Vocational Technical Education and Training - An International Perspective

8/8/2019 Vocational Technical Education and Training - An International Perspective

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INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON VOCATIONAL EDUCATION-CHALLENGES AND STRATEGIES, SUZHOU, CHINA, 12- 13 AUGUST,

2004

Keynote Paper

Vocational Technical Education and Training: An InternationalPerspective

Dr Law Song SengDirector & Chief Executive OfficerInstitute of Technical Education

Singapore

Abstract

Vocational Technical Education and Training (VTET) systems aredynamic in nature. They face many challenges in responding to societal,technological and economic changes in the local and global environment.The issue today is not so much about the value and role of VTET in the socialand economic development of a nation. VTET is widely recognized as animportant part of the total education and training system. The real challengeis how to reposition it in response to the global forces driving change in aknowledge-based economy. In this respect, the speaker will draw upon andshare his experiences from an international perspective. It is hoped that thepresentation will provide some useful insights on the underlying philosophy,policies, choices and rationale, which have helped to shape the systems ofvocational technical education and training in Singapore and other countries.

_______________________________________________________________

This paper is embargoed till after delivery in Suzhou, China.


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INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON VOCATIONAL EDUCATION -CHALLENGES AND STRATEGIES SUZHOU, CHINA, 12-13 August, 2004

Keynote Paper

Vocational Technical Education and Training- An InternationalPerspective

Dr Law Song SengDirector & Chief Executive OfficerInstitute of Technical Education

Singapore

Excellencies, Government Officials, Principals, Distinguished Guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen

Introduction

I thank the Suzhou Government (China) and organizers of this

International Symposium on Vocational Education- Challenges and

Strategies for their kind invitation to present this keynote paper. I am

especially honoured for the opportunity to address such a distinguished

gathering of senior government officials, principals of vocational schools,

heads of educational research units and related universities and human

resource managers from the private sector. Although I have had the privilege

of visiting China on several occasions, this International Symposium in

Suzhou will be remembered as the first where I have been called upon to

share my experiences on the development of vocational technical education

and training (VTET).

2 Reflecting on how best I may contribute as the keynote speaker, I

recognize the strategic importance China places in the development of its

human resources. In particular, an article entitled Harnessing Chinas People

Power by Mr Chua Chin Hon of the China Bureau, The Singapore Straits

Times, on 27 December 2003, reported on the tremendous need for

expanding basic education and vocational training in China in order to match

the massive growth of the economy. Quoting a China Report entitled,


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Chinas Education and Resources, released in 2003, the article said that

there were already great concerns on the education gap, quality of the

workforce and mismatch of skills experienced by rapid industrial development

and productivity improvements. As an example, it was said that while there

was a great shortage of skilled workers in the Suzhou Industrial Park, there

were many university graduates who could not find jobs. Yet, all parents

wanted was to enroll their children in high schools and universities, but not

what they considered as second-rate vocational schools. The problems and

concerns highlighted in the China Report are not peculiar to China. In fact,

these are the same concerns among the many other challenges and issues

faced by policy makers and educators overseeing VTET in many countries.

3 Given such a scenario, I thought that it would be useful if I could share

my experiences from an international perspective, including the Singapore

experience. I have therefore entitled my paper, Vocational Technical

Education and Training- An International Perspective, to reflect the

challenges, strategies and issues. But more importantly, I hope that there

are also the lessons to be learned. For this purpose, I shall draw upon the

key findings from an International Education Research Project on Vocational

Training and Education, of which I was a participating member and my

personal experiences in building a new post-secondary technical education

institution, namely, the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) in Singapore. In

this way, I hope that my presentation will provide some useful insights on the

underlying philosophy, policies, choices and rationale that have helped to

shape the systems of VTET in Singapore and other countries.

Dynamics and Challenges of VTET

4 But first, the dynamics and challenges of vocational technical education

and training. We can all agree that VTET plays a crucial role in the social and

economic development of a nation. More so, when a nation is undergoing

rapid economic growth. However, it is also a very dynamic system, which is

subjected to the rapid changing needs of education, society, industry and theenvironment. There are many challenges, opportunities and possibilities.


