Yangyel Lhaden

Students who have completed or are currently taking Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programmes as elective subjects in schools can now apply for credit transfers to Technical Training Institutes (TTIs) for certification.

Credit transfer allows students to apply academic credits earned at one institution toward their degree requirements at another institution.

The officiating director of Department of Workforce Planning and Skills Development, Sangay Dorji, said that the credit transfer mechanism is an opportunity for students to seamlessly continue their education and enhance their skills in technical fields. “This mechanism is aimed at promoting TVET, encouraging students, and providing career pathways for those in school who are taking up TVET.”

Sangay Dorji emphasised that every hour students spend in TVET electives would be recognised and eligible for credit transfer to TTIs.

Previously, without this mechanism, students had to start from scratch at TTIs to obtain certification, a process that was both time-consuming and discouraging.

The principal of one of the TVET pilot schools said that students did not opt for TVET programmes in the past mainly because of the lack of a credit transfer mechanism. “With this reform, we are quite positive that the number of students taking up TVET will increase.”

Currently, seven pilot schools across the country—Bayling, Rangjung, Chumey, Punakha Central Schools, Khuruthang, Babesa Middle Secondary Schools, and Bajothang Higher Secondary School—have been offering TVET as an elective since 2020.

These schools offer electrical and welding courses, with only Bajothang Higher Secondary School providing an automobile course.

The introduction of credit transfer mechanism is a key aspect of the TVET curriculum reforms.

Officiating Director Sangay Dorji said that the credit transfer mechanism could not be rolled out immediately with the elective curriculum because the framework for the credit transfer mechanism was only fully developed last year, which is why it could be implemented this year.

Although TVET courses are based on an NC2 level curriculum, integrating them with general education posed challenges for certification, he said. “This makes credit transfer important because to complete the course for certification students have to go to TTI and we don’t want our children to just spend time in TVET courses in school without their hours being recognised.”

Unlike general education, where students must complete an entire academic year regardless of their interest, the TVET curriculum operates on an hourly basis. “This means the time students invest in their TVET courses will now be valued,” Sangay Dorji said. “We want to ensure that every hour spent learning translates into credit, helping students advance in their technical education.”