POLICY OBJECTIVES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF SKILLS RECOGNITION SYSTEMS AND HOW COUNTRIES IN ASIA AND THE PACIFIC ARE RESPONDING

1 SRI LANKA 2 SINGAPORE 3 HONG KONG 4 THE PHILIPPINES 5 VANUATU 6 THE MALDIVES

1 SRI LANKA National Vocational Qualifications Framework

POLICY OBJECTIVES: To ensure national and international recognition of skills To match the supply of skills training with market demand To give recognition to qualifications acquired through the NVQ system To create an internationally competitive workforce

SYSTEM FEATURES Qualifications made up of industry identified competency standards ISO-based quality assurance Workplace and institutional student and worker assessment Recognition of prior learning National database of certificates Recognition of progressive skill acquisition

2 SINGAPORE Workforce Skills Qualifications System

POLICY OBJECTIVES To support economic growth and the national strategy for industry development by bridging structural skills gaps and providing ways for workers to be - trained for new jobs or - to upgrade existing skills

SINGAPORE

SYSTEM FEATURES Qualifications developed by industry Modular qualifications with industry knowledge and skills as well as generic and portable skills Progressive statements of attainment Monitoring of quality Inclusion of employability skills

3 HONG KONG SAR, CHINA The Hong Kong Qualifications Framework

POLICY OBJECTIVES  To support Hong Kong’s transformation into a knowledge-based economy  To ensure that the local workforce is well equipped to enhance capabilities and competitiveness  To promote sustainable workforce development  To establish flexible pathways for workers and learners to upgrade skills and achieve career goals

LevelsTitle 7Doctorate 6Masters, Postgraduate Diplomas/Certificates 5Degree 4Associate Degree, Higher Diploma 3Diploma 2Certificate 1 HONG KONG SAR, CHINA

SYSTEM FEATURES Academic and Vocational qualifications included Well defined qualifications standards Innovative outcome-based generic level descriptors Industry Training Advisory Commitees Qualifications Register database Quality assurance Recognition of prior learning

4 THE PHILIPPINES The Philippine TVET Qualifications Framework The Philippine National Qualifications Framework

POLICY OBJECTIVES The PTQF gives national recognition to the attainment of knowledge, skills, attitudes and values in the middle-level occupations The PNQF is to promote connected, “ladderised” education and to establish a coherent national and internationally recognised qualifications structure

THE PHILIPPINES Certificate 1 Certificate 2 Certificate 3 Diploma 1 Diploma 2 Technical/ VocationalHigher Education Doctorate Masters Degree Post Graduate Diploma Bachelors Degree Associate Equivalency Pathways Secondary Education Elementary Education Early Childhood Education

SYSTEM FEATURES The occupationally-focussed PTQF is made up of competency-based qualifications The mostly education-focussed PNQF will cover all levels of formal and non- formal education emphasising articulated/ ladderised programmes Internationally-referenced qualifications definitions Programme-based quality assurance

5 VANUATAU The Vanuatu Qualifications Framework

POLICY OBJECTIVES To safeguard the standards of technical and vocational qualifications To ensure TVET qualifications support Vanuatu’s economic future To provide training options to allow achievement of career and personal ambitions

VANUATU

SYSTEM FEATURES Second chance opportunities for learners Community and Foundation Certificates to extend literacy, numeracy and basic skills Fresh pathways for learners to progress to further study Quality assurance standards defined Qualifications standards defined

6 THE MALDIVES The Maldives National Qualifications Framework

POLICY OBJECTIVES Support for national development goals Strengthened industry links Future-focussed training strategies Improved international recognition Training collaboration and rationalisation Increased quality, relevance, performance, responsiveness

LevelQualification Title examples 10Doctoral Degree; Higher Professional Diploma 9Master’s Degree 8Graduate/ Postgraduate/ Certificate and Diploma; Advanced Professional Diploma; Bachelor’s Degree with honours 7Bachelor’s Degree 6 Advanced Diploma/ Associate Degree/ Foundation Degree; Professional Diploma 5Diploma 4Advanced Certificate 3Certificate III 2Certificate II 1Certificate I

SYSTEM FEATURES 10 qualifications levels using the Scottish descriptors Continuous improvement quality assurance Central database of qualifications achievement Acquisition on and off the job Recognition of foreign qualifications International benchmarking

International Benchmarking MalaysiaMaldives Doctoral Degree 8Doctoral Degree; Higher Professional Certificate and Diploma 10 Master’s Degree/ Post Graduate Certificate and Diploma 7 Master’s Degree; Higher Professional Certificate and Diploma 9 Graduate Certificate and Diploma/ Bachelor’s Degree (honours) 6 Graduate/ Post Graduate/ Advanced/ Professional Certificate and Diploma; Bachelor’s Degree (honours) 8 Advanced Diploma/ General Bachelor’s Degree 5 Bachelor’s Degree; Advanced Professional Certificate and Diploma 7 Diploma 4Advanced/ Professional Certificate and Diploma/ Associate/ Foundation Degree Diploma 5 Skills Certificate 3Advanced Certificate 4 Skills Certificate 2Certificate III 3 Skills Certificate 1Certificate II 2

SUMMARY: CONSIDERATIONS FOR A NATIONAL POLICY RESPONSE: 1 National Development Goals 2 Skills Recognition System Scope 3 Qualifications Development 4 Quality Assurance 5 Life-long learning

1 NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT GOALS Second chance and pathways opportunities? Vanuatu, The Philippines Link to skills supply and demand, economic development? Singapore, The Philippines Recognising indigenous skills? New Zealand International competitiveness? Sri Lanka, Fiji, Australia, Hong Kong SAR Recognition of skills of migrant workers? Samoa, Sri Lanka, The Philippines Recognition of qualifications of returning citizens? The Maldives One component of a wider national development strategy and clarity about what the system can and cannot achieve? Samoa, Australia

2 SKILLS RECOGNITION SYSTEM SCOPE Vocational qualifications only? Sri Lanka, Singapore Academic and vocational qualifications? Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong SAR, The Maldives Ladderisation framework inclusive of elementary and secondary schools? The Philippines Sequence through Level descriptors or qualifications definitions? Singapore, The Philippines, Hong Kong SAR, Maldives (Scotland) Generic as well as industry skills? Singapore, Hong Kong SAR

3 QUALIFICATIONS DEVELOPMENT Social partners as advisory bodies? Singapore, Hong Kong SAR, The Philippines Autonomous industry bodies? New Zealand Centrally directed qualifications development? The Philippines, Samoa Competency-based qualifications or a broader outcome approach? Australia, Samoa, Sri Lanka, New Zealand Knowledge embedded or separately specified? New Zealand, Australia

4 QUALITY ASSURANCE ISO approach? Sri Lanka Institutional continuous improvement focus within a regulatory regime? Samoa Regulatory programme quality assurance? The Philippines, Australia, The Maldives Institutional Quality audit? New Zealand Workplace quality assurance coverage? Sri Lanka, Fiji, New Zealand, The Maldives

5 LIFE-LONG LEARNING Qualifications acquisition through institutions, the workplace, RPL? Sri Lanka, Singapore, The Maldives Pathways and ladders to promote progression? The Philippines, New Zealand Modular, credit-based system? New Zealand, The Maldives, Singapore National database? Sri Lanka, New Zealand, The Maldives Promote second chance learning? Vanuatu, Samoa