New Developments in Technical and Vocational Education in the Caribbean

Keynote address delivered by the Minister of Trinidad, The Barbados Technical The Caribbean is still very dependent Education and Culture in Barbados at the Institute, Barbados Community College on agriculture which has traditionally opening of a conference on 12March 1986,at the Commonwealth Institute, London. and the various technical colleges in the provided employment for a large Eastern Caribbean. number of people. While production in The Barbados Technical Institute agriculture has increased over the years, In social democratic states industrial which was established in 1953 was the the industry has become less labour development envisages a collaborative first institution to be designed intensive as mechanisation and other role between technical vocational specifically for the delivery of technical modern techniques are overtaking training, technological innovation and and vocational education. In 1962 traditional methods - not only in Sugar enterprise in the production of goods technical education was upgraded in but in non-sugar agriculture as well. and services. It is against this secondary schools with the building of This trend of increased development, background that I shall speak of some Industrial Arts wings at ten of the mechanisation and automation must of the efforts and achievements of island's secondary schools. This continue in the Caribbean if our islands governments in the Caribbean region to expansion has accelerated within recent are to compete on equal terms in the promote technical and vocational years to the extent that facilities for international marketplace. As new education as a means of underlining some aspects of technical and demands are made of our educational their development policies. I shall also vocational education now exist at all of systems it is imperative for us to turn out examine some of the pertinent issues on our twenty-one government secondary persons with creative skills ~ho can which there must be continuing schools. The facilities which were first adapt to the rapid change and discussion and dialogue if we are to provided in 1962 have been expanded movement of the employment market. achieve our objectives. significantly to provide for a more Caribbean governments share with I shall be drawing on regional varied and upgraded curriculum. other governments great concern over experiences to illustrate my arguments. Discussions are currently in progress the prevailing high levels of However, since I have been intimately between the Barbados Government and unemployment. This problem has also associated with the Barbados situation I the Third World Bank on an education become the concern of educational shall crave your indulgence if I appear to loan project designed to provide added planners and practitioners especially cite a few cases of my own country's and approved facilities and equipment those in the field of technical education. achievements. for technical programmes at secondary There are many factors which have Technical and vocational education in schools. The Barbardos Community contributed to this phenomenon, the the Caribbean is a recent development College and the Samuel Jackman chief among which experts claim is the when compared to similar education in Prescod Polytechnic and the National worldwide recession. However, the the United Kingdom. Following the Training Board. changing patterns in the demand for move towards independence in the The areas of expansion which are very labour should not be overlooked since Caribbean, a tranformation took place significant and applicable to the entire this may be a contributing factor. which had the effect of changing region, relate to the new initiatives In the Caribbean we are making bold educational systems generally and which have been taken by Caribbean efforts to diversify our economies and to allowing for the inclusion of various Governments to ensure that there are attract new industries to help in the aspects of technical education into the increases in the number of persons who solution of our unemployment problem. curricula. are now afforded the opportunity to The Caribbean Basin Initiative is an In the pre-independence era, there obtain a technical education. important catalyst in our achievement was an almost total lack of technical and As examples of new initiatives taken of these goals. The new technology vocational education since we focussed in the Caribbean, I draw your attention accompanying these industrial on 'academic' education. There was firstly to the HEART programme of enterprises will have implications for however various forms of technical and Jamaica - HEART is an acronym for our education and training systems. For vocational training, mainly through Human Employment and Resource instance emphasis will now have to be apprenticeship schemes. It was during Training - and secondly, to the Skills placed on design education if the new the 1950s that it became very evident to Training Programme of Barbados. This manufactured goods are to compete Caribbean countries that if their latter programme which was piloted favourably in extra-regional markets. development needs were to be met, then with assistance from the Organisation of Design education as a part of there would have to be a rethinking of American States has now been technical education was introduced into the education system with the view to implemented in other countries of the secondary schools by the Caribbean promoting a balance between academic Eastern Caribbean. Throughout the Examination Council (CXC) from the and technical education and training. region programmes have been developed inception of its technical programmes. During the period between 1950 and including the revival of apprenticeship This examining body has included a 1970 technical institutions were schemes, which are designed specifically section on design in all the Industrial developed throughout the region as to cater to the concept of on-the-job Arts subject taken by Secondary evidenced by the establishment of the training. There are also day-release Schools. There is however a need to College of Arts and Science and programmes at technical institutions continue this aspect of technical Technology (CAST) in Jamaica, The and other programmes which provide education beyond the secondary stage John Donalson Technical College in industrial work experience. into the tertiary. I am very happy to note that one of training technical teachers locally. This There are persons in the Caribbean our technical institutions in Barbados could best be achieved through the capable of producing the material has sought, through the Ministry of channelling of technical assistance from needed for mounting local courses with Education, funds from our national external agencies into the funding of local certification. Some such materials Training Levy Board for mounting a experts to train teachers and curriculum have already been produced by course in Industrial Design. Yet another developers. If technical teachers are to individuals and groups sometimes in has included an element of design in its be trained at home then there is the need collaboration with foreign persons or electronics programme where students for some of the technical colleges in the agencies. What is now required is greater are taught how to use their knowledge of region to be identified as institutions of motivation and involvement and it micro-electronics in order to automate exellence and be given the responsibility could be that this conference will machines to carry out functions directly for the training of technical teachers. provide that motivation. related to national needs. Reports coming out of Jamaica suggest The achievements of the Caribbean High technology equipment and that the College of Arts, Science and Examinations Council (CXC) provide systems required to sustain Technology (CAST) could easily be ample proof that the problems related to manufacturing processes suggest that identified as such an institution. I would certification of technical subjects can be emphasis would have to be placed on like to think that a merger of the relevant successfully tackled at the regional level. providing highly skilled technicians in activities of the Barbados Community The model of certification developed by instrumentation and industrial controls College, the Samuel Jackman Prescod the Council is unique and has received to maintain such equipment and to Polytechnic and Erdiston College in acceptance from renowned educational mini mise dependence on foreign Barbados could result in such an institutions in the United Kingdom, expertise. We are considering as a high institution of excellence being Canada and the United States of priority the implementation of an established in Barbados to service the America. If the focus of this conference integrated approach to training for the needs of the Eastern Caribbean. is to provide the opportunity for the maintenance of high technology The success of technical education United f(ingdom and the Caribbean to equipment. The objectives should not cannot be based solely on the evidence learn from each other, then I consider it only be to import technology but fully to of expanded facilities, improved appropriate for the work of the understand and become a part of that opportunities, better trained staff or Caribbean Examinations Council to technology. even better equipped administrators. feature very prominently in the One of the inhibiting factors to the The real test of success will be discussions. Accreditation of technical expansion of technical and vocational determined by the acceptance of subjects requires technical institutions education in the Caribbean is the graduates from the various institutions to develop stronger links with industry, scarcity of trained technical teachers. by employers. Over the years employers commerce and professional The supply of such teachers has have relied solely on certification gained associations. These linkages do not only gradually increased over the years as the from recognised overseas bodies. apply to institutions but to the programmes in the existing institutions The City and Guilds of London Caribbean Examinations Council also, have developed but competition with Institute has served the region very well if that organisation is to provide industry still leaves us in a deficit over the years in its training at the craft, certification at the higher levels. It may position. In the early years considerable advanced craft and technician levels. very well be that the role of the reliance was placed on imported However, the need for local certification Caribbean Examinations Council in this teachers most of whom came from the cannot be postponed any longer and this matter, at least in the early stages, would United Kingdom. During the last two Institute might be persuaded to broaden be one of co-ordination rather than decades. full use has been made of the scope of its service to the area by certification. training programmes under bilateral assisting its institutions to develop the Individual countries must press ahead and international agreements, namely, requirements for certification. with the development of national the United States Aid for International Reports from two recent conferences certification and then the Caribbean Development (USAID), the Canadian on technical education held in the Examinations Council through a International Development Agency region, the first in Nassau, The process of moderation and co-operation (CIDA), the Commonwealth Fund for Bahamas, in 1982 and the other in St with industry, commerce and Technical Co-operation (CFTC), the Christopher and Nevis in 1983, have professional associations could devise a United Nations Educational and indicated that considerable discussion system of regional accreditation. Scientific Organisation (UNESCO), the has already taken place on the subject of The high cost of providing technical Organisation of American States (AOS) local Caribbean certification and that and vocational education together with etc. These programmes have provided specific recommendations have been put the scarcity of resources raises the the trained cadres which have had a forward. I believe the Caribbean question of rationalisation of technical multiplier effect but the supply of participants in this Conference are keen and vocational education, a subject suitably trained teachers to meet the to continue discussions on this matter which might well be one of the needs remain inadequate. and I urge them to take the opportunity objectives of this conference. At this stage of our development it is to add to what they have already Rationalisation would lead to - more appropriate for us in the achieved in bringing about the desired - The better use of scarce materials and Caribbean to accelerate the pace of change. personnel - The more economic use of expensive Barbados Community College and St It would be remiss of me not to equipment Clair College of Applied Arts and recognise the valuable contributions - Common learning materials in the Technology in Canada in developing made by the United Kingdom in the region new curricula at the Division of development of technical and vocational Hospitality Studies in Barbados; and education in the Caribbean. In this - Co-operation with industry and - the collaboration between the regard I make special mention of the commerce University of the West Indies, the British Council whose contribution has - Co-operation between institutions on Jamaica College of Arts, Science and been very significant throughout the a national, regional and international Technology and Huddersfield years, especially in facilitating the level Polytechnic in the organisation and placement and accommodation of - Regional certification and management of the Diploma of Caribbean scholars in Britain. The accreditation. Education for teachers. Caribbean is most grateful for the assistance given in the past and look At the fourth meeting of the Standing This conference could lead the way forward to continued co-operation in Committee on Ministers responsible for towards greater co-operation between this vital area of our overall educational Education in the Caribbean institutions in the Caribbean and those system. Community, a decision was taken to in the United Kingdom. Over the past few minutes I have convene a conference on rationalisation. Within recent years issues related to sought to trace the development of That conference took place in St technical and vocational education have technical and vocational education in Christopher/Nevis and has made been engaging the attention of the Caribbean, identifying as pre- recommendations which the Caribbean Caribbean Ministers responsible for eminent in our needs: the expansion of should find very useful. In Barbados a Education at almost all of their opportunities for training of teachers; policy decision taken by the Ministry of meetings. At the Fifth Meeting of the the formulation of syllabuses adapted to Education has resulted in co-operation Standing Committee of Ministers of the requirements of our several among the secondary schools on the one Education held in Barbados in June countries which will lead to local hand, and on the other between the 1984, the Ministers were asked to certification and accreditation with secondary schools and the tertiary approve the recommendations of the St Caribbean employers and the instititions. Christopher/Nevis Conference and also rationalisation of limited resources As part of the rationalisation process a number of project proposals. Because allocated to this specific area of there is need to seek greater co- the Ministers did not receive clear education. We have come a long way in operation at the international level. answers to all questions raised, a Task remedying our shortcomings, but we The rate of technology 'developmentls Force to examine recent developments in still have a long way to go. There are so rapid that without such co-operation technical and vocational education was serious retarding factors in the thrust third world countries could find appointed. It is significant that this ahead, not least of all the necessity to themselves lagging behind by many conference suggests a link with the work convince the Caribbean public and most years. There are many bodies world- of that Task Force. The members of that of all Caribbean employers of the value wide which have the desire to co-operate Task Force who are present should of local certification and the capability with third world countries in technical therefore find the deliberations of this of attaining comparable standards of and vocational education. Two examples meeting very useful in helping them to technical and vocational skills as a of co-operation deserve mention - address some of the issues which they product of our own education as are - the co-operation between the have been asked to consider. found in the more developed world.

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