C-EFE PROGRAM- INSTITUTIONAL PARTNERSHIP

INSTITUTION’S PROFILE AND TERMS OF REFERENCE STATE COLLEGE DOMINICA - AGRICULTURE

AUGUST 2012

REF: CAR-07

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Executive Summary ...... 1 Institutional Mandate ...... 2 Brief History ...... 2 Strategic Plan Elements ...... 2 Priority Issues for the Next 2-3 Years ...... 3 The Development of the College Agri-Business Program ...... 4 Rationale ...... 4 Goal ...... 5 Purpose ...... 5 Contextual Overview ...... 5 Project Context...... 6 Data and Statistics on Staff And Students ...... 8 Dominica State College Organisational Chart ...... 8 Student Population of the Dominica State College by Faculty...... 9 Faculty Qualification ...... 11 Faculty Distribution by Gender ...... 11 Program Sector Development for C-EFE ...... 12 Supporting and Background Documenation ...... 13

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

This project proposal is for the consideration of the CARICOM for Employment Program (C-EFE). The goal of the project, for which the Dominica State College (DSC) is seeking assistance, is to increase employment opportunities for youth in Dominica by providing them access to quality training program in Agri-business Management. The purpose is to develop and deliver a CVQ Level 3 in Agri-business Management.

The DSC is well placed as Dominica’s sole public tertiary to take the lead in changing the mindset of current and potential farmers and provide education and training to support such a paradigm. The need for a shift in training from general agriculture to Agri- business Management is noted by several leading professionals and organizations including the Government of Dominica and the Ministry of Agriculture.

The experience of the DSC in the delivery of technical and and training (TVET) strengthens its capacity to deliver a CVQ qualification in Agri-business Management. But the College requires support to design an appropriate curriculum for a CVQ Level 3 program which includes, inter alia, standards, modules/units, assessment instruments, minimum tools and equipment and facilities. Additionally, assistance is needed to train teaching staff to use the Competency Based Education and Training (CBET) approach, and to create a pool of staff to conduct internal and external verification.

The impact of this Project must not only be based on the attainment of the identified goal and purpose but will also be examined from the lessons learnt and recommendations. The Project can serve as a model for sustainable curriculum development and implementation at the Dominica State College, and Dominica by extension.

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1.0 INSTITUTIONAL MANDATE

1.1 Brief History

Dominica State College (DSC) is the country’s only public higher education institution and is responsible for educating and training the majority of citizens seeking access to higher education in Dominica. Founded in 2002, the institution has graduated over 3000 students with certificates and associate degrees in the areas of Arts and Sciences, Education, Applied Arts & Technology, Nursing and Health Sciences. The architects and founders of the College designed it to be a multi-functional institution, directly targeting workforce and economic development; serving the lifelong learning needs of its campus communities and assisting students to pursue further education opportunities through professional development courses, seamless articulation to undergraduate level programs and delivery of Associate and Bachelor’s degree programs in areas where the country’s needs are most acute. In order to accomplish these goals, the College must focus on the development and/or strengthening of its academic, technical, vocational and administrative programs; securing the required levels of funding, and aligning its programs and services more closely to the needs of its varied stakeholders and clients.

1.2 Strategic Plan Elements

Beginning in the fall of 2012, the college is seeking to develop and strengthen its Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Program in the area of Applied Arts Science and Technology, to both meet the nations need for skilled professionals and the developing regional TVET standards and programs. The college is also seeking to establish partnership arrangements with regional institutions, including the UWI Open Campus in Dominica, in its efforts to develop a strong TVET Program, while simultaneously minimizing cost.

Technical Vocational Programs The Dominica State College currently offers associate degree programs in the following TVET areas: Agriculture Technology Architecture Technology Automobile Technology Building and Civil Engineering Electronics Technology Electrical Technology Mechanical Engineering

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The following programs are offered at Certificate level: Auto Body Repairs Electrical Installation Plumbing Technology Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Safer Building Woodworking

Below are the revised vision, mission and goals of the DSC. Vision

To be a student-centered, dynamic and innovative, world-class multi-campus college. • Promoting excellence in teaching and learning • Serving diverse communities • Producing lifelong learners who can complete globally

Mission To be the premiere educational institution in • Providing high-quality, affordable and accessible educational programs • Serving the needs of business, industry and the diverse campus communities, and • Facilitating the personal and professional development of its students, faculty and staff.

Goals and Objectives The Recurrent Budget FY 2012 – 2014 states that, “The major goals and objectives should be focused on (a) effecting a smooth transition from the disparate system of operation at the college to an integrated, standardized articulated and transparent system of academic and administrative operations; to increase enrolment, create more open access and improve the quality, range and relevance of the campuses’ program offerings.”