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Perhaps, many of you who are here are already thinking about what makes

an effective VTET system? What are the options available to accommodate

the needs of different social, economic and cultural conditions? Is the VTET

system responding to skilled manpower needs of the economy? How is it

positioned within the national education and training system? Is it meeting the

training needs of school leavers and working adults? How well is VTET

accepted by school leavers, parents, industry and society? What are the

policy, funding, educational and motivational issues? How can the goals and

objectives be translated into reality? How do we measure the results?

5 These are some basic questions I am sure many of you have asked

before and will continue to reflect upon in trying to provide the best VTET for

the economy and society. The fact is that there is no one ideal education and

training system, which will suit the needs of the people and industry in all

countries. In my view, the so-called best system is one often shaped by the

history, social motivation and economic needs of the local community. There

should be a clear mission and vision in articulating the role of VTET within and

in relation to the national education and training system. The greatest

challenge today is to stay relevant and responsive to the global forces driving

change in a knowledge-based economy. And the real tests of success in

VTET are employability, holistic personal development, opportunities for

career advancement, further education, public acceptance, image, and

ultimately, its impact on the social and economic development of the nation.

The International Education Research Project

6 These dynamics, challenges and questions were the subjects of

discussion and debate in an International Education Research Project

entitled, Different Paths, Similar Pursuits - The Economic and Personal

Potential of Vocational Training and Education in an International Context,

involving Switzerland, Japan, Singapore and the United States. This project

on VTET was one of several education projects carried out under a broader

Six-Nation Education Research Project Framework, initiated by the Universityof Pennsylvania, USA, to explore and compare the relationships between


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educational systems and economies in six nations. The underlying question

of interest for the research on VTET, directed by Professor Christoph Metzger

of University of St. Gallen, Switzerland, was: What can the participating

countries learn from each others experiences in order to understand the

differences and similarities among the Vocational Training and Education

systems in each country? The other Principal Members of this international

collaborative research team are myself representing ITE, Singapore, Dr Jean-

Etienne Berset formerly of Federal Office for Professional Education and

Technology, Switzerland, Dr Hidenori Fujita of University of Tokyo, Japan and

Dr Robert Zemsky of University of Pennsylvania, United States of America.

7 Conducted over a period of four years, from 1996 to 2000, the main

focus of the study was the role of VTET in the changing social and economic

context in the four countries. Adopting a qualitative ethnographic approach,

the main observations were gathered through site visits and focused group

interviews with stakeholders, including students, teachers, parents, employers

and government officials. The site visits were in reality, a mirror reflection of

the differences and similarities of VTET in practice. The images of the

different pathways within the national education and training systems convey

in powerful ways the impact of global forces driving social and economic

changes in the various communities. At each of the site visits to the four

participating countries, the researcher from the country whose VTET system

was being studied would act as the host. The other members of the

research team would act as visitors. In this way, the images gathered were

much richer because we saw things not only through our own lenses but also

the borrowed lenses of our colleagues in an international collaborative

research setting.

8 So, after four years of scrutiny, observations, discussions and

deliberations, what lessons did we learn? Firstly, in VTET, the pathways may

be different but the goals and concerns are the same. School leavers need

different pathways in preparing for employment, career advancement and

further education. The question is one of when, what and how of VTET. Theappropriate responses would very much depend on the economic, social and


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cultural conditions of the local communities. There is no one ideal VTET

system to suit all needs. Whereas the United States and Japan adopt a more

open-door policy in providing 12 years of general education, including

vocational education, the VTET systems in Switzerland and Singapore are

more focused on skills development to meet manpower needs. In Switzerland,

the industry takes the greater responsibility of training young people through

the dual system of apprenticeship. In Japan, high school education is the

norm and structured on-the-job training is provided to employees under a

culture of lifelong employment in companies. On the other hand, in the United

States, state, local and private sectors are the primary sources of funding in

vocational high schools and community colleges. In Singapore, VTET is

heavily funded by government and training is conducted through the institutes

of ITE and the Polytechnics. However, it was also observed that with an

increasingly global economic environment, VTET systems will converge

towards greater diversity in pathways, opportunities in maximizing individual

potential, flexibility in curriculum development and acquisition of skills and

values for lifelong learning.

