Quality Assurance Framework for

Competency-based Assessment

Mr Thomas YEO
MSc IOP, MBA
Consultant
Singapore Polytechnic International
 Profile

Thomas YEO
• More than 15 years of experience in the continuing education and
training (CET) sector
• Expertise in national qualifications framework and quality assurance
system development and implementation
• Formerly Assistant Director in the Singapore Workforce Development
Agency (WDA), responsible for the formulation of the Singapore
Workforce Skills Qualifications (WSQ) system policies, and quality of
training providers and adult educators in various industries
• Principal TVET and HRD Consultant at CET Global Pte Ltd; Master
Trainer with the Institute for Adult Learning; and Associate Director
CET Office, SHRM College
Concepts of Quality

• Quality control - product

oriented; detection and • Quality assurance - process
elimination of components or final oriented; focuses on producing
products that are not up to
standard. defect- and fault-free products.

• Total quality management -

incorporates quality assurance;
creating a quality culture; create
customer satisfaction.
Why Quality Assurance in TVET?
• Supporting the:
• skill needs of industry,
career and employment
needs of workers
• country’s achievement of
Importance social and economic
purposes
• Ensures:
• TVET provision meets the
skill and education needs
of industry and
individuals in changing
national and globalised
economies
Stakeholders in TVET

The community at
Workers
large

Job seekers and

The government
trainees

Employers ASEAN countries

Bullet with
Specifics
Quality Areas in TVET or
National Qualifications Framework
Competency Training
Standards Organisations

Trainers and
Qualifications
Assessors

Employment
Funding
Services

Bullet with
Specifics
Quality Assurance

• Process focused:
• TVET process of
design, development
Process vs and implementation
• Product focused:
Product • TVET products (e.g.
focused competency standards,
materials, assessment
plans, qualifications
etc) meet the marks of
accreditation or quality
criteria
 • Competency Standards

• Qualifications

Focus • Training Materials

Areas • Training Organisations

• Training Delivery and

Assessment
QA of Competency Standards
Process-focused Product-focused
Competency
Conduct of Standards At which NQF or
Role/Job-Task- occupation level?
Analysis

Involvement of key A Mega task or

stakeholders in Micro Task?
development

Level of taxonomy, for

Benchmarking best Cognitive, Affective and
practices Psychomotor Domain

Assessable
Validation with performance
industry requirements
QA of Qualifications
Process-focused Product-focused
Qualifications
Conduct of needs At which NQF or
assessment occupation level?

Who is it for and

How are skills sets entry
identified? requirements?

Graduate profile or
What are the design outcomes aligned
parameters? with skills sets
composition

Curriculum vs
Validation with modular
industry implementation
QA of Training Materials
Process-focused Product-focused
Training
Conduct of learner Materials Covers all the
performance criteria and
and learning needs essential knowledge in
the competency
assessment standards

Is course developer
pedagogy qualified Pedagogy is adult-
and/or with learning focused
industry experience?

Contextualisation to Sufficient time for

meet organisation, hands-on practice
industry and legal
requirements by individual

Assessment design
Validation with meets Principles of
stakeholders Assessment and
Rules of Evidence
QA of Training Organisations
Process-focused Product-focused
Training
Procedures / SOPs Organisations Facilities, venue,
on learner equipment, training
registration, support resources

Procedures / SOPs to Credentials of

develop training / Trainers and
assessment
materials Assessors

Procedures / SOPs to Key personnel roles

recruit, develop and
and responsibilities
deploy Trainers

Procedures / SOPs to Financial

monitor output and
statements
outcomes of training
QA of Training Delivery
and Assessment
Process-focused Training Delivery Product-focused
and Assessment Covers all the
On-site observations performance criteria and
of Trainer and essential knowledge in
the competency
Assessors standards

Training is delivered
Pedagogy is adult- in accordance to
learning focused delivery plan

Sufficient time for Assessment is

conducted in
hands-on practice accordance to
by individual assessment plan

Assessment conduct Assessment outcomes

meets Principles of meet Principles of
Assessment and Assessment and Rules
Rules of Evidence of Evidence
Other QA Areas

• Recognised trainer qualifications

or certifications

Trainers and • Relevant work experiences

Assessors

• Relevant vocational or technical

qualifications

• Possess relevant professional

licenses
Quality Assurance Challenges

• Recognition of Prior Learning

• Similar competency standards
from different organisations

• Recognition of other
qualifications for credit
exemptions/ articulation • Currency of skillsets
purposes
Singapore Examples

3-Stage accreditation of training

organisations

Regulation on the issuance of

certificates

Certification / Qualification of trainers,

e.g. WSQ DACE and ACTA

National certification of career coaches /

counsellors and advisers
Conclusion

Quality • Quality Assurance Framework to support implementation of

National Qualifications Framework – one of key requirements
under ASEAN Qualifications Referencing Framework
Assurance
• Combination of Process and Product Quality Assurance
• Promote trust between TVET stakeholders and organisations
Thank You

Mr Thomas YEO
thomasyeo@cetglobal.com.sg