1.3 Priority Issues for the Next 2-3 Years

The Capital Budget FY 2012-2004 summarizes the goals and objectives of the DSC as follows:

This period will see the development of a new infra structure at the Stock Farm Camps and the initiation of projects linked to SCG building and renovation project. It is being proposed that the funds allocated for renovation under this project be used to build a new Hospitality and Tourism Training Centre and new

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workshops for Applied Sciences and Crafts program, the establishment of the Wide Area Network. This phase, which is projected to span 3-4 years, will focus on the development and introduction of technology solutions to serve the academic functions and operations of the college. As such, distance education resources, training and course development; provision of web-based system access for all students, faculty and staff, and library collection development and system optimization will be the focus of the capital budgets technology projects. In addition, the physical improvement of facilities and the introduction of new and modern equipment necessary to support the engineering technology, the Technical Vocational and crafts program will remain a top priority, together with the purchase of additional computers for student use.

Request for Funding

The need for Technical and Vocational Education and Training at the College level in Dominica is dire. The other higher education institution in the country, the UWI Open Campus, does not offer any TVET programs, consequently, DSC is the sole provider of training and education in the areas that are most needed in Dominica. The Government of Dominica has provided funding to renovate the buildings where the TVET Programs are housed. It is anticipated that those buildings will be ready in 2013, but unfortunately, there are no funds on the horizon for equipping the building to be functional. The College is in the process of preparing an inventory of its needs for equipment and materials to support technical and vocational education and training over the next five years. Preliminary figures for equipment indicate that the cost will be very high. In addition the projected annual cost for maintaining all of the TVET programs to meet the regional and international TVET standards is going to be exceedingly high.

2.0 THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE COLLEGE AGRI-BUSINESS PROGRAM

2.1 Rationale

• Dominica State College (DSC) has been offering general agriculture since 1972 with the result that there is an abundance of trained general agriculture practitioners. • The need has been expressed from several quarters/sectors that there is a dire need for agriculture to be pursued as a business if Dominica is going to become competitive in agriculture regionally. • The training provided in agri-business will immediately serve two purposes, (i) create a pool of trained persons with an interest in the development of agri-business; (ii)

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create a pool of persons who will be equipped to assist current farmers in developing their practices as a business.

2.2 Goal

To create in Dominica a cadre of agriculturalist who are equipped and eager to approach agriculture as a business enterprise.

2.3 Purpose

To develop the competency standards relevant for training materials, instructional capacity of lecturers, and equip facilities to deliver the CVQ Level 3 in Agri-Business Management by the DSC. 2.4 Contextual Overview • There are currently no NVQ or CVQ standards for a qualification in Agri-Business. The partnership will therefore need to develop standards for this qualification. • There is currently no lead body in the agricultural sector to advise on standards for an NVQ or CVQ qualification. It will therefore be absolutely necessary to establish one. • Considering that there is no curriculum for this qualification at present, the DSC will need every assistance possible including, but not limited to, formation of (1) program description, (2) goals, (3) competencies, (4) structure, (5) teaching/learning strategies, (6) assessment/evaluation strategies. • Given that such a program would attract persons who are already pursuing farming and/or engaged in agricultural extension works, the need exists to develop PLAR Systems to recognize competencies which they have already gained. DSC will need assistance in developing a system which adequately determines such prior learning. • It would assist quality if a program coordinator could be offered opportunity to visit institutions with excellent track record of program management particularly as it relates to agri-business. • While many of the current DSC lecturers have years of experience in teaching. They have very limited knowledge and experience in the CBET approach. Any assistance in training DSC facilitators to use the CBET approach will add quality to the Agri- Business Program. • Currently, there are no written policies to promote gender equality in TVET programs. Increasingly, however, key staffs are verbalizing the need for such promotion. This may well be the occasion to promote and strategize for gender equality. The experience of Canadian Colleges would certainly help in this regard.

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3.0 PROJECT CONTEXT

Agriculture has always been, and continues to be, the main industry in Dominica. The CARICOM Secretariat (2011), in an article called Agriculture Development Profile – Dominica, emphasizes this point very persuasively in the following statement, Agriculture is the single most important private sector activity in Dominica, both in terms of the number of persons employed and contribution to GDP. Despite declining production, agriculture continues to be a significant contributor to total domestic exports. … Notwithstanding the decline in agriculture’s share in GDP, the sector still continues to play a significant role in the overall social and economic development of the country.