9 Secondly, the debate was not so much about the importance and value

of VTET, nor the different approaches or training systems. What emerged as

a more important concern was whether sufficient attention had been paid to

the lower 30% of a school cohort who are weaker in academic achievements

within the education system. Experience has shown that not all students can

do equally well in academic studies. Children have different talents,

personalities, interest and aptitude. They grow and learn at a different pace.

Those who are more technically inclined would respond better to a more

practical and skills-based curriculum through VTET. The issue is therefore

not whether full-time institutional training, apprenticeship training or on-the-job

training offers a better option in VTET. Each system has its place and value.

What is important is the relevance and quality of its programmes in meeting

the needs of the students, industry and society. VTET is an expensive but

necessary investment, whether funded by government, industry or the private

sector. The overall issue is whether the VTET system is attracting andresponding to those who need and can best benefit from it.


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10 The third lesson was the phenomenon of college mania or paper

chase. This intense desire to pursue a university degree was found to be

pervasive in all four countries. I am sure that this is also the case in China.

The reasons are understandable. Traditionally in many cultures, scholars

have been held in high esteem in our societies for many centuries, perhaps

more so in the Asian culture. It was the path to success cherished by many in

the society. To do well academically in schools was therefore extremely

important. However, parents today continue to cherish the hope and

aspiration that their children will make it to university. Unrealistic expectations

from parents and sometimes, teachers, generate intense competition and

pressure in the school systems. The fallout of this undue focus on the

university degree is the college mania phenomenon. The consequence is a

prejudice against and less than positive image of VTET and all its negative

associations with those who do not do well academically in schools. If an

education system is to maximize the potential of all students, then this

perception and old mindset must change. All pathways of education and

training are important avenues in building a strong and robust educational

system. All stakeholders, including policy makers, media, employers,

educators and parents have a part to play in giving due recognition to the

importance and value of VTET and promoting its image and public

recognition. It is important that VTET be viewed and accepted as an integral

part of the mainstream national education and training system.

11 This International Education Research Project had given us new

insights into the factors shaping the VTET systems in Switzerland, Japan,

Singapore and United States. While there are more differences in the

approach and delivery of VTET, the underlying goals, purposes and concerns

are the same. Despite the differences, these systems have served the needs

of four highly successful economies, both the larger economies of United

States and Japan and the smaller economies of Switzerland and Singapore.

The common challenge is how best to reposition VTET systems in a global

environment of rapid changes in technology, pervasive use of Information

Technology and the knowledge-based economy. In this respect, several key


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initiatives had been undertaken in recent years in Singapore to better nurture

and prepare students for the increasingly global economy.

12 The Ministry of Education in Singapore, for example, introduced the

The Thinking School, Learning Nation vision in 1997 to position the

education system for the 21st century. Meanwhile, the Institute of Technical

Education (ITE) was established as a post-secondary technical education

institution in 1992 to further promote the importance and value of VTET in

Singapore. Today, ITE has successfully restructured its system of training

and built a brand name for itself locally and overseas. As an institution

focusing on vocational training and education, it is recognized for its modern

campuses, quality programmes, successful graduates and conducive

teaching and learning environment. It has put in place, the infrastructure,

resources, capabilities, operating systems and quality standards to stay

relevant and responsive to the rapidly changing needs of economy and

society.

