Jump in number of private sector training facilities

To ensure quality training in private institutions and to boost qualified national manpower, a national training system is sought to be created

MUSCAT: The Sultanate’s training sector has witnessed a remarkable increase.

The number of private training institutions reached 406 in 2018 compared to 359 in 2017. The number of Omani investors in the private training institutions was 308 as full ownership, according to the commercial register, constituting 76 per cent of the total number of institutions.

The number of approved programmes in 2018 stood at 2,895, including 986 new programmes and 1,911 updated programmes, including 746 management programmes, 558 language programmes and 439 computer programmes.

The number of attested certificates in 2018 was 23,333 training certificates.

The Directorate General of Professional Standards and Curriculum Development at the Ministry of Manpower seeks to create a national training system with international standards to ensure the quality of training in private training institutions and to boost the labour market with qualified national manpower trained to meet the needs of different economic sectors.

Electronic link

The Directorate, in cooperation with the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, launched the electronic link to “Establishing Training Institute” licence service to facilitate, simplify and accelerate the work process and ensure the quality of services provided to the beneficiary, including licence of the training institution in terms of construction, transfer of headquarters, cancellation and renewal to be able to complete the license service through InvestEasy portal and receive the licence through the same portal without the need to visit the Directorate.

In 2018, the Ministry of Manpower, represented by the Directorate General of Professional Standards and Curriculum Development sought to get the approval for the vocational diploma programme regulations in the private training institutions from the Education Council in order to enhance the role of the private training institutions, to expand the services provided by these institutions, to diversify the educational and training tracks, in addition to attract more graduates from the General Education Diploma.

The regulations aim to provide high quality professional programs that keep pace with sustainable development, development plans and market developments, in addition to providing the local and international market with skilled national cadres at different levels.