course is likely to be ineffective.

• A course may be classified as competency-based, but unless specific CBET materials and training approaches (e.g. learning guidelines, checklists and coaching) are designed to be used as part of a CBET approach, it is unlikely that the resulting course will be truly competency based.

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Challenges facing CBET in KenyaThere are a number of challenges hindering the effective implementation of CBET in the country and among them include: • Lack of enough skilled CBET trainers in the country • Most of the materials and equipment that are used for

teaching in the TVET institutions are outdated making the institutions difficult to effectively meet the required training standard to students.

• Lack of enough funds to measure the quality of the training standards provided to the institutions that use CBET system in their training systems.

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CBET Curriculum, Drafting, Validation and Endorsement The following process shall be followed:• CDACC will appoint Sector Skills Advisory Committees (SSACs) for the various

industry sectors,• TVETA identifies the industry sectors or occupational areas for which national

competency standards shall be developed, and submit the information to CDACC. • CDACC will submit the information to SSACs who will use it to identify and develop

the Competency Standards for the respective sectors.• SSACs identify and advise on the relevant skills and competency standards for the

respective sectors,• CDACC appoints curriculum developers for the respective competency standards.

The curriculum developers will also assign Level Descriptors for the various courses according to the Kenya Qualifications Framework,

• CDACC organizes for a validation workshop for the relevant stakeholders that will be led by the relevant SSAC; the Curriculum developers for the curriculum will also be invited to attend.

• The validated curriculum will be endorsed by CDACC and submitted to TVETA to approve for use by the training providers.

• CDACC will take steps for printing of Competency Standards and Curricula for dissemination purpose.

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Functions of TVET CDACC– CDACC shall be working with the industry and other

countries, in order to ensure mutual recognition of competency standards and national vocational qualifications introduced in Kenya.

– CDACC will adopt the internationally benchmarked policies and processes so as to enhance credibility to credentials awarded in Kenya.

– CDACC will implement CBETF with active participation of all the training agencies, NITA, DTVET, Technical Universities and other public, private and NGO sector training institutions.

– Assessment and Certification of 1 – 6 levels shall be carried out by institutions accredited by the CDACC.

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– Accredited training providers and establishments are authorized to award national qualifications jointly with CDACC. The certification of national qualifications shall be maintained in a central database by DCACC. This will facilitate ready verification of the authenticity of qualifications.

– CDACC shall make available a full listing of all accredited courses with their level and purpose for the information of learners and employers. This ensures comprehensive coverage of a sector and coherent identification of competency standards/qualifications including a sensible match adjusted to the labour market.

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– CDACC will avail guidelines to advice the developers of competency standards and qualifications in order to outline technical requirements for the format and content of the national vocational qualifications.

– CDACC will also avail the Competency Standards Development Manual to Competency Standard Developers for references.

– CDACC shall undertake monitoring, evaluation and research during the implementation of the vocational qualifications system, in order to modify policies and procedures in the light of Kenyan experience and international developments. An implementation, monitoring and research committee with external stakeholder representation shall be established by the CDACC.

– CDACC shall develop a concept so that all trainees can be dealt with fairly and are not disadvantaged during the transition period.

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– Trainees are assessed by assessors registered by CDACC for the respective occupation (level 1 -4) or field of study (level 5 & 6), who had no involvement in the training process of the trainees to be assessed. Institutions shall select two registered assessors; one acting as the assessor and the other as the verifier. Accredited private sector institutions shall obtain the approval of the CDACC for the selected assessors.

– CDACC shall also be responsible to license, accredit and register the assessors indicating their authorized scope of assessing and maintain a data base of their details based on occupations; this information will be made available to all training providers, delegated assessment centers and industry.

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Functions of Technical Universities– Certification at level 7 shall be carried out by the Technical

universities. – The TUs shall be responsible for conducting assessor training

programs as and when necessary. – TUs are also responsible for training staff of the training

institutions to develop assessment resources for formative and summative assessments.

– TUs and CDACC will negotiate a formal articulation agreement so that pathways, with appropriate credit transfer from the National Diplomas, will be available to students who have achieved the relevant TVETQ qualifications at levels 5 and 6 through accredited TVET courses.

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END

OF

PRESENTATION