Technology; education. and Naryn School of Professional. in Khorog in

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1 BACKGROUND INFORMATIONN 14 May 2011 FIFTH GRADUATION CEREMONY SCHOOL OF PROFESSIONAL AND CONTINUING EDUCATION, KHOROG UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL ASIA May 14 th, 2011 Graduation in Khorog Nineteen groups comprising 3077 graduates will receive awards at the ceremony: Accounting Technology and Certified Accountant Practitioner; Levels Preliminary, 2 and 3 English for Business; Conversational English; Training of Guides; Informationn Technology; Professional Development Certificate in English and Math; an ICDL credential in IT; and Certificates in Technical Vocational education. About UCA-SPCE University of Central Asia (UCA) was founded in 2000 byy the governments of Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic and His Highness the Aga Khan. UCA s programmes are designed to reachh the broadest spectrum of learners possible. UCA is building world-class campuses in three rural communities Khorog (Tajikistan), Tekeli (Kazakhstan) and Naryn (Kyrgyz Republic) to house the t Undergraduate School of Arts and Science and the Graduate School of Development. Its third school, the School of Professional and Continuing Education, is already operational. UCA s School of Professional and Continuing Educationn (SPCE) was launched in Khorog in October 2006 and itss Dushanbee Learning Centre in January In June 2008 SPCE has opened its Vocational Training Centre in Khorog, and in spring last year a Project office in Faizabad, Afghanistan. SPCE is Central Asia s first provider of formal, post- secondary, short-cycle non-degree educational professional education. SPCE Programmes The 2010/11 SPCE programmes are: Accounting Technology, Conversational English and English for Business, Russian for Business, German language, Conversational French and French for Tourism, Information n Technology (IT), Certified C Accounting Practitioner r, The Training of Guides, Mountain Tour Operator and Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programmes. SPCE also has an extensive Outreach Programmes with courses on Entrepreneurship, Tajik for the Kyrgyz minority in Murghab, English in Villages and professional development courses for teachers of thee English in villages and Mathematics in Villages programmes. SPCE also offers specially designedd programmes for state schools and organisations and forr learners (English and IT) at the Shegnan Teacher Training Collegee (TTC) in Afghanistan. SPCE Khorog is a Registered Centre of the London Chamber of Commerce and Industries Examination Board, Microsoft IT Academy, and registered testing centre for International Computer Driving Licencee (ICDL) examinations, including an ICDL Centre was establishedd at TTC Shegnan in Afghanistan.

2 SPCE Khorog currently implements a two-year USAID funded project Cross-border Vocational Education in Badakhshan (CVEB), Afghanistan. Under this project SPCE conducted a Labour Market survey to customise the training programme for the learners from Afghanistan. The project provided 30 scholarships in English, 20 in IT, 10 in Accounting and 30 in Technical Vocational Education Carpentry, Masonry and Training of Trainers. Sixty scholarship students from CVEB project are expected to be awarded during the 14 May Graduation ceremony. Certificate in Accounting Technology (ATC) Thirty-seven students will receive Professional Certificates for completing the Programme. The ATC programme offers a professional qualification that prepares graduates for positions as lead accountants in micro and small enterprises or NGOs, and bookkeepers/accountants in larger enterprises and organizations. ATC is a 30-credit ECTS (European Credit Transfer System) programme. The ATC students received 540 hours of direct classroom instruction. ATC consists of 4 modules: Basics of Accounting, IT literacy and Accounting Software, Managerial Accounting, and Business Law, Taxation and Customs Regulations. It is based on International Standards of Financial Reporting and is the first programme of its kind in Central Asia. ATC also prepares students for the Certified Accounting Practitioner (CAP) programme. SPCE published four original textbooks and four workbooks for the ATC programme. Because SPCE guarantees that its graduates have achieved the necessary competency, students must obtain a mark of not less than 60 per cent in all four modules to obtain the Professional Certificate. All examinations were externally set and marked by accounting professionals from the Union of Accountants and Auditors, consultants for the Certified International Professional Accountant (CIPA) Examination Network. There is high demand for this programme because it has a reputation as a rigorous course of professional studies that provides learners with marketable skills to improve employment opportunities. Over 60 per cent of student enrolled in the ATC programme already hold a job and are taking the programme to upgrade their qualifications or obtain a new qualification. The ATC programme is taught by five instructors. They are all Khorog residents, university graduates with previous experience in accounting instruction, and have completed training programme in accounting organized by UCA and taught by leading accounting professionals. All instructors have taken professional development courses to improve their qualifications (e.g., CAP, English). With SPCE s support, the lead accounting instructors received CAP qualification, and the instructors are preparing for the higher level CIPA examinations. Certified Accountant Practitioner Thirteen students will receive a Record of Attendance in Certificate of Accountant Practitioner (CAP) programme. Their official results of examination are pending response from the CIPA EN Examination Board. The CAP level of qualification requires students to receive at least 75 per cent on exams in Financial Accounting -1; Managerial Accounting -1; and Tax and Law. Candidates must have one year of professional experience and an excellent professional reputation. The holder of a CAP Certificate knows the fundamentals of accounting, may maintain the accounts in a company, and may prepare all principal external reports and tax declarations. 2