13 ITE has been able to attract an increasing number of school leavers.

Full-time student enrolment reached an all-time high of 20000 in January this

year. Another 30000 part-time training places are taken up under various

Continuing Education and Training (CET) programmes by working adults

every year. With a practice-oriented curriculum and process-based pedagogy

supported by an IT-based teaching and learning environment, our graduates

enjoy high employability in the job market. An independent image tracking

study has also found that the public perception and acceptability of ITE has

significantly improved by a 10-percentage point over the last six years. This is

the clearest endorsement yet of the relevance and value of an ITE Education

by school leavers, parents, industry and the public.

14 But how was this transformation and building of a new institution,

namely the ITE, achieved? What were the key challenges and initiatives?

What were the factors for success? I will be sharing the Singapore

experience. But, first, a broad overview of Singapore and its national


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education and training system. And in particular, the role of ITE- who we are,

what we do and who we serve?

Overview of Singapore and ITE

15 Singapore, a former British colony centrally located in South-east Asia,

as shown in Figure 1, achieved its independence as a nation in 1965. A

multi-racial society of 4 million people living on a small island of 680 square

kilometers, Singapore today is a modern city-state and global centre for

industry, business, finance and communications. Our major industries are

petrol-chemicals, pharmaceuticals, high-end manufacturing, tourism and

services. Our major trading partners are Malaysia, United States of America,

China, the European Union, Hong Kong and Japan. The per capital Gross

National Income is US$21,000. As a young nation with limited natural

resources, one of Singapores highest priorities has been the education,

training and development of its people.

16 The Institute of Technical Education (ITE) is a post-secondary

government-funded education institution. Established in 1992, our mission is

to create opportunities for schools and adult learners to acquire skills,

knowledge and values for lifelong learning. Our focus is to train technicians

and skilled workers for the economy. As a post-secondary institution, ITE is

an integral part of the national education and training system, as shown in

Figure 2. As a matter of policy, all students in Singapore receive 10 years of

general education in schools. Upon completion of secondary education,

about 90% of a student cohort will progress to post-secondary education and

training in Junior Colleges, Polytechnics or the institutes of ITE. Junior

Colleges provide an academic high school education for the top 25% of a

school cohort who prepare for a university education. The next 40% of school

leavers would enter the Polytechnics for a wide range of practical-oriented

three-year diploma courses in engineering and technology, applied sciences,

business and health sciences. The lower 25% of a school cohort, in terms of

academic abilities, are oriented towards vocational technical education andtraining in ITE. These students receive training in a wide range of full-time


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National ITE Certificate (Nitec) courses in engineering, info-communications,

applied sciences and business or apprenticeship training. Within the national

education and training system are formal pathways for those who have done

well to progress from the ITE to the Polytechnics, and Polytechnics to the

Universities.

The Singapore Experience

17 So, how was the transformation of a new Institution, namely, the ITE,

achieved? Looking back, I would attribute our success to many factors, not

least of which would include a strong governmental support, right policy

decisions, effective governance structure, stakeholder support, community

partnership, management leadership and staff commitment. All these

elements are necessary, but with so many competing demands, a crucial

element is staying focused on the mission, vision and goals. Another

important step was adopting a mindset change in accepting quality and

excellence in whatever we do in our journey towards organizational

excellence. Much has been achieved over the last 12 years. But let me

share with you, an insiders view of some of the key approaches and

initiatives, which I believe, have made a major difference in our

transformation. And these are the positioning of ITE as a post-secondary

institution, redefining curriculum and pedagogy model, creating an IT-based

teaching and learning environment, building organizational excellence and the

branding of ITE. In short, the building of a new post-secondary technical

education institution, the ITE in Singapore.

Positioning ITE As a Post-Secondary Institution

18 So, first, the positioning of ITE as a post-secondary education

institution as illustrated in Figure 3. This was the result of a crucial decision

by the Ministry of Education in 1991 when it adopted a new policy of ten years

of basic general education for all pupils in schools. This decision opened up

new avenues and possibilities for the subsequent development of ITE. It wasan opportunity to upgrade our VTET system and restructure our programmes


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as a post-secondary institution to better meet the higher expectations of

school leavers, parents and industry. Working closely in partnership with

policy makers, secondary schools, industry and the community, our intent had

always been to position ITE as an integral part of the national education and

training system. This we have now achieved as ITE education is today

accepted as a viable alternative path by 25% of a school cohort who aspire for

a post-secondary education. This is in fact the largest intake of any single

education institution in Singapore. In this respect, we can say that ITE is an

institution of choice among secondary school leavers.

