BRUNEI Darussalam --------- Strengthening Competency Assessment in TVET [ [

BRUNEI Darussalam ---------Strengthening Competency Assessment in TVET

SEAMEO VOCTECH ‘Strengthening Competency Assessment in TVET’

Title: Brunei’s TVET and its competency-based assessmentCountry: Brunei Darussalam

Hajah Siti Fatheiyah Binti Haji MenudinEducation Officer

Sultan Bolkiah Vocational SchoolInstitute of Brunei Technical Education

Date: 18th-30th August 2014

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BRUNEI Darussalam --------Strengthening Competency Assessment in TVET

Population= 413,000 people A newly industrialized country Immense petroleum and natural gas fields Fifth-richest nation in the world Second-highest Human Development Index in ASEAN

BRUNEI Darussalam --------Strengthening Competency Assessment in TVET

Education + Youth = Brunei’s economic growth & development

“Investment in human resources can raise human capital. The special nature of human capital is that it will never be obsolete or reduced even when used, different from other capital. So education has to be viewed seriously, not only by educators but by every individual, because it is a question of national survival and the future” [National Day, 23rd February 2003]


1985- Bilingual Education Policy- 7 (pre school and primary)- 3 (lower secondary)- 2 (upper secondary)- 2 (pre-university or TVET)

One public examination (end of primary education) and three (end of lower and upper secondary and tertiary level)


PRE-SCHOOL LEVEL PRIMARY LEVELSECONDARY LEVEL

1)General Secondary Education2)Applied Secondary Education

3)Specialised Education4) Special Education Needs

POST-SECONDARY LEVEL1) Sixth Form

2) Vocational and Technical Education

TERTIARY LEVEL1) Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD)2) Sultan Sharif Ali Islamic University

(UNISSA)3) Institut Teknologi Brunei (ITB)

4) Seri Begawan Religious Teachers University College (KUPUSB)


Brunei’s Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET)

Brunei’s economic and social progression has been greatly influenced by the provision of Brunei’s technical and vocational education and training

It is also verified to be a gratifying channel for students regarding their further education and employment


Brunei’s Technical and Vocational Education and Training’s courses

48 Diploma courses, 22 courses in Skill Certificate 3 (SC3), 24 courses in Skill Certificate 2 (SC2) and 3 courses in Apprenticeship Training Scheme

Aircraft Information Technology

Engineering Hospitality and Tourism

Construction Geomatics

Interior Design Planning & Development

Cosmetology Machining

Business Food Processing Fish Husbandry Crop Production

Horticulture Science Aquaculture

Veterinary Science Pharmacy

Automotive

Two Grade ‘E’s (GCE O-Level) = Skill Certificate 2 Two Grade ‘C’s and two Grade ‘E’s (GCE O-Level) = Skill Certificate 3 Minimum of 4 ‘O’s (GCE O-Level) = Diploma

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS


New courses in Brunei’s Technical and Vocational Education and Training

EDPMO (Energy Department, Prime Minister’s Office)

+ Ministry of Education

+Oil and gas industry

=HNTec, NTec and ISQ programmes

[Developing students’ skills to be fully equipped to enter oil and gas industry]

ENERGYINDUSTRY

COMPETENCY FRAMEWORK

(EICF)


3-Tier Qualification System

Parallel with international standards

Students would be able to graduate faster

Possess higher level of competency, skills and knowledge before becoming skilled workers, technologists and professionals

Duration from Skill Certificate 2 to Diploma = 4 YEARS(1 year in Skill Certificate 2, 1 year in Skill Certificate 3 and 2 years in Diploma)


“…. I have also consented for the Institute of Brunei Technical Education Order 2013, Technical and Vocational Education Transformation White Paper, Brunei Darussalam Technical Education Upgrading Plan 2013-2018. Through this transformation, students will acquire skills, knowledge and other values for lifelong learning and training …”