This point is further strengthened in a statement from the The Division of Agriculture Corporate Plan: 2011-2013, which states as follows: Historically, agriculture has been the most important sector of the national economy in terms of its contribution to GDP, provision of employment, domestic food and nutrition security, sustenance of rural livelihoods, and the generation of foreign exchange earnings. Commonly referred to as the backbone of the economy, the broad agricultural sector includes the production, processing, marketing and consumption/demand sub-systems of the crops, livestock, (forestry and fisheries – not elaborated in this plan) sub-sectors. Up until the late 1980’s, agriculture contributed 26 % of GDP, 30% of employment, 70% of exports and 60% of the food needs of the population. Since then and into the 1990’s, much slower growth rates have been recorded largely as a result of the erosion of preferential trading arrangements for ACP bananas in the EU. This situation was further compounded by the effects of climate change as evidenced by the frequency of tropical storms impacting the sector in addition to drought in recent times (2010).

Two things are clear from the foregoing statements by CARICOM Secretariat and the Ministry of Agriculture, (1) agriculture continues to be critical for Dominica’s development; and (2) over the recent years its contribution to the national economy is declining. The need is clear, therefore, that if there is to be an increase in the contribution of agriculture, a new approach must be adopted. The following statement from the Ministry of Agriculture (2011) is recognition of the need for a new approach.

The increasing competitive pressure and associated negative socio-economic impact of the new EC banana regime make agricultural diversification an imperative for enhancing agricultural production, productivity and

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competitiveness. The diversification effort must seek to create an enabling environment that will facilitate greater competitive activity in the private sector, increase commercial investments in the sub-sector in addition to providing appropriate support services and opportunities for the strengthening of key institutions within the sector. Agricultural production, productivity and competitiveness will also be promoted through support to agro-processing activities at all levels (small, micro, medium, large), and the provision of support for the development of environmentally preferable products.

Part of the enabling environment referred to above must be the education and training of current and future farmers. The Dominica State College will be expected to play a leading role in this education and training process. It is imperative, therefore, that appropriate programs are established and delivered to reflect a new approach. Part of this new approach must involve a paradigm shift to agriculture as a business. A qualification in Agri-business Management, therefore, falls ideally within the promotion of Agricultural production, productivity and competitiveness which the Ministry of Agriculture in Dominica recommends in the foregoing statement.

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4.0 DATA AND STATISTICS ON STAFF AND STUDENTS

4.1 Dominica State College Organisational Chart

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4.2 Student population of the Dominica State College for 2011 and 2012 by faculty, program and gender. Faculty of Applied Arts & Technology Year 2011 Year 2012 Program Male Female Total Male Female Total Automobile Engineering 19 0 19 - - - Technology

Building And Construction 1 0 1 - - - Technology

Electrical Engineering 2 0 2 20 0 20 Technology

Agriculture 13 9 22 15 11 26

Architectural Technology 32 8 40 3 1 4

Building And Civil Engineering 21 3 24 0 1 1

Electronics & 27 2 29 Telecommunications Technology - - -

Mechanical Engineering 1 0 1 9 0 9 Refrigeration And Air 18 0 18 18 0 Conditioning 18

134 22 156 65 13 78

Faculty of Arts & Sciences Accounting 19 56 75 16 36 52

Administrative Office Assistant 0 33 33 0 24 24

Biology 25 53 78 16 51 67

Business Administration 48 90 138 48 78 126

Chemistry 10 19 29 9 19 28

Computer Science 6 0 6 8 3 11

Economics 26 51 77 17 29 46

English 0 4 4 3 20 23

Entrepreneurship 2 1 3 4 11 15

French 0 6 6 6 1 7

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Geography 4 2 6 8 9 17

History 1 6 7 3 6 9

Hospitality Studies - - - 6 12 18

Information Technology 20 14 34 20 10 30

Literature 4 20 24 1 1 2

Mathematics 14 21 35 22 29 51

Physics 17 7 24 20 19 39

Psychology 11 74 85 15 78 93

Sociology 6 22 28 18 5 23

Spanish 1 6 7 2 2 4

Tourism & Hospitality Studies 8 30 38 0 3 3

Tourism Studies 0 2 2 2 15 17

222 517 739 244 461 705

Faculty of Health Sciences Environmental Health 5 21 2 1 26 3 General Nursing 1 52 3 18 53 21