Redefining Curriculum and Pedagogic Model

19 Next, the curriculum and pedagogic model was redefined in response

to the changing needs of school leavers and the knowledge-based economy

as shown in Figure 4. In adopting a Total Training Philosophy, it was our

belief that the curriculum and pedagogy must go beyond the acquisition of

technical knowledge and skills. Equally important for the new economy are

the values for lifelong learning, especially, employability skills such as

communications, interpersonal skills, planning, organization, problem solving,

teamwork, leadership, innovation and entrepreneurship. ITE courses are

practice-oriented and skills-based. The curriculum of a typical course

comprises 80% core modules in an area of study, 15% employability skills

and 5% electives. These skills are developed through a new pedagogic model

involving planning, exploring, practicing and performing, also referred to as

the PEPP model. Under the guidance of a teacher, the student plans the

work to be done, explores the information required, practises what he has

learned and finally performs with competence, the knowledge and skills he

has mastered. The teaching approach is interactive and processed-based.

Through this pedagogic approach, the student acquires three key

competencies, namely, technical, methodological and social. Complementing

the formal curriculum is a wide range of Co-curricular activities, including

sports and games, student clubs, community service, music and the arts, co-

operative shops and on-campus job scheme. The educational objective is toprovide a more holistic development of our students.


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Creating an IT-based Teaching and Learning Environment

20 The third initiative was the launching of the ITE Information Technology

(IT) Master Plan in year 2000 to create an IT-based teaching and learning

environment in keeping with the needs of our students in the knowledge

economy as illustrated in Figure 5. In pursuing this key initiative, it was also

our belief that in positioning ITE as a post-secondary education institution, the

practices and supporting facilities must not be less than what might be

expected of world-class institutions. The campus environment has a

significant impact on the image of VTET in the eyes of the students, parents

and the public. The two key components of this major undertaking are the

eTutor and eStudent systems. Launched in 2002, these systems have

fundamentally changed the way ITE students learn, plan and manage their

studies. They provide an important bridge in preparing our graduates to

better face the challenges of the 21st Century.

21 The eTutor is a web-based on-line learning system. Leveraged on the

advances in IT and e-learning technologies, the eTutorhas transformed ITE

into a community of connected on-line learning campuses. This web-based

system provides flexibility, convenience and easy access to e-learning for

students and staff in a personalized, interactive, multimedia and collaborative

learning environment. As ITEs programmes are highly practice-oriented, e-

learning is presently only focused on the knowledge and theoretical

component of the curriculum. Students have responded positively to the new

way of e-learning. The flexibility of the system has helped them to pace their

learning and better understand their lessons. Presently, 15% of the total

curriculum is supported by the eTutor.

22 The eStudent, on the other hand, is a web-based fully integrated student

services administration system. The first of its kind in the region, this new

system has changed the way ITE students are able to manage their

academic-related services, from enrolment to financial transactions, choice ofelective modules and academic advising anytime, anywhere. In the process,


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they learn to take responsibility for planning their studies and initiatives in

doing things independently. This seamless one-stop center on the web

replaces the many old manual and unproductive systems of student

enrolment and administration. It has helped ITE to redefine its academic

structure, streamline processes and improve its student services. Together,

the eStudent and eTutor systems have created a new way of teaching,

learning and living in ITE campuses.

