This document discusses the role of accreditation agencies in overseeing public financing of tertiary education. It notes that while agencies can act as gatekeepers, solely focusing on institutional needs and inputs is not enough. To be effective, agencies need a national strategic approach involving employers, government and institutions to understand future labor demands, track skills gaps, and incentivize outcomes aligned with national development priorities through metrics, transparency of decisions, and income-contingent student repayments. This may require a centralized national higher education commission or board to coordinate sector-specific accreditation, institutional auditing and oversight of all publicly-funded institutions.

1. Can Accreditation Agencies be Effective
Gatekeepers for the Public Financing of
Tertiary Education?
University ofTrinidad andTobago
Wednesday, November 16, 2016
UTT Pt. Lisas Energy Campus
Janel P. Phillip
2016 Copyright @ Janel P. Phillip 1

2. HRMATT’s Vision
“HRMATT will be the leading voice on Human Resource Management practice
by providing a platform to strengthen the capabilities of our members as we
continue to create value in the profession both domestically and globally.”
HRMATT’s Mission
“To be the champion of the Human Resources discipline in Trinidad and
Tobago by creating and maintaining high standards for the profession through
strategic development of organizations and people.”

3. The business context…
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Worried Business Leaders – The Labour Supply
Shortage”

4. Concerned Industry Leaders – The Drivers
 Significant skills shortage in 20-29 age group
by 2021 – major implications for hospitality,
manufacturing, construction, energy sectors
 Note Skilled not Educated
 No national innovation strategy/incentives
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5. Skill Shortage?
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2.9
7.1
37.2
12.8
24.3
15.7
UNSKILLED SEMI-SKILLED SKILLED TECHNICIAN PROFESSIONAL ADVANCED
PROFESSIONAL
PercentageofEmployers
Classification
Types of Jobs Employers Find Difficult to Recruit For - 2013

6. Concerned Industry Leaders
 CSME/SKILLS Certificate/Immigration
problems
 Non Returning Nationals on Scholarships
 Social issues hindering employment – drug
testing
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7. Concerned Industry Leaders
 Competition with CEPEP/URP
 Attitude of the “new” workforce (millennial)
 “discouraged graduate” -a graduate unable to find a job in the chosen
field of study despite years of arduous study
 Unwillingness to work in industries with minimum pay,
shift-work and longer working hours (beyond 8 hrs.)
 No strategic plan as to how are going to face the
future
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8. Recent Reports
 Growth in most sectors are slowing down
 Productivity in the Region is slowing down
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9. Recent Reports
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Government has spent close to $3.7 billion on funding citizens to pursue tertiary
education and technical and vocational studies since 2010 ~ Trinidad Guardian
September 27, 2015
2010 2011 -2015 2016-2017 Total
5.4 Bn. 3.7 Bn. 4.5 Bn. 13.6 Bn.

10. State Obligation?
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 GATE funding for TVET programmes only
accounts for 2% of the overall
expenditure on the GATE Programme
between 2005 and 2011

11. FACTS
 Jobs in demand:
 E/I Technicians
 Mechanical Technicians
 Riggers
 Certified Welders
 Emergency Responders/Safety Officers
 Divers
 Procurement Managers/Coordinators
According to NTA Report - 2013
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12. Societal Theory on Skill Acquisition
Skilled Workforce
Education
System
Training
System
Industry
Structures
Needs
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13. State Obligation
 It is not the in
Education and Training or the amount that is
delivered to determine skills levels and
productivity but also the way in which that
education is structured, both the form and
content.
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14. State Obligation
 Without strong institutional support public
financing of HE we are left with a highly
educated workforce, a indication of our
wealth. In the end, we are incapable of
competing in global market, or addressing
social issues or becoming more productive.
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15. Accreditation Agencies Challenges?
 Quality performance requirements
(ROI)/Graduates/Employers
 Procedure for tuition fees
adjustments/harmonization/standardisation
 Financial accountability and transparency
 Authority to deal with Non-compliance/Poor
Performance without infringing on institutional academic
freedom
 Transparency of accreditation decisions
 Administration and Auditors
 Linkages with NTA 152016 Copyright @ Janel P. Phillip
Transparency of accreditation.

16. Accreditation Agencies Challenges?
 A fundamental shift in higher education finance
 a shift from state inputs to school outcomes, and from
institutional needs to country developmental priorities.
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17. What is Accreditation
 Accreditation was originally practiced by colleges as a means to determine quality
in high schools, so that higher education institutions could be assured that
secondary graduates met acceptable standards for admission. Later, colleges
themselves began to participate in accreditation to assure that credits earned by
transfer students from one higher education institution to another would be
acceptable. Accreditation later evolved into a private, non-governmental “self-
regulation” system for universities and colleges to assure that both public and
private institutions of higher education and their programs met acceptable levels
of quality.
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18. Yes, the Agencies can but…
 Multi-Sectoral (Employers, State, Institutions
e.g.) National Higher Education Commission or
Board – NHEC
 Set Policy for Demand and Supply of Future
Labour
 Produce Annual Skills Gap Report
 The agency will also publish outcomes like
graduation rates & placement (drives
competition)
 Develop National Skill Strategy with targets
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sector-specific accreditation
sector-specific accreditation

19. Yes, the Agencies can but…
 NHEC will monitor agencies NTA and ACTT and
set metrics to evaluate schools
 Audit all Institutions receiving Public Funding –
see UK model
 Measure and report on “Income-contingent
repayments—repayments”
 Develop sector-specific accreditation based on
NTA Occupational Competency Standards
 NHEC Report to Minister of Labour
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sector-specific accreditation
sector-specific accreditation

20. Thank you
Janel P. Phillip
janelphillip@gmail.com
Linkedin | Facebook| Twitter|
202016 Copyright @ Janel P. Phillip