Dear Editor – On your column on Sunday 5 March, 2017, there was a mention of an outdated TVET Curriculum for Life Skills by the Principal Curriculum Officer, Ms. Doris Riatako of the TVET Division in the Ministry of Education and Human Resource Development (MEHRD).
What has been featured was the outdated of TVET Curriculum of the Life Skills (Home Economic) for female students.
Perhaps, she was right in her presentation and it may not only for Life skills but the rests of the vocational curriculum initiatives by the Solomon Islands Association of Vocational and Rural Training Centres (SIAVRTC) since 2000.
However, it needs to be verified that the TVET Curriculum referred to was the initiative of SIAVRTC and not TVET Division of MEHRD.
At the outset for almost 40 years by now, SIAVRTC has been using either outdated curriculum or even without curriculum but based on working experiences.
This has been a trend for years until at the turn of this century when EU/RTC funding assistance at phase 2 enabled SIARTC to formulate its own curriculum. And one of its products is the course for Life Skills for female students.
My suggestion is rather than reviewing the outdated curriculum by SIAVRTC, it would be far better for the TVET Division to formulate a new benchmark curriculum for Life Skill and others to match with the establishment of the Solomon Islands Qualification Authority (SIQA).
This suggestion is to be taken seriously because TVET Division is yet to demonstrate nationally, its capacity when it comes to curriculum formulation for technical courses.
Since with EU funding assistance, TVET Division’s attempt for curriculum formulation has never yet come to fruitful completion, unfortunately.
The tasks referred to, were mostly headed by expatriates, however, it is pleasing to note that the call by our national experts in TVET Division for revisiting curriculum needs technically, is timely made and be supported positively, for TVET to transpire curriculum revolution.
SIAVRTC is always assured of its participation when called. Being in partnership for TVET development over years, warrants our collaborative efforts.
And with the availability of other relevant stakeholders as yardstick for the matter, reviewing or formulating curriculum for technical courses can be successfully achieved. Proactive leadership could not be further emphasized of its urgency.
Cherry Galo
SIAVRTC President