3 Also, the holder will be able to introduce Managerial Accounting in the company and compose internal budgets. Cashier/Bookkeeper programme Twenty five students, including eight from Afghanistan will receive a Certificate of Achievement. The Cashier/Bookkeeper programme is a 10 credit short-term programme, which is conducted during 10 weeks intensive classes. This programme that consists of 4 modules: Basic of Accounting for Cashier; Math for Cashier; Excel for Cashier; and Communication Skills and Working with Clients. The aim of this program is to prepare young professionals for local jobs in the accounting sphere. English for Business (Levels Preliminary, 2 & 3) Thirty students from Afghanistan (having completed four modules of Conversational English: Pre-beginner; Starter; Elementary; Pre-intermediate) in Preliminary level, eight students in Level 2, and twenty-two in Level 3A will receive a Professional Certificate, having completed course requirements in the English for Business programme. Fifty graduates (including thirty from Afghanistan) sat for the London Chamber of Commerce and Industries (LCCI) examinations. Based on the LCCI Examinations Board curriculum, English for Business has five levels: Preliminary and four higher Levels. Level 2 entails 90 hours of classroom instruction and levels 3A and 3B, the highest levels taught, require 80 hours each. In addition to the usual English language skills, students develop an understanding of written language and its use in business correspondence, company brochures, reports, memos and notices. The students can summarize documents, write various forms of office correspondence, comprehend spoken English and speak English relatively fluently using good grammar and pronunciation. Students had to receive a grade of C or better (61 per cent) to obtain the award. Training of Guides Ten students will receive a Certificate of Achievement in Guides training. SPCE Khorog launched Guides Training to ensure that local entrepreneurs have access to the promising opportunities for improving the economic situation of mountain communities and promoting tourism, especially in response to the growing demand for ecotourism. This is also aimed at channelling the rich cultural heritage of the region into business opportunities for local entrepreneurs. The Programme entails preparing guides from the local communities. The Guides Training Programme is a short-term program consisting of two modules: Natural, cultural and historical heritage of the region; and Guides training (Excursion and Mountain Tourism guides, Horse Tourism guides, Auto tourism, Eco tourism, Ethnographic tourism). Professional Development Certificate for Teachers Fourteen English teachers from the State Secondary schools in the villages of Gorno- Badakhshan will receive a Professional Development Certificate. The English in villages programme was re-launched in January 2010 in all 7 districts of GBAO and to-date enrollment is over 800 pupils of grade 8 and 9 of the state secondary schools. The programme will ensure that rural communities benefit from the presence of an 3

