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TOR Title Strengthening the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) system for TVET in Jordan and building the national institutional capacities to implement inclusive RPL schemes
Country Jordan Project Code JOR/19/50/NLD - 107273
Duration From 03/12/2023 to 31/10/2024
Pillar: Education
Outcome: 5.0 Refugee, host community and other vulnerable groups access quality and market relevant education through strengthened systems
Output: 05.01 Increased market relevance and accessibility of education and training programmers for refugee, host community and other vulnerable youth
Activity / BL 05.01.03 - Nationally certified technical and vocational trainings apply targeting for vulnerable groups. Support development of RPL system
1. General Background
The forced displacement crisis has increased in scale and complexity in recent years. According to UNHCR, 79.5 million people were forcibly displaced worldwide at the end of 20191. Forcibly displaced persons (FDPs), including refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) face specific vulnerabilities, including loss of assets and psychological trauma limited rights, lack of opportunities, a protection risk as well as a risk to be out of school, and a lack of planning horizon.In addition, the communities hosting FDPs also struggle to pursue their own development efforts.
In response to the considerable challenges facing FDPs and host communities, a new partnership initiative titled: ‘PROSPECTS' Partnership for improving Prospects for host communities and forcibly displaced persons, was launched by the Government of the Netherlands, that brings together the International Finance Corporation (IFC), theInternational Labour Organization (ILO), the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) and theWorld Bank. Through the PROSPECTS partnership, the five partner agencies aim to leverage their comparative advantages and areas of expertise to programme complementary and interdependent interventions that address education, employment, and protection challenges. The partnership spans eight countries, namely Egypt, Ethiopia,Iraq, Jordan, Kenya, Lebanon, Sudan, and Uganda and covers the period 2019-2023.
2. ILO PROSPECTS in Jordan
Through the Prospects partnership, the five partners aim to leverage their comparative advantages and areas ofexpertise to programme complementary and interdependent interventions that address three areas where challenges negatively affect the livelihoods and well-being of Jordanians, refugees, and other vulnerable groups: education, employment, and protection. Through an in-depth theory of change process, the combined efforts of the organizations will endeavour to bolster the medium- and longer-term development goals for Jordanians, refugees, and other vulnerable groups to access quality and market-relevant education; decent engagement, work and enterprise opportunities; and comprehensive protection systems, which will in turn support more sustainable livelihoods, in line with Jordan’s national plans. Integrated into the joint programme is systematic learning and knowledge management that will feed into future planning, the scaling up of innovative approaches, and ultimately transform the way partners respond to displacement crisis. Under the Education pillar, Partners support initiatives that focus on strengthening the whole educational system, from capacitating teachers to providing basic education, life skills and Technical Vocational Education and Training. Of key importance in Jordan is ensuring ‘market relevant’ skills are supported in the late stages of the educational cycle.
The past decade has been challenging for Jordan, particularly by an unprecedented refugee influx caused by the warthat started in 2011 in neighbouring Syria. In 2022, Jordan’s population passed the 11 million mark, with refugees andmigrants constituting no less than 30 percent of the entire country’s population.
This rapid and unanticipated increase in population, coupled with the structural economic challenges has placed additional pressure on the Jordanian labour market. Unemployment rose from 12.2 percent in 2012 to 22.9 percent in 2022 (end of quarter four). Youth (47.2%) and female (31.7%) unemployment have continued to be persistent challenges in Jordan (DOS data). Moreover, at 35.4%, the ratio of youth not in employment, education, or training (NEET rate) is one of the highest in the region.
To address these challenges, the Jordanian Government has greatly emphasized reforming the TVET sector to bridge the gap between education and employment and equip young Jordanians with the skills that are most needed in the labour market. Major progress has already been achieved, including the endorsement of a National QualificationFramework (NQF), the establishment of the Technical and Vocational Skills Development Commission (TVSDC), the establishment of National Sector Skills Councils (NSSCs), and establishment of a unified system for developing the national occupational standards. However, there is still much work to be done, most notably the development of a system for recognizing prior learning as stipulated in the NQF by law.
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) is a process used in identifying, documenting, assessing, and certifying competencies or learning outcomes (knowledge, skills, and attitudes) whether formal, informal, or non-formal in accordance with the standards used in formal education and training. This is sometimes complemented by the inclusion of supplementary skills training intended to fill identified skills gaps.
Considering the RPL’s potential contributions to both economic and social policy outcomes in Jordan, RPL has come central to pave the way to promoting social inclusion and equity, formalities for the national workers and refugees having skills and abilities to serve the formal sector businesses for decent work, meeting regulatory requirements for economic sectors in terms of employing qualified people, improving efficiency and flexibility in education systems, in addition to promoting lifelong learning,
In the recent past, Jordan introduced RPL licensing with the ILO’s support as part of the implementation the Jordan Compact (a plan to support Jordan’s national Syrian refugee response plan) with the aim of increasing formal employment in the labour market and its limitations. The TVSDC and ILO have however identified many limitations of this RPL scheme and its implementation process. These RPL programmes only resulted in the issuance of occupational licenses and does not lead to qualifications, which hinders lifelong learning opportunities. The other limitations include(a) lack of alignment with the aim of National Qualification Framework (NQF) Art.2 and 4) and (the TVSDC law (Art.3); (b) limited coverage of occupations, sectors and qualification levels, (c) lack of awareness among workers, employers and other TVET stakeholders; (d) lack of focus on access and inclusion; (e) weak testing/assessment method and its linkage with quality assurance; (f) lack of clarity on roles and responsibilities and institutional capacity; and (e)equitable financing for tests.
Taking the above into consideration, TVSDC with ILO’s technical support and consultation with the NSSCs, the chambers, and TVT providers drafted the first national RPL framework in Jordan that defines the main pillars of the RPL system for Jordan, including the key drivers and challenges for establishing RPL system in Jordