Enhancing Quality Delivery in TVET Institutions Through CBT

Abstract

Workers Welfare Board Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) system has been refined to establish it as a credible alternative to general education. This reform introduces the Competency-Based Training (CBT) approach as the primary mode of delivering TVET in Technical Institutes of Workers Welfare Board Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. This approach equips individuals with the skills required by industries while also fostering self-employment opportunities. By integrating CBT into the TVET reform, a significant number of young people will engage in structured skills development and workplace experience, ensuring better employment prospects and industry-driven skills enhancement.

INTRODUCTION

Vocational and Technical Education (VTE) systems are essential to a nation’s social and economic development. Given their dynamic nature, they are constantly influenced by changes in schools, industries, and society. The challenges and opportunities within VTE are unique, shaped by the evolving demands of the economy and local communities. Today, the focus is not merely on recognizing the value and importance of VTE but on ensuring its relevance, responsiveness, and effectiveness in an increasingly globalized economy.

Undoubtedly, the effective development of technical and vocational skills is crucial for the economic growth of all nations, particularly developing countries. Furthermore, in today’s knowledge-driven and highly competitive global economy, Technical and Vocational Education plays a crucial role in development. It empowers individuals and societies to realize their potential, broaden their opportunities, and adapt to the ever-evolving world.

Therefore, policies aimed at human resource development, poverty reduction, job creation, and accelerated economic growth can be effectively realized through TVET education.

Old Paradigm of TVET

• Passive learners
• Exam-driven
• Rote learning (memorization technique)
• Syllabus is content-based and broken down into subjects
• Textbook/worksheet bound and educator-centered
• Educator/trainer uses “deductive” approach in teaching
• Sees syllabus as rigid and non-negotiable
• Educators responsible for learning; motivation dependent on the personality of educator
• Emphasis on what the educator hopes to achieve
• Content organized according to rigid time-frames
• Curriculum development process is not open to public comment

New Paradigm of TVET

• Active learners
• Learners are assessed on an ongoing basis
• Critical thinking, reasoning, reflection and action
• An integration of knowledge, skills and attitude/value, learning is relevant and connected to real-life situations/real work situations
• Learning materials/training packages, learner-centered; educator/trainer is a facilitator
• Facilitator uses “inductive” approach in facilitating
• Learning programs seen as guide that allow facilitators to be innovative and creative in designing program
• Learners take responsibility for their learning: learners are motivated by constant feedback and affirmation of their worth
• Emphasis on outcomes (what the learner becomes and understands)
• Flexible time-frames allow the learner to work at their own pace
• Comment and input from the wider community / stakeholders is encouraged

What Exactly Is Competency-Based Training?

Competency-Based Training (CBT) is an industry-driven and demand-focused (outcomes-based) education and training approach built on clearly defined industry-generated standards (occupational standards). These standards serve as the foundation for designing and developing curricula, assessments, and learning materials.

CBT programs emphasize practical workplace competencies rather than solely theoretical knowledge. This training approach ensures that learners acquire the essential knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed to succeed in their professional environments.

Key Features of Competency-Based Programs

• Competencies are carefully selected
• Supporting theory is integrated with skill practice. Essential knowledge is learned to support the performance of skills
• Detailed training materials are keyed to the competencies to be achieved and are designed to support the acquisition of knowledge and skills
• Methods of instruction involve mastery learning, the premise that all participants can master the required knowledge or skill, provided sufficient time and appropriate training methods are used
• Participants’
• knowledge and skills are assessed as they enter the program and those with satisfactory knowledge and skills may bypass education and training or competencies already attained
• Learning should be self-paced
• Flexible training approaches including large group methods, small group activities and individual study are essential components
• A variety of support materials including print, audiovisual and simulations (models) keyed to the skills being mastered is used
• Satisfactory completion of education and training is based on achievement of all specified competencies

Framework of Competency-Based Training

• Competencies to be achieved are carefully identified, verified and made public in advance.
• Criteria to be used in assessing achievement and the conditions under which achievement will be assessed are explicitly stated and made public in advance.
• The instructional program provides for the individual development and evaluation of each of the competencies specified.
• Assessment of competency takes the participant’s knowledge and attitudes into account but requires actual performance of the competency as the primary source of evidence.
• Participants progress through the instructional program at their own rate by demonstrating the attainment of the specified competencies.

Objective of a Competency Based Qualification

• Set clear standards which can be measured
• Develop competent individuals with transferable skills
• Link education and training to skills needed by employers
• Provide an objective quality assured system which will have the confidence of all users, i.e. learners, educational establishments and employers
• Develop individual’s potential fully
• Promote the concept of lifelong learning

Instructional Strategies Used in CBT Programs

1. Direct Instruction Method
2. Discussion Method
3. Small Group Method
4. Problem Solving Method
5. Research Method

Workplace Experience Learning

A key element of the CBT program is the internship or attachment phase, commonly known as Workplace Experience Learning. The purpose of Workplace Experience Learning is to offer CBT learners the opportunity to develop essential skills such as planning, organization, interpersonal communication, problem-solving, self-awareness, and technical competencies. This is achieved through hands-on experience in real workplace roles, with minimal guidance from facilitators.

The CBT ‘Workplace Experience Learning’ differs from traditional industrial attachments in its structure, ensuring that all CBT students have the opportunity to participate. This experience provides hands-on practice directly aligned with the skills they have acquired. Students are placed in organizations relevant to their area of training and receive supervised practical instruction throughout the process.

Traditional Education Industrial Attachment vs CBT Workplace Experience

Traditional Education Industrial Attachment

Students receive introductory letters from their institutions and are responsible for securing their own attachment placements. Students begin their attachments without specific training standards or unit specifications, resulting in them learning whatever tasks are practiced within the industry. Attachments lack proper guidance and assessment due to the absence of identified and trained facilitators, assessors, and verifiers. Student attachments are only monitored periodically and in a general manner, which often leads to some students avoiding or skipping the attachment altogether. The attachment carries no credit value and may not be included as a component of the final certification.

CBT Workplace Experience

Institutions and COTVET identify suitable industries, negotiate terms, and sign Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) to facilitate Workplace Experience opportunities. Students enter the industry equipped with standards or unit specifications that guide their learning during the attachment period. Industry facilitators and assessors are identified and trained to effectively guide and evaluate students during their workplace experience. Students are closely monitored on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis using logbooks, attendance registers, and oversight from facilitators, assessors, and verifiers to ensure they acquire the required competencies. Workplace Experience carries credit value and is an integral part of the certification process.

Competency-Based Training Assessment

To evaluate whether a learner has effectively absorbed the content taught, an assessment is conducted for all participants. This assessment is based on the learning outcomes outlined in the unit specifications for each course. In the context of CBT, assessment involves gathering evidence of a learner’s performance, which the assessor uses to determine whether, and to what extent, the learner has met the required performance standards. Based on this evaluation, a decision is made regarding whether the learner has successfully achieved the overall learning outcome for that unit.

In other words, it is the process of evaluating a learner’s skills, knowledge, and understanding against the established standards (occupational standards) for a specific unit. If the learner can provide sufficient evidence demonstrating their competence in meeting these standards, they are deemed qualified for that unit.

CBT assessment is designed to determine whether a learner is either competent or not yet competent. There are only two possible outcomes: the learner is deemed competent if they can perform according to the specified standard, or not yet competent if they are unable to meet the standard. The assessment does not assign partial scores such as 30%, 50%, or 80%. Learners who do not meet the required standards are given the opportunity to further develop their skills and knowledge before being reassessed.

The assessment process employs the following methods to emphasize practical performance:
a) Observation – Monitoring the learner as they perform a specific task or activity;
b) Product Evaluation – Reviewing an item or outcome the learner has created or completed;
c) Questioning – Posing questions to the learner, either orally or in writing, to assess their understanding and knowledge.

Challenges with the Implementation of CBT

• Funding
• Facilitation
• Workplace Experience

BENEFITS OF CBT

• Participants will acquire the competencies necessary to effectively perform their job roles.
• Participants gain confidence as they successfully master each specific competency.
• Participants are provided with a transcript or record detailing the competencies they have successfully attained.
• Training time is utilized more efficiently and effectively, as the trainer serves as a facilitator of learning rather than merely a source of information.
• More training time is dedicated to engaging with participants individually or in small groups, rather than delivering traditional lectures.
• A greater portion of training time is focused on assessing each participant’s capability to perform key job-related skills.

CONCLUSION

There is no doubt that Competency-Based Training is the ideal approach for TVET programs. However, its implementation during the pilot phases across the three levels has revealed several challenges that must be addressed to ensure its effective delivery. Countries like the Republic of South Africa, the Netherlands, and Japan have successfully adopted competency-based education and training, providing valuable success models to learn from.

Moreover, feedback from industry regarding the performance of graduates from the pilot CBT programs clearly demonstrates that prioritizing skills development through competency-based training can lead to sustainable growth for both industries and the nation as a whole. Therefore, it is essential for all stakeholders to make concerted efforts to overcome existing challenges by adopting systematic and practical strategies that will ensure the long-term success and sustainability of the CBT system.