Accreditation Council Committed To NQF

BARBADOS:  The Barbados Accreditation Council (BAC) is committed to the establishment of a National Qualifications Framework (NQF), says Deputy Chairman of its Board, Maria Phillips.

Ms. Phillips was addressing the opening of an NQF workshop for representatives of key organisations involved in its development, implementation and maintenance.
It was facilitated by the Ministry of Labour, Social Security and Human Resource Development, at Almond Bay, Hastings, Christ Church.
It forms part of a scoping mission being conducted from April 11 to 15, between the Mauritius Qualifications Authority (MQA) and the Barbados Accreditation Council (BAC), who have entered into a partnership related to the island’s NQF.
She stressed that BAC was committed to a NQF which values all learning attained by Barbadians, regardless of whether the learning was attained through formal means (that is, through education and training institutions leading to qualifications) or non-formal means (that is, for example, service organisations, workplaces and activities that complement formal systems of education and might not lead to qualifications/certification).
Alluding to the benefits this instrument would bring, the Deputy Chairman said it was anticipated these would include making it easier for learners to enter the educational system and to progress within it; promoting access, transfer and progression into, within and between programmes of learning; and enabling employers to understand qualifications which prospective employees may present and where these qualifications fit into the overall educational system.
Meanwhile, MQA’s Acting Director, Robin Phoolchund, stressed that his team was on a scoping mission which would pave the way for the implementation of the NQF.
Acknowledging that a global perspective on NQFs would also be examined, he said: “As of now, over 150 countries have already got their NQFs up and running. Many have put up their NQFs as a communications framework giving information on qualifications and qualifications systems that show a lot of transparency. Others have used NQFs as a regulatory instrument. But what is exactly needed is an endeavour for each country to explore on its own.”
Mr. Phoolchund therefore noted this was his country’s rationale for sharing its experiences and best practices with others like Barbados.
joy-ann.gill@barbados.gov.bb