Vanuatu lifts the quality of post-school education and training
In March 2017, NZOQ facilitator Michael Voss was in Port Vila to run management system Internal Auditor training at the invitation of the Vanuatu Qualifications Authority (VQA). The VQA assures the quality of post-school education and training (Technical Vocational Education and Training and Higher Education) by developing the Vanuatu Qualifications Framework and managing its implementation.
NZOQ’s two-day Internal Auditor training course was delivered during two sessions to a total of 31 representatives from the Ministry of Education, the VQA, and many schools and vocational training centers from across Vanuatu.
The most popular topics covered during the training proved to be:
- What is quality?
- What a management system looks like;
- How to audit management systems;
- How to recognise non-conformances, and;
- How to use internal audits to drive organisational improvements and mitigate risks.
During the graduation ceremony, the Associate Minister of Education and the Director of Education Services at the Ministry of Education, awarded certificates of completion to the course attendees.
Many of the graduates expressed interest in applying to the NZOQ to become Certified Internal Auditors (CQIA) under NZOQ’s certification programme once they have completed internal audits of their organisations over the coming months.
NZOQ thanks VQA Chief Executive Officer, David Lambukly, for ensuring that Michael’s time in Vanuatu was a safe and enjoyable one. We wish the VQA and its newly trained auditors all the very best as they go back to their communities to develop effective internal audit programmes in their organisations.
It has only been 2 years since category-5 cyclone Pam hit Vanuatu. The airport is still operating with temporary repairs made to its runway. With Vanuatu hosting the upcoming Pacific Mini Games, the race is on to ready Port Villa for the arrival of the many competitors and spectators in December 2017. Tourism is tremendously important to the economy so it is imperative Vanuatu is ready.
All providers of post-school education and training are registered and need to comply with the minimum standards established by the VQA. In addition, each program of study being offered needs to be accredited. One of the requirements is that providers must show evidence of an effective quality management system with a functioning internal audit programme.
The maintenance of education and training standards is challenging enough given that Vanuatu is a poor nation, with its residents inhabiting 80 islands spread across over 12,000 square kilometres of the western Pacific Ocean. Among the challenges are that providers in a few communities are very small, some have little to no access to power, or technology, and having four official languages — English, French, Bislama, and the local dialect (there are over 100 recognised indigenous languages) — just adds to the mix.
A version of this story first appeared on Michael Voss’ blog.