4 English-speaking member in the village families. The courses were specially designed for teachers in key subject areas to address specific knowledge gaps identified through the testing system. The training was conducted by SPCE instructors holding Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults (CELTA) and Further Certificate in Teaching Business English (FCTBE) qualifications in addition to their higher education qualifications. The expenses on conducting the courses were fully covered by SPCE UCA, including transport, accommodation and meals for the village teachers in Khorog. Twenty Mathematics teachers from the State Secondary schools in the villages of Gorno- Badakhshan will receive a Professional Development Certificate. Mathematics in Villages program is the second outreach program of SPCE that will be launched in selected secondary schools of GBAO during the new academic year. In preparation for this program there was conducted Professional Development training for Mathematics teachers. In total 20 mathematics teachers from seven districts were invited to the training. Training was delivered last April by a Candidate of Science in Physics and Mathematics, Research Fellow of UCA from Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic. The teachers received introduction to non - standard mathematics tasks and problems and different ways of solving them. All participants were provided with Math handbook and other related teaching materials. Inclusion of non-standard Mathematics problems in secondary school program will help students to be more confident when participating in Mathematics Olympiads. Five English teachers from the Teacher Training College (TTC) of Shegnan vulusvol of Badakhshan Province of Afghanistan will receive a Professional Development Certificate. The course was a continuation of Training of Trainers (ToT) in English for TTC undergraduate students that was conducted by SPCE Khorog during The course was intended to prepare potential English teachers for the TTC, who are expected to start teaching English language to adult learners. The course was intensive and apart from learning methodological approach to teaching, learning how to teach Pre-Beginner as well as Total English Starter modules in a student-centered environment. Moreover, the course enabled the teachers to observe classes of the more-competent teachers at the SPCE in Khorog. This part made it possible for them to realize the theories and they were taught methodology in practice. It is expected that similar intensive ToTs will be conducted by SPCE for the same instructors more than 4 times during two next years to upgrade their teaching qualification to the required level. Short-term IT courses - Microsoft Office 2003 Applications, ICDL Certificates Six students will receive a Record of Achievement in using Microsoft Office Applications These students have completed all applications of the 16-hours courses (Introduction to Computers; Word 1, 2, 3; Excel 1, 2; Power Point; Internet; and Access), enabling them to be advanced computer users. The completed courses also allow students to teach computer courses as well as providing students the opportunity to sit for the Microsoft Office Specialist and ECDL qualification examinations. Nineteen students from Afghanistan will receive ICDL Start Certificate. The ICDL is a computer literacy certification programme provided by the ECDL (European Computer Driving Licence) Foundation. The ECDL/ICDL certification is a globally 4

5 recognized information and communication technology and digital literacy qualification. ECDL / ICDL certification programmes consist of 7 modules, which define the skills and competencies necessary to be a proficient user of a computer and common computer applications. Each ECDL/ICDL module provides a practical programme of up-to-date skills and knowledge areas which are validated by a test. ECDL is to enable proficient use of ICT that empowers individuals, organizations and society, through the development, promotion, and delivery of quality certification programmes throughout the world. TTC Shegnan ICDL Test Centre has registered over 80 candidates for ICDL exams at the end of Technical Vocational Education and Training Programme Sixty-five apprentices will receive a Qualification Certificate in Vocational Education from SPCE UCA and Certificate of Completion from the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection Launched in June 2008, SPCE s apprenticeship-based vocational programme offers vocational skills in Construction Carpentry, Plastering & Tile Setting, Masonry, and Plumbing & Metal-working. In January 2011, SPCE Khorog launched an Auto Electrician speciality, and plans introducing later in the year 2 nd year qualification study for construction trades as well as 1 st year study on Electrical Installation programme. The school possesses a construction licence, and ensures that the majority of its apprentices and graduates are employed at the main campus construction. The programme is the first in Central Asia, and it has been well received by country s leadership. In June 2008, UCA signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Education that recognises the programme s innovative approach and requests SPCE to share its experience nationally. In July 2008, the President of Tajikistan, and in November 2008, His Highness the Aga Khan visited the vocational school facility. SPCE works closely with the Ministry of Labour and its National Centre for Adult education. SPCE published over 150 original textbooks and produced individual learning resources in support of all of its training sessions. For further information contact: Dilovar Butabekov Campus Head, SPCE 126, Lenin Street, Khorog, GBAO, , Republic of Tajikistan Phone: +992 (3522) (ext. 201) Mobile: +992 (93) Fax: +992 (3522) dilovar.butabekov@ucentralasia.org 5