Building Organisational Excellence

23 The next important step was our journey towards organizational

excellence, starting with our first comprehensive strategic plan, the ITE 2000

plan. At that time, a national initiative called Public Service 21 or PS21 was

launched by the government to bring about mindset change so that the public

service can be in time for the future. Driven by the desire to achieve

excellence in quality standards, practices and services, ITE adopted an

Organisational Excellence Framework, incorporating the current ITE

Breakthrough Plan, PS21 and Singapore Quality Award (SQA) Model as

shown in Figure 6. Under this framework, the PS21 movement provides the

impetus to prepare and equip our staff for the impending changes. The ITE

Breakthrough Plan acts as a developmental plan that charts our future

direction and defines the mission, vision and goals. The SQA Model serves

as a benchmark to help us align our approaches, systems and processes to

achieve world-class organizational excellence. In benchmarking against the

best practices, our efforts have been recognized through the Singapore

Quality Class (1999), People Developer Standard (2000) and ISO 9001:2000

Quality Management System (2002). Last year, ITE was a proud winner of

the 2003 Public Service Award for Organisational Excellence.

Branding of ITE

24 And finally, the branding of ITE as illustrated in Figure 7. The

prerequisite is that we have developed an excellent product, that is, an ITEeducation. The question then is who and how do we communicate so that we


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can gradually cultivate support and build up a positive image and brand name.

This is not an easy task. As our International Education Research Project has

shown, VTET has never been viewed as an attractive choice for school

leavers. Parents all over the world continue to cherish the hope that their

children will pursue an academic education. The ultimate goal is a university

degree. However, unlike the university, VTET does not enjoy the same

prestige and public recognition. Special efforts are therefore necessary to

promote the importance and value of an ITE education in our society. VTET

is an important integral part of the national education and training system.

There must be due public recognition. In this respect, working closely with

policy makers, the schools, parents, media and graduate alumni has been a

successful strategy. Over the years, we have put in place, a comprehensive

marketing programme, reaching out to students, teachers, parents and the

community, through visits to schools, institute attachment programmes, open

houses, media publicity and ITE branding campaigns.

25 But a major impact on public perception and image is to win over the

support of politicians and Members of Parliaments. For example, the former

Minister for Education, Rear Admiral Teo Chee Hean publicly endorsed the

value of an ITE Education when he applauded ITE during the May 2002

Parliamentary Budget Debate, saying that ITE was that segment of the

education system that he was particularly proud of. And he continued to say,

The real success of ITE has been the fact that it has successfully raised the

prospects and maximised the potential of Singaporeans who, in other

education systems all over the world, would have been left behind. Following

this, he extended an open invitation to all Members of Parliament (MPs) and

the public to come and see for themselves, how well ITE students are doing.

As a result, he hosted the biggest group of 43 Members MPs ever to visit ITE

campuses. The extensive publicity generated by the MP visits has certainly

helped to change the public perception of ITE and further enhanced our

image and brand name.


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Concluding Remarks

26 In conclusion, the issues today are not so much about the value or

importance of VTET nor the differences or similarities. TVET systems are

dynamic in nature. At the same time, there are many challenges,

opportunities and possibilities. From the international perspective, there is no

one ideal VTET system that will suit the needs or aspirations of all countries.

The systems are very much shaped by the economic, social and cultural

conditions of the local community. While we do not disagree on the important

social and economic role of VTET, its less than positive image remains

pervasive across societies and countries. VTET deserves greater public

recognition. However, the more important concern is whether sufficient

attention has been paid to those who need and can benefit most from VTET.

In this respect, all pathways of education and training are important avenues

in building a strong and robust total education and training system. VTET

provides an important alternative pathway. There are policy decisions and

choices to be made.

27 The experience of Singapore has shown how the Institute of TechnicalEducation (ITE) has successfully restructured as a post-secondary technical

education institution. Positioning itself as an integral part of the national

education and training system and staying focused on its mission and goals, it

has a built up a positive public image and brand name for itself locally and

overseas. More importantly, its journey towards organizational excellence

has put in place, the infrastructure, resources, capabilities, operating systems

and quality standards to stay relevant and responsive to the forces drivingchange in the new economy. The key ingredients for success are a strong

governmental support, right policy decisions, effective governance structure,

stakeholder support, community partnership, management leadership and

staff commitment.