Titah of His Majesty the Sultan dan Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei DarussalamIsra’ dan Mi’raj ceremony27 Rejab 1435 / 27 May 2014


Ministry of Education began to execute a series of reformation in Brunei’s TVET system:

Cooperation between technical institutions with private sectors (course delivery and assessment) More industry-based training for students Industry professionals as teaching staffs Establishments of two regional mega campuses by 2020

Centre of development of occupational skills standards and is expected to be highly relevant and responsive to industry’s demands

Cater less academic school leavers with varied talents, interest and capabilities

With the collaborations with industry, TVET is expected to enhance the level of human capital development

NEW TVET SYSTEM


Assessment is gathering proof and making conclusion regarding students’ accomplishment in accordance with expected learning

outcomes = Brunei’s TVET’s fundamental constituent

Provision of information about students’ acquisition of skills and knowledge

Detection of students’ competency degree

Clarification on knowledge implementation

Provision of certificates

CURRENT PRACTICE


Being competent = possess skill, knowledge, experience and attitude

Competency-based assessment = pulling together evidences and judgments alongside industry’s competency standards (transformation from stagnant work performance to variable contexts of knowledge and skills)

Fostering cogitative and meta-cogitative skills like inventing, reflecting, interpreting, assessing, analyzing, problem-solving and hypothesizing (much needed in employment market)

Aspects in competency-based assessments:

Instructions from learning objectives (measurable and observable) and its alignment with national standards of workplace

Criterion-referenced evaluation system (corresponding with curriculum’s objectives)

Students’ skill mastery records (for students to monitor their skill acquisition)

Brunei’s TVET uses several means of collecting verification that enable an assessor in judging on students’ competency level

This offers flexibility and best suited to examine various competencies

The method needs to be complimenting, pertinent and compliant with courses’ objectives and industry standards

Industry tasks’ simulation should be executed= knowledge on expected tasks that need to be done (for example; in industry)

To determine that competency assessment tools are genuine, representative and sufficient

=Compilation of knowledge, skills, attitudes and performance (not just

based on end of semesters’ results and performance)


Brunei’s TVET assessments are based on the units that students are undertaking in their courses:

Units with Credit Value of: less than 10 = 2 assessments 10 and 15 = 3 assessments 20 = 4 assessments


Assignment front sheet = to integrate vocational and Life Skills using one specific assignment, to state marking criteria and to promote students’ sense of independence

Practical-based courses are based with structured assignments/projects

‘Essential’ units = numbers of assignments and projects, (building specialist skills and real-world work tests)

For some programmes, a minimum number assignment is specified thoroughly

But, it is recommendable for instructors to go further (constructing numbers of assignments under one assignment component=INTEGRATED ASSIGNMENT)


INTERATED ASSIGNMENTS

Diploma in Business (Entrepreneurship)

‘Business Project’ (conduct business operations for 4-6 months)

‘Business Event Management’ (plan big-scale business-based events)

Business operation= 50% of Business Project’s assessment

Business Event Management’s plan construction= 60 % of BEM assessment

This integrated assessment process requires the combination of two or more units from a course



Assessment’s construction gradually becomes more complex as programmes are progressing = demanding for students’ independent input

This can be simulated by matching industry’s common circumstances with assignmentsFOR EXAMPLEAn assignment could be expecting students to establish a fictional company (overlooking the company from its set-up until its maturity stage)

Brunei’s TVET is aiming to develop sufficient level of competency in self-reliance, independence, adaptability, self-awareness, problem-solving skills and self-management (shaping students’ skills in realistic and relevant context to industry’s workforce)

Various assessments tools are used to give students a chance to implement independent thought, to plan and organize their works and to face new situations at workplace

For example, allowing students to experience roles in a simulated work situation and being able to apply skills from their programmes to workplace


