EXAMINATIONS AND ACCREDITATION

Examinations and trade-testing for technical and vocational education and training in Ghana have been and are still being conducted by various bodies, agencies and institutions. This has resulted in the award of different certificates of varying standards; hence the problem of establishing equivalences for the various and numerous certificates issued by the various bodies all purported to be indicating achievement of the levels of education and training.

Establishing of Examining boards

To ensure uniformity and common standards in all aspects of examinations connected with technical and vocational education and training, the Government of Ghana is taking steps to establish two examining bodies, namely:

a) National Board for Professional And Technician Examinations (NAPTEX) - This Board shall be responsible for the formulation and administration of schemes of examinations, assessment, evaluation, certification and standards for skills competencies as well as syllabuses competencies for all non-university institutions (such as Polytechnics and similar institutions) at tertiary level, the professional bodies and private institutions with accreditation by the National Acreditation Board.

b) National Technical and Vocational Examinations Board (NATVEB) - This Board, which shall operate under the aegis of NACVET, shall harmonize the assessment and standardization procedures of the technical and vocational education system hotherto provided by various organizations in the country, administer schemes of examinations, assessment, evaluation, accreditation and certification for programmes and skills competencies below non-university tertiary level of training.

The nucleus of the Board shall be made up of the Trade Testing Department of the National Vocational Training Institute (NVTI), the Technical Examinations Unit of the Ghana Education Service (GES), the Government Secretarial Schools of the Office of the head of Civil Service (OHCS) and other examining and trade testing bodies.