Nursing 0 6 6 0 18 18 Bsc Nursing - - 0 1 - 1 Midwifery 0 11 0 22 11 22

Pre Nursing 0 3 3 3 94 97 6 93 99 8 154 162

Faculty of Education Early Childhood Education 0 11 11

Primary Education 0 6 6 0 31 31

Secondary Education 2 14 16 2 23 23

Diploma In Education - - - 3 7 10

2 20 22 5 72 75

Source: Office of the Registrar, DSC (2012)

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4.3 Faculty of the Dominica State College by level of highest qualification

Faculty of Special Bachelors Masters PHD/or TOTAL Diplomas

Applied Arts Technology 3 6 1 - 10

Arts & Sciences 2 21 18 2 43

Education - 4 9 - 13

Health Sciences - 1 7 - 8

TOTAL 5 32 35 2 74

Source: HRM President’s Office

4.4 Faculty of the Dominica State College by Gender

Faculty of MALE FEMALE TOTAL

Applied Arts Technology 9 1 10

Arts & Sciences 14 29 43

Education 6 7 13

Health Sciences 0 8 8

TOTAL 29 45 74

Source: HRM President’s Office

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5.0 PROGRAM SECTOR DEVELOPMENT FOR C-EFE

5.1 The program to be developed is a CVQ Level 3 Qualification in Agri-business Management.

5.2 The evidence of demand for this CVQ Level 3 Qualification in Agri-Business Management is shown in the current reduction in agricultural activity, particularly in the production of bananas, the inability by local farmers to sustain production of agricultural produce for CARICOM markets, the small number of graduates of the general agriculture associate degree of the Dominica State College who are involved in farming occupations, the success of a small number of farmers who have taken the initiative to adopt a business-like approach to their practice and the very strong recommendation of the Head of Extension of the Division of Agriculture in Dominica, Mr. Felix Leslie, that there is a glaring need to change our approach to farming in Dominica to one where it is properly seen as a business.

5.3 This Agri Business Management program will be the first of its kind at the Dominica State College and Dominica by extension.

5.4 In keeping with the current entry level qualifications for most programs at the Dominica State College, at least four CXC general proficiency passes will be required. This includes English, mathematics, a science subject and a business subject. Mature students, that is, those who are 21 years and over, with experience in agriculture may be admitted to the program on a case by case basis. Graduates of the DSC Associate Degree in General Agriculture will be given advanced standing in the program by transferring credits for equivalent courses which they have already successfully completed.

5.5 In September 2008, the Dominica State College introduced a special support program called, Development Education Enhancement Program (DEEP). This was designed to assist students who have not attained full matriculation for entry into existing programs. This DEEP is continuing and students will have the opportunity to study through this route to obtain the required entry requirements for the CVQ Level 3 Qualification in Agri Business Management. 5.6 DSC employs a variety of strategies to ensure that employers and industry representatives are involved in the delivery of its programs. These include, (1) the use of industry experts to review aspects of the curriculum; (2) the use of agricultural professionals to deliver specialized courses; (3) the mandatory attachment for all students with appropriate companies; (4) feedback from employers on the performance of students who have been on attachment in their institutions; (5) continuous consultation with industry partners by DSC representatives on the TVET Council (the current chairman of the TVET Council is a Faculty Dean

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of DSC); and (6) employers or industry representatives request tailor-made training in specific areas. These are normally delivered by the Department of .

5.7 All the existing lecturers involved in the agricultural programs would be required to participate in the delivery and development of the program. But one lecturer who has had some exposure to agri-business management and who also has keen interest in the paradigm shift being proposed would be involved much more than the others particularly in the development stage.

5.8 A formal mechanism does not yet exist to free up the lecturer to work exclusively on new program development. DSC’s financial situation does not at present allow for the best option which would be to engage another trainer for the period during which program development is taking place. Unless this situation changes, therefore, one would have to depend on the co-operation of the lecturer to make the additional sacrifice in devoting extra time for supporting the program.

5.9 Currently class room space is available at the DSC to deliver the program. The limited infrastructure at DSC for practical work will be supplemented by the ever-supportive Ministry of Agriculture and local farmers who continuously support the College.

5.10 Dominica State College is currently engaged in international partnership with the following institutions.

6.0 SUPPORTING AND BACKGROUND DOCUMENATION

6.1 Dominica State College website: www.dsc.edu.dm 6.2 The Division of Agriculture Corporate Plan: 2011-2013 6.3 CARICOM Secretariat http://www.caricom.org/jsp/community/donor_conference_agriculture... 6.4 Budget address 2012 www.dominica.gov.dm Please see supporting documents for the CARICOM-EFE at http://www.accc.ca/xp/index.php/en/programs/int-partnerships/efe-intro/efe-caricom - Related Documents and Institutional Partnerships

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