Guyana TVET programmes now internationally recognised

Last Updated on Tuesday, 7 June 2016, 7:20 by Denis Chabrol

Guyana has been given the green light to award the Caribbean Vocational Qualifications or CVQs, as they are commonly called, in Technical Vocation Education Training (TVET).

Deputy Chief Education Officer (Technical,) Ministry of Education, Patrick Chinedu Onwuzirike, in a recent interview, told the Government Information Agency (GINA) that the country received the go-ahead from the Caribbean Association of National Training Authority (CANTA) recently.

CANTA quality assurance officers came to Guyana and assessed what was being done in five of the TVET areas to determine if what was being taught was up to international standards.

Onwuzirike explained that following the assessment, the country was given the go-ahead to issue the CVQs.  “What this means is that the training we are doing is no longer locally certified, it is an internationally recognised certified training,” he explained.

The Caribbean Vocational Qualification is a CARICOM approved award that represents achievement of a set of competencies which define core work practices of an occupational area, consistent with the levels articulated within the regional qualifications framework.

To earn an award, candidates must demonstrate competence in attaining CARICOM-approved occupational standards developed by practitioners and employers (i.e. the industry experts).  These standards are organized in units. Candidates may earn unit awards towards achieving a complete CVQ.

Regional Qualifications Frameworks include: Level 5 –( Executive Professional,) Level 4 – (Manager/Entrepreneur,) Level 3 – (Supervisor/Technician/Instructor,) Level 2 – Skilled/Independent Worker) and Level 1 – (Semi-Skilled Worker.)