Internal and external verifiersExternal moderators

= give suggestions for assessments’ amendments to paper setters/instructors= monitor assessments’ practice, planning and procedures as well as giving constructive feedback to schools’ curriculum= ensure that courses’ planning, delivery, execution and assessments can maintain the competency standards

Overlook and assure the quality of Brunei’s TVET assessments

RUBRICS

Students’ performance level (during presentations/project demonstrations) can be assessed against industry’s designed standards

Various characteristics of performances can also be assessed

Hence, assessors can define students’ level of performance and competence in a more objective way


LIFE SKILLS

To prepare TVET students with a set of generic skills in becoming efficient industry workers

Has been reviewed in order to match it with the National Education System for the 21st Century’s goals

Compulsory for students to pass to be entitled for an award

Monitored to ensure its effectiveness in meeting industry standards

Assesses competencies level that can be used by various stakeholders




Life Skills are marked using a checklist that reflects the competency level with clear descriptions of each level

criteria-focused descriptors = Skills Areas (SA), Performance Objectives (PO), Enabling Objectives (EO) and Performance Standards (PS)

Assessed Life Skills, hence, completion of tasks (students’ competency)

ePortfolio

Important tool for the Life Skill assessment

To teach students on how to be competent in understanding their skills and abilities

Students start documenting their ePortfolio at the beginning of their programmes, where they have to record their life objectives in linked with their courses

They will be assessing the skills that they learned during their programmes



Brunei’s TVET students will be assessed on:

Assessment of each unit ePortfolio Students’ performance during Supervised Work Attachment (SWA) (assessed by supervisors) Concrete evidences by students

Marks from industry’s supervisors are vital = students’ ability in displaying sound work habits


Major Issues and Challenges in Brunei’s TVET assessments


The differences on how various TVET institutions are implementing and interpreting the given guideline = Examples; quality of assessment papers from one department/school to another, difficulties in matching assessment guidelines and curriculum

Continuously updating Brunei’s TVET guideline and checking TVET schools on how they are interpreting the guideline

Lack of tools, equipments, resources, teaching and learning materials= Impact the quality of TVET’s learning and teaching process

For example; if an institution lacks updated tools and equipments for practical-based programmes like machining, students will not know how to use those equipments, once they are going out to employment

Hence, they cannot be considered as knowledgeable enough to be placed in industry

Major Issues and Challenges in Brunei’s TVET assessments

Cooperating more with private companies = improve the relevancy of Brunei’s TVET academic and assessment system to industry’s needs

Collaborating with various industries like entrepreneurship, ICT, construction, design, cosmetology, fishery, agriculture

For example; teachers and assessors from industries or assessments that are constructed industry experts

Then, students can be more guaranteed to be more competent to be in those industries


Future Directions of Brunei’s TVET competency-based assessments

Brunei’s TVET is still under the process of implementing Quality Management System= Brunei’s seven TVET institutions will be executing the system

Brunei’s new TVET system= VALID+ RELIABLE

Ensuring the acceptance of students’ certificates or diplomas by various bodies; public and private sectors

Positioning Brunei’s TVET assessments as high-quality and relevant and applicable to industry standards


High numbers of Brunei’s TVET instructors are required to participate in local and international training sessions and industrial attachment

Provide Brunei’s TVET instructors more relevant and appropriate skills in teaching and providing assessments that can boost students’ level of competency and reliability

Future Directions of Brunei’s TVET competency-based assessments

High numbers of Brunei’s TVET instructors are required to participate in local and international training sessions and industrial attachment

Provide Brunei’s TVET instructors more relevant and appropriate skills in teaching and providing assessments that can boost students’ level of competency and reliability


These plans demand full dedication and thorough planning from various bodies (like government and industry)

Nonetheless, Brunei’s TVET believes that this method is tremendously efficient, motivating and rewarding for TVET students as its assessments are flexible, capable of development and can be in line with the rapidly-changing industry

BRUNEI Darussalam --------- Strengthening Competency Assessment in TVET [ [

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