Vocational training centres to become vocational colleges

MUSCAT: The Minister of Manpower, Shaikh Abdullah bin Nasser al Bakri, on Saturday issued three ministerial decisions pertaining to the development of the vocational training and education system.

As per the decisions the vocational training centres will become vocational colleges and the Fishermen Rehabilitation Institute in Salalah will be named Vocational College for Marine Sciences.

The move comes as part of the ministry’s efforts to develop the vocational training and education system by upgrading the training and education programmes at the vocational training centres.

It also aims at adapting these centres to the requirements of academic accreditation in order for their education and training programmes to get accreditation.

The decision is based on an approval from the Education Council to upgrade the vocational training level in accordance to the national qualification framework adopted by the Oman Academic Accreditation Authority (OAAA).

The decision states that the graduates of the general education diploma will be admitted through the Higher Education Admission Centre (HEAC).

The second and third decisions amend the regulation of vocational and technical colleges particularly with regard to raising the private sector participation in the boards of trustees of these colleges in line with the ministry’s efforts to implement and follow up the initiatives set by the National Programme for Enhancing Economic Diversification including the employment and labour labs. — ONA