Adult Education: Skills Upgrading Vs 2nd Chance for Qualification

2014 Conference on Education and Human Development in Asia | Slide No. 1

Adult EducationSecond chance academic qualification

or skills upgrading?

2014 Conference on Education and Human Development in Asia

2 - 4 March 2014


Proceedings

1. Adult Education in Singapore

2. Major Changes since 2003

3. Government Funded CET Qualifications

4. Issues and Challenges

5. Conclusion


http://www.moe.gov.sg/education/landscape/print/sg-education-landscape-print.pdf









Adult Education in Singapore (Pre-2003)

Government Funded

Trade certificate

Diploma

Advanced

diploma, Specialist

diploma

Post-graduate

programmes

Non-Government Funded

Professional development

courses

Private schools running

diploma / bachelor / post-

graduate programmes

Equivalence of full-time

programmes at a different

time slot

Programmes taken for

various reasons


Pre-2003

Disorganised

Unregulated

Market-Driven


2003 – Establishment of WDA

Workforce Development Agency

Keep training relevant

Strengthen the Continuing Education and Training (CET) infrastructure

Help workers find jobs


2005 – Establishment of WSQ Framework

Workforce Skills Qualifications

National accreditation system

Occupational and competency-based system

Assessment and certification are based on ability to demonstrate the

industry's required capabilities


2008 – Launch of CET Masterplan

Quantity

o Setting up new CET centres

o Expanding existing CET centres

Quality

o Engaging PSEIs

o Setting up Institute of Adult Learning

Flexibility

o Integrating CET and local educational system


2010 – Setting Up of NPCEC*

CET Workgroup – June 2010

o Establish stronger linkages between the

academic CET and WSQ systems; and

o Strengthen the alignment in CET

policies/programmes amongst the

Government agencies.

*NPCEC = National Productivity and Continuing Education Council


2011 – Introduction of New Academic CET Quality

Framework

Unified framework for academic CET programmes

o Course structure

o Approval process

o Course retirement process

Revised funding model


Setting up of WDA2003

Launch of WSQ

Framework2005 Release of

ERC Report2008Setting up of NPCEC and CET

WG

2010Launch of MOE New

CET Quality Framework

2011

Laissez

FaireRegulation


Setting up of WDA2003

Launch of WSQ

Framework2005 Release of

ERC Report2008Setting up of NPCEC and CET

WG

2010Launch of MOE New

CET Quality Framework

2011

Side

BusinessNational

Agenda


Pre-2003

Disorganised

Unregulated

Market-Driven

Post-2010

Unified

Regulated

Socially-Driven


CET in Singapore (Post-2010)

Academic

Trade certificate

Diploma

Advanced diploma,

Specialist diploma

Skills

WSQ certificate

WSQ diploma

WSQ specialist diploma


Matching of Demand and Supply

What regulatory roles do the agencies want to

play?

Who should determine

o What courses to run?

o Intake size?

o Entry requirements?


Digestible Course Structure

In support of adult learners

o Bite-size modules

o Removal of non-essential modules

o Accumulation of certificates leading to a qualification

o Video-recording of lessons


Funding Model

Who to fund?

What to fund?

How much to fund?

How to fund?


Transferability

How do we deal with the issue of equivalence

between the two systems?

How do people value the two qualifications?


Upward Mobility

Skills Qualifications

Recognition – pay increase Recognition – entrance to higher

studies

Industry recognition University recognition


Conclusion

General direction has been correct

However some issues still need to be dealt with:

o Recognition

o Support for adult learners

o Policy intent Vs Outcomes


Thank You