28 On this note, I once again thank you for your kind invitation and

attention in this presentation.


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Figure 1 : Location of Singapore

South-east Asia

Cambodia

Thailand

MyanmarLaos

Vietnam

Hong Kong

Malaysia

Singapore

Indonesia

Brunei

South

China

Sea

Total land area - 680 square kilometres

Total population - 4 million

2002 Per Capita Gross National Income US$21,000

Technical Institutes

(HQ)

China

Figure 2 : Singapore National Education and Training System

Degree

National U of Singapore

Nanyang Technological U

Singapore Management U

JuniorColleges

Secondary Express

( 4 Years )

Secondary Normal

( 4 / 5 Years )

University

Post-Seconda

ry

Secondary

Primary

Secondary Special

( 4 Years )

MINISTRYOFEDUCATION

Institute of Technical Education

Universities

Primary ( 6 Years )

Polytechnics

DiplomaNanyang

Ngee Ann

Republic

Singapore

Temasek

GCE A

LevelHigherNitecHigherNitec

Master

Nitec

MasterNitec

Other

Training

Providers

Nitec


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Figure 3 : Positioning ITE as a Post-Secondary Institution

Figure 4 : ITE Pedagogic Model

EXPLORE

PRACTISEPERFORM

PLAN

LEARNER

Skills

Competencies


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Figure 5 : Creating an IT-Based Teaching and Learning Environment

eTutor

eStudent

Figure 6 : ITEs Organisational Excellence Framework

OrganisationalReview

ITE Breakthrough

(Development Plan)

Expected Outcomes

Learning Organisation

Committed to

Service Excellence

Effective, Relevant

& Responsive

Training System

CET Pillar for

Lifelong Learning

Institution of Choice

Mission, Vision, Values

STAKEHOLDERS

STAKEHOLDERS

Employers

Community

Local

Training

Partners/

Providers

Govt

Agencies

Institutionsof Higher

Learning

Schools

Unions

Inter-

national

Partners

SQA

Customers

Planning

People

Leadership

PS21

Staff

Involvement

QualityService

Information

Processes

StaffWell-being

Results

People Systems Customers Stakeholders / Partners

(Impetus) (Benchmark)


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Figure 7 : Branding of ITE

ITE - A force behind the knowledge-based economy.

Nursed by knowledge.

Nurtured by ITE.

Designed by knowledge.

Accelerated by ITE.

Developed by knowledge.

Processed by ITE.

Engineered through knowledge.

Propelled by ITE.

Runs on knowledge.Powered by ITE.

Driven by knowledge.

Fuelled by ITE.


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REFERENCES

1 Chiang M, From Economic Debacle to Economic Miracle: The Historyand Development of Technical Education in Singapore: Times Edition,1998.

2 Law S S, Dynamics and Challenges of a Vocational Training System-The Singapore Experience, ITE Paper No 2, Institute of TechnicalEducation, Singapore, 1996.

3 Law S S, An Empirical Framework for Implementing Lifelong LearningSystems, ITE Paper No 3, Institute of Technical Education, Singapore,1997.

4 Metzer C, Berset J E, Zemsky R, Law S S and Innozzi M, DifferentPaths, Similar Pursuits- The Economic and Personal Potential ofVocational Training and Education in an International Context, Studiesand Reports 12, University of St. Gallen, Switzerland, 2001.

5 Law S S, Vocational Training and Education: The Lessons andBeyond- A Personal Perspective, ITE Paper No 4, Institute of TechnicalEducation, Singapore, 2001.

6 Law S S, A Journey Towards Organisational Excellence- TheSingapore Experience, International Symposium on QualityManagement and Quality Assurance in Colleges and VocationalEducation, Esslingen, Germany, 2003.

7 Chua C H, Harnessing Chinas People Power, China Focus, ChinaBureau, The Straits Times, Singapore, 27 December 2003.

Documents

Vocational Technical Education and Training - An International Perspective