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Last Updated: Feb 13, 2017 - 1:45:37 AM |
Bahamas Education Minister Announces Establishment of National Accreditation and Equivalency Council
By Llonella Gilbert, BIS
Aug 25, 2016 - 1:53:03 PM
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Minister of Education, Science and Technology the Hon. Jerome Fitzgerald announced the establishment of the National Accreditation and Equivalency Council of The Bahamas (NAECOB) during a press conference at the Ministry, Wednesday, August 24, 2016. (BIS Photo/Derek Smith)
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NASSAU, The Bahamas - Minister of Education, Science and Technology the Hon. Jerome Fitzgerald announced the establishment of the National Accreditation and Equivalency Council of The Bahamas (NAECOB) during a press conference at the Ministry, Wednesday, August 24, 2016.
“Globally, accreditation is a normal practice to ensure that institutions offering educational services are not doing so solely for profit while neglecting the quality of courses, preparation of students, qualifications and experience of instructors, and the parity of courses with other institutions,” Minister Fitzgerald said.
He added that accreditation ensures that students receive a quality education and holds institutions accountable.
Members of the Council as well as high-ranking Education officials were in attendance at the press conference.
The Minister listed the reasons why accreditation is important for the country going forward. These include:
- Helps determine if an institution meets or exceeds minimum standards of quality.
- Helps students determine acceptable institutions for enrolment.
- Assists institutions in determining acceptability of transfer credits.
- Helps employers determine thevalidity of programs of study and whether a graduate is qualified. Employers often require evidence that applicants have received a degree from an accredited school or program.
- Helps employers determine eligibility for employee tuition reimbursement programs.
- Enables graduates to sit for certification examinations.
- Involves staff, faculty, students, graduates, and advisory boards in institutional evaluation and planning.
- Creates goals for institutional self-improvement.
Minister of Education, Science and Technology the Hon. Jerome Fitzgerald (seated centre) poses for a group photograph with members of the National Accreditation and Equivalency Council of The Bahamas and other high ranking Education officials. (BIS Photo/Derek Smith)
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Minister Fitzgerald said, “In keeping with global best practices, we recognised the need to establish two commissions under the NAECOB umbrella that would be responsible for ensuring that parents at the primary and high school levels and students at the tertiary level receive value for money and that the quality of education being offered is satisfactory.
“It is no secret that many privately-owned schools have opened in recent years. As a marketing tactic, many claim that they are registered and accredited by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology in order to gain some degree of credibility.”
He said, “Truth is, schools operating in The Bahamas are required to register with the Ministry of Education, but prior to the institution of NAECOB, there were no stringent mechanisms in place to measure the quality and standards of education being offered.”
However, the NAECOB will have the authority to accredit higher education degree, diploma and certificate granting institutions as well as accredit tertiary, secondary, junior and primary schools.
“The commissions are now charged with the responsibility of registering all institutions operating within The Bahamas and are also responsible for developing standards and procedures. NAECOB will be responsible for taking final action and ratifying the accreditation status of institutions,” the Education Minister said.
Information concerning the accreditation process can be found at the Ministry of Education’s website at www.ministryofeducationbahamas.com.
Additionally, inquiries can be emailed to naecob@moe.edu.bs or phone 328-8873.
REMARKS BY THE HONOURABLE JEROME K. FITZGERALD MINISTER OF EDUCATION, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AT A PRESS CONFERENCE TO ANNOUNCE THE TRANSITION TO THE UNIVERSITY OF THE BAHAMAS ‘THE ROAD TO UNIVERSITY’ AT THE HARRY C. MOORE LIBRARY COLLEGE OF THE BAHAMAS on THURSDAY, 25TH AUGUST, 2016
SALUTATIONS: Dr. Earl Cash, Chairman of The College Council; Council members; Dr. Rodney Smith, President of The College of The Bahamas; Faculty & Staff of The College of The Bahamas; University Transition Committee Members; Members of the Press,
Good afternoon.
I am deeply honoured to be here to speak to this significant moment in the history of our nation.
Our government has long had a vision for modern education for The Bahamas.
The road to university is a journey that was mapped out by The Right Honourable Prime Minister Perry Christie fourteen years ago.
Now, this vision is finally being realized!
This month, I had the distinct pleasure to table the University of The Bahamas Bill in the house of assembly, which was recently passed by parliament. It provides the legislative framework for the official transition of The College of The Bahamas to The University of The Bahamas.
Today, it is my distinct pleasure to announce, on behalf of the Government, that November 10th will be our Charter Day and the day that we will officially become The University of The Bahamas.
I want you to know that the road to university does not just mean passing a bill or changing a name - it is a paradigm shift in the culture and fabric of our country as it relates to tertiary education and national development as a whole.
It is a shift in how we experience higher education in The Bahamas, as we will be amongst many other nations who boast of having a national university. We are here today to witness the building of a more modern nation.
The narrative of the University of The Bahamas is founded on four (4) strong pillars:
1. First class knowledge in the realm of academics
2. Building strong communities through university level infrastructure,
3. Creating a modern space for learning by committing to service excellence;
4. and, growing our legacy through transparent financial management.
I want to note that The College of The Bahamas already has sufficient attributes of a university, which will be leveraged for further success. Some of these university attributes include:
(1) The fact that the majority of students at COB are graduating with bachelor degrees – 70% of 2014/2015 graduates earned a bachelor’s degree;
(2) A high quality of programmes and excellence that has been achieved in teaching - COB offers more than 60 programmes across a broad range of disciplines;
(3) The progress that is being made in building graduate programmes; and
(4) The increasing productivity that The College has demonstrated in research and publication output.
I invite you to join in the events during charter week in November to celebrate the official transition. A full schedule of events we be posted on the University of The Bahamas’ Website and will also be found on The Ministry of Educations website.
I want to take the time to thank all of the partners who are working with us on the road to university;
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs; The Ministry of Works; Customs and Immigration; The Royal Bahamas Police Force; Bahamas Information Services; ZNS; And the Public Health Authority
This collaboration is indicative of the fact that November 10th is a national day – a day of celebration for the entire country. We want the public to be excited and join in on the celebration. The Charter Day Ceremony on November 10th is specifically open to the public and we encourage the public on that day and the days surrounding Charter Day to wear your University royal Blue – or as we say here, your ‘UB Blue.’
As I stand here today, I am immensely proud to remind you that on November 10th we will be the University of The Bahamas not just in name, but in experience and in performance.
Ladies and gentlemen, we are building a modern and stronger nation together.
Thank you. Have a great school year, and God bless The Commonwealth of The Bahamas.
© Copyright 2016 by thebahamasweekly.com
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