Experience of Designing and Implementing the National Vocational Qualifications Framework of Sri Lanka

The development of TVET through individual training organizations in the absence of national level planning resulted in variety of courses with no uniformity across institutions and they often lacked the competencies expected by the industry. The emergence of free market economy and the growth of private sector industry necessitated competent workforce to serve in modern technological environments and hence the government decided in 1997 to embark on a major TVET reform. The focus of TVET reform was to develop a system to equip the Sri Lankan workforce with competencies expected by the industry and in achieving this objective to establish courses with labour market orientation and offer unified qualifications according to a qualification framework. Tertiary and Vocational Education Commission (TVEC) which is the policy making, planning and regulatory body was to lead the formulation and implementation process of the reforms. The National Vocational Qualifications Framework (NVQF) was officially launched in August 2004.