Proposals on Post-Management of Accredited Private Qualifications
Korea Research Institute for Vocational Education & Training
Research-in-Charge : Joon-Ho Seo Research Staff : Yeo-in Yoon
1. Summary of Research
The purpose of the research is to analyze the current status an d situ ation of post-management of accredited private qu alifications, an d to come up with measures that may be utilized by the relevant personnel at the ministries responsible for post-management an d the private qu alifications-operatin g institutions throu gh a survey on post-management.
In order to fulfill the objectives of the research, analysis of documents on qu alifications policy, compiled documents on the current status of operation of accredited private qualifications an d previou s research documents on the subject of promotion of private qu alifications w as carried out. In addition, a stu dy on the post-management status an d a survey of opinions of private qualifications managers an d relevant personnel at resp onsible ministries w ere con ducted . As part of the efforts, the contents an d direction of the research w ere set, an d w ith the aim of review in g the post-management measures, a consultative specialist meetin g w as held w ith the participation of accredited qu alifications managers to
consider p ost-management measures.
2. Current Status of Accredited Private Qualifications
The Accredited Private Qu alifications System is a national accredited qu alifications system that involves a set evalu ation an d assessment procedures on private qu alifications where those deemed necessary an d of high-valu e in terms of quality to the nation an d society are accredited . Investigation an d research on private qu alifications applyin g for accreditin g are un dertaken by the Korea Research Institute for Vocational Education an d Trainin g (KRIVET) which have been implemented in earnest since 2000.
The criteria for accreditin g private qualification un der the scheme are as follow s: The applicant should possess ① capability to manage an d operate a private qu alification in accordance with the basic direction on the op eration of qu alifications system, ② a testin g track record of over 3 times w ith an implementation period of over 1 year on the day of application, ③ un dertake the management an d op eration of a systematic qu alifications system, ④ an d if there are relevant national qualifications, that the test stan dards, test subjects, an d application qu alifications for tests are identical or highly similar to those required for national qualifications.
For the first roun d of selection, amon g the applicants inclu din g institutions an d subjects, 28 subjects from 12 institutions w ere designated as accredited private qualifications.
Since its initiation in 2000, the status on application for national accredition by private qu alifications show s that 108 institutions an d in dividu als had applied for accredition of 217 subjects.
In 2001, the number of institutional applicants w as 69, a 63.9%
reduction compared to 108 institutions for 2000, an d as to the number of
applied subjects, 114 subjects w ere applied in comp arison to 217 in 2000, a 52.5% reduction .
The first an d secon d roun ds of national accredition of private qu alifications resulted in, as of now, a total of 19 institutions an d 35 subjects.
3. Problems due to the N on-Implementation of Post-Management and the N eed f or Post-Management
In accordance with Article 19 of the Enforcement Ordinance on Basic ACT on Qualifications, the Ministry of Labor p erformed its duties in offerin g guidance an d un dertakin g evalu ation of private qu alifications applyin g for accredition for the year 2000 durin g a tw o-w eek p eriod betw een Janu ary 21, 2002 an d Febru ary 2, 2002. The process revealed a number of problems w ith regard to the management an d operation of accredited private qu alifications. First, some w ere foun d not to have follow ed management an d operation regulations. Secon dly, there w ere cases of qu alifications bein g operated in manners other than applied for on the original application form follow in g the acceptance of the national accredition . Third, there w ere cases of poor selection in qu estions for tests an d assessment of outcomes. Fourth, in terms of nation-w ide qu alifications, some op erations in regional branches of the qu alifications ten ded to be ill-managed . Fifth, as to the issu ance of qu alifications certificates, the treatment of photos durin g the course of manufacturin g the qu alification certificates an d the disp atchin g an d reception of qu alification certificates from the main office to regional branches w ere foun d to be unclear, or in some cases, there w as discrepancy in the number of re-issu ed qu alifications certificates betw een the main office an d the regional branches.
The above cases confirm the likelihood of development of problems in the event of no post-management bein g put in place, furthermore, they stron gly illustrate the need for p ost-management. Kim Hyun-soo(2001) an d others have su ggested the follow in g three points in supp ort of post-management, pointin g out that post-management will brin g about :
① enhancement in quality of accredited private qualifications, ② establishment of a stable an d su stained qu alifications management an d operation system, an d ③ balanced development of accredited private qu alifications.
4. N ational Qualifications Sy stem in Japan
Qu alifications in Japan are generally divided into three types; national qu alifications, private qu alifications an d publically-accredited qualifications.
