Tertiary education opportunities for school leavers

Reference to marine engineering related occupations

Emeritus Professor Dayantha Wijeyesekera, chairman, Tertiary and Vocational Education Commission (TVEC) and Chancellor, University of Vocational Technology (UNIVOTEC) presented a lecture at the Institute of Marine Engineering Science and Technology (ImarEST) - Sri Lanka branch for an audience of professional of the Maritime Industry and students currently undergoing training at various institutes related to maritime profession.

Text of the speech follows:

At a time when Sri Lanka has recorded a high success rate at the G.C.E. O/Level, and when those who sat for the G.C.E. A/Level are awaiting their results, while contemplating further education, it will be prudent to guide those who seek these various education opportunities.

Tertiary education is post secondary school education including higher education of which a major component is university education along with professional education, tertiary education, vocational training, skills development etc.

While 195, 112 students out of 310,641 who have sat for G.C.E. O/Level have secured entry to the G.C.E. A/Level, the admissions to conventional university system which is usually the highest preference has the possibility of only about 22,500 places.

This would mean that there are nearly 173,100 assuming they all obtain the minimum GCE A/L requirements would have to seek non-state conventional university higher education, such as higher diplomas, national diplomas in the higher education system or other forms of tertiary education as the diagram and also in the table shown below.

Professional courses

While some Member Associations of the Organization of Professional Associations (OPA) have recognized degree equivalent professional courses, there are many other opportunities available in the tertiary education system for those with or without GCE O/L or GCE A/L qualifications respectively.

These tertiary education opportunities should be pursued through TVEC registered courses of study and they are available in the fields of study as shown in the table, with most of them in many provinces in Sri Lanka.

See table 1

Most of these courses of study are now being aligned to the National Vocational Qualifications framework (NVQF) which ranges from NVQ levels one to seven, where level seven is at degree level for some selected fields at the University of Vocational Technology at Ratmalana.

Since these appears to be a lack of sufficient awareness among senior secondary school students, parents and school authorities of these TVEC registered institutes and courses, further information should be sought for the pursuance of these courses on Tertiary and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) from the TVEC at the third floor, ‘Nipunatha Piyasa’ located at No 354/2 Elvitigala Mawatha or by contacting tel no. 011-5849291. Furthermore, these details could be obtained from the website www.tvec.gov.lk and linking to the TVET Guide 2011.

While some of these courses of study would be competency based, they could be pursued on a part time basis, while being in employment or training.

Avenues and opportunities

In addition, to the state conventional university system, Open University of Sri Lanka (through open and distance learning), other higher education institutes, there are many other avenues and opportunities for tertiary education which should be sought by those who have left the secondary school seeking further education outside the conventional state university system and higher education.

With special reference to the marine engineering sector, it is attempted to detail the opportunities available in tertiary education and vocational training in the sector at different levels with the award of recognized qualifications.

Broadly speaking the tertiary education opportunities in marine engineering and naval architecture, can be classified into the following:

* Craft/certificate level
* Diploma level
* Degree level
* Professional level

See tables 2 and 3

Diploma qualifications

Thereafter, it is necessary to indicate the relevant diploma level courses With Marine Engineering/Naval architecture specialisations which could be mapped to the NVQ

* National Diploma in Technology (NDT)

* National Diploma in Engineering Sciences (NDES)

* Diplomas awarded by NIFNE, (Proposed Ocean University)

* Diplomas awarded by CINEC and other private training providers

Degree qualifications

At the university level there are degree courses

With Marine Engineering and Naval architecture optional specialisation subjects.

These courses are as follows:

* BSc engineering - University of Moratuwa, in Mechanical Engineering

* BSc Engineering - University of Ruhuna, in Mechanical Engineering

* BSc Marine Eng. - (NFNE) the proposed Ocean University

As a recognized alternate path through professional education courses

With Marine Engineering and Naval Architecture optional specialisation subjects, it is necessary to consider the Graduate Diploma and proposed P G Diploma in Mechanical Engineering, through City and Guilds, UK leading to Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE - UK) qualifications.

Hence there are many Tertiary Education and Vocation Training avenues available in the country and this article through the lecture delivered for the Institute of Marine Engineers gives special reference to the Marine Engineering sector to explore and harness.

Finally in general, it is very important and relevant that careful early decisions are taken by the students guided by their parents and teachers who should be made aware of these opportunities, rather than the students wasting time on repeating senior secondary education examinations, which can also be done if strongly desired, while being in tertiary education and vocational training.