NEW DELHI: A housewife applying for a housekeeping job in a hotel or a local motor mechanic applying for a post in an automobile company might sound strange. But it's likely to happen with government working on a policy framework to enable people with certain skills to apply for jobs even without formal qualification.
Under the 'recognizing prior learning' scheme (which people learn informally), the human resource development (HRD) ministry will set criteria for certifying such people so that they can apply for jobs. "A housewife might have good knowledge about housekeeping that she has learnt informally without going to an institute. We want to recognize this skill and set the competency level to certify if the person meets some of the specified criteria such as fluency, knowledge of language and required attitude," a ministry official said.
Similarly, there would be thousands with practical training in agriculture fields which a qualified farm manager might have learnt in the classroom. So, the ministry will soon come out with a policy framework for recognition, assessment and certification of such skills. "There are millions in the country who are half-baked so far as vocational skills are concerned. We want to recognize the talent and skills no matter from where and how a person has learnt. It's a new frontier in adult education," the official said.
Recognition of prior learning means making visible, reviewing and acknowledging the full range of competences (knowledge skills and attitudes) that adults have obtained in various contexts - formal, non-formal and informal, through various means in different phases of their life.
To kick start this innovative policy, which has been a success in several countries, including Belgium, Denmark, New Zealand, Austria and Portugal, National Literacy Mission Authority (NLMA) has started the process to draft the guidelines for recognition of prior learning in English language.
National Literacy Mission Authority (NLMA) ?
Adult Education is a Concurrent Subject with both
Central and State Governments being required to contribute to its
promotion and strengthening. At the national level, National Literacy
Mission Authority (NLMA), an autonomous wing of MHRD is the nodal agency
for overall planning and management and funding of Adult Education
Programmes and institutions. Its inter – ministerial General Council and
Executive Committee are the two policy and executive bodies.
Presently, the provision of adult education is through the Saakshar
Bharat Programme (SBP) which is a centrally sponsored scheme. The
programme is implemented in mission mode. The National Literacy Mission
Authority (NLMA), is the Nodal Agency at the National level. The Joint
Secretary (Adult Education) is the ex – officio Director General of
NLMA. It was set up in 1988 with the approval of the Cabinet as an
independent and autonomous wing of the Ministry of HRD (the then
Department of Education). The Cabinet vested NLMA with full executive
and financial powers in the sphere of work."An inter-disciplinary committee has been constituted under the chairpersonship of vice-chancellor of English and Foreign Languages University, Hyderabad. It will fix the criteria and preliminary report would be filed within four months," a ministry official said.
He added that qualification systems still focused on formal learning in educational institutions. This hindered the promotion of a more qualified labour force crucial to ensuring competitiveness and prosperity.
"As such, the unorganized sector has been hiring people who have practical knowledge and skill since their focus is to get productive workforce than emphasizing where the person has learnt the skill. Once we have this system of formal recognition of such skills, there will be more supply of workforce and even the monopoly of institutes would be curbed to some extent," the official said.
He added that government will come out with a detailed framework of which agency will get the task of certifying the skills and where those needing "finishing touches" can undergo skill development training.
source : TOI
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