Proposed qualifications framework in collaboration with Scottish Qualifications Authority
Sanabis: Wednesday, 18 November 2009: Bahrain's ambitious education reform process will receive a boost through an initiative led by the Education Reform Board, headed by HE Shaikh Mohammed bin Mubarak Al Khalifa, Deputy Prime Minister to create a National Qualification framework for Bahrain which will help to create a universal language by which all stakeholders in the vocational and academic education markets can assess their training standards. The project will be jointly managed by Tamkeen and the Scottish Qualifications Authority who were selected out of 4 international firms through a tendering process.
At the signing ceremony, Tamkeen was represented by Chief Executive Abdulellah Al Qassimi and SQA by Chief Executive Dr. Janet Brown. The nearly BD 1.1 million project will take two years to complete and actual fieldwork will start in January 2010. The ceremony was also attended by Dr. Mona Al-Baluchi, Deputy Secretary General, Higher Education Council, Mr. Hameed Saleh, Director, BTI, representing the Ministry of Labour, Ms. Dolina Dowling from the Quality Assurance Authority for Education and Training, and Ms. Amal Kooheji from Tamkeen.
A National Qualification framework for Bahrain is one of the recommendations of the Education Reform Board and the steering committee in charge of the framework is chaired by Tamkeen's CE Mr. Abdulellah Al Qassimi. Members of the committee represent the Economic Development Board, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Labour, Higher Education Council, Quality Assurance Authority for Education and Training, and Tamkeen.
The project seeks to create a framework that will formalize the descriptions of the various qualification levels, the policy documents and the quality control accreditation system for future implementation. The scope also includes linking out the framework to other meta frameworks internationally as well as recommending the body that will take over the actual policy and implementation. SQA was selected because of its rich expertise in similar projects globally.
Measuring training initiatives
"We see this as part of broader national initiatives to provide world-class education and training to Bahrainis. A National Qualification framework will help us to measure the multitude of qualifications that exist and also more importantly create policies that support accreditation of prior learning," Mr. Al Qassimi commented, "Since the inception of Tamkeen and the leadership's initiatives to overhaul the education and training facilities in the Kingdom, we have been working to create a broad structure that will help us to track and measure the quality of training and education on offer."
He added, "A National Qualifications framework will also help us to bridge the gap between vocational and academic qualifications and allow more learning pathways and translation for certifications and mobility."
"The Scottish Qualifications Authority will bring its vast experience in creating and implementing a National Qualifications framework to the project and we are excited to be working with the project's steering committee and Tamkeen as well as Bahraini stakeholders to open new doors in this far-sighted effort of the leadership of Bahrain to equip its citizens with tools that will measure excellence in training and education for the future," said SQA Dr. Janet Brown.
Most advanced economies have a National Qualifications framework that helps to track educational and training initiatives and monitor quality. Bahrain will be one of the leaders in the GCC to put this framework in place.
-Ends-
© Press Release 2009