Amon g these, the main op erator of the publically-accredited qu alifications is the private-sector, but the government is responsible for aw ardin g accreditions follow in g an evalu ation of the feasibility an d value of the applied qu alifications, hence it can be seen as a mix betw een national an d private qualifications systems. Meanwhile, the publically-accredited qu alifications system is divided again into the Qualifications an d Skills Evaluation an d Accredition System an d the In-hou se Testin g an d Accredition System .
The Qualifications an d Skills Evalu ation an d Accredition System w as launched in 1973 as a Minister of Labor-accredited system on the legal basis of the Qu alifications Evalu ation an d Accredition Regulations (1973, Law No. 54, Dep artment of Labor) coverin g qualifications considered necessary to the promotion of 'skills', as part of a skills evalu ation process carried out by a public institution or a non-profit-seekin g institution (legal public entity). Those subject to skills evaluation w ere carried out w ith the
purp ose of promotin g improvement in vocational skills.
Meanwhile, the In-house Testin g an d Accredition System inclu des areas such as advanced skills that are subject to rapid chan ges due to technological innovations, special skills needed for vocational processes within the enterprises, an d skills required for the operation an d manufacturin g of conveyors, or skills that take into account the sp ecial nature an d requirements of the enterprises. As a national skills testin g system, it particularly inclu des subjects that are difficult to be tested on a nation-wide basis on the same date, an d w as established in 1984 as a Minister of Health, Labor an d Welfare-accredited system on the basis of In-house Testin g an d Accredition Regulations coverin g subjects that are deemed to be acceptable for promotion of technological development.(Law No.88, Ministry of Labor, 1984. For reference, read the [Note] section .)
As to the means in p ost-management, qualifications are managed throu gh regular reportin g.
5. Proposals f or the Post-Managem ent of Accredited Private Qualifications
A) Meth ods of Post-Management
Post-management shall be held throu gh assessment, an d depen din g on the method employed, it shall be divided into regular post-management assessment, special post-management assessment, assessment for renew al an d rep orts by accredited private qu alifications.
Post-management is the main task of the relevant ministries un der the current legal system, therefore, the primary post-management operator shall be the relevant ministries. How ever, the lack in professionalism due to the lack of sufficient number of personnel in charge of the task is one of the concerns. In order to prevent such a problem, there should be
measures that allow s the Korea Research Institute for Vocational Education an d Trainin g (KRIVET), the research institute specializin g in qualifications system, to be assigned unilateral responsibility for post-management.
B) Legal Assistance
First, it is necessary to allow a sin gle organization to held resp onsible for p ost-management. It w ould be advisable for a sin gle institution equipped with the necessary sp ecialists an d p ersonnel to deal w ith qu alifications system an d institution assessment to oversee post-management procedures for the sake of ensurin g both professionalism an d unitary post-management.
Secon d, there should be administrative an d financial assistance that are realistically-feasible. For that en d, securin g p ersonnel that w ill be responsible for qu alifications system at relevant ministries to han dle accredited qualifications an d completion of trainin g courses on qu alifications by the p ersonnel are in dispensible. In p articular, those new ly appointed to the task should be required to un dergo trainin g sessions on the subject of qu alifications.
Third, for the purpose of enhancin g the utilization rate of accredited qu alifications, basic qu alifications acts or enforcement ordinances as w ell as implementation acts an d other legal measures should be revised or enacted at the earliest date. In p articular, it is urgent to prepare detailed administrative measures to counter specific cases of violations (revocation of qu alification an d restrictions).
C) Establishment of Coop erativ e Partnerships f or Post-management To ensure the in depen dent p ost-management of the accredited private qu alifications managers, it is necessary to set up a consultative body composed of representatives from the accredited private qu alifications
institutions. In ad dition, an organic channel of communications should be set up betw een the responsible ministries of accredited private qu alifications in order to establish a coop erative p artnership coverin g overall asp ects of the operation of the accredited qu alifications system .
D ) Training Programs f or Qualifications Managers
Specialized trainin g courses are called for coverin g overall asp ects of qu alifications management an d operation such as the systematic structure involved in the development an d operation of qu alifications by private qu alification managers, organization chart an d human resources, testin g facilities an d equipments etc.
E) Establishm ent of a D B on Accredited Private Qualifications
The establishment of a database on accredited private qu alifications w ill enable the promotion of accredited private qu alifications an d extension of assistance, the assessment of the current situ ation an d statu s which will help in checkin g the existence of similar qu alifications an d facilitatin g mutual exchan ge of information, an d part of the information may be u sed by employers to gain access to information on qualifications. Moreover, it will allow the promotion an d propagation of precise information on private qu alifications to the general public to provide each an d every in dividu al w ith the opportunity to select private qualification or qu alifications to suit in dividual preference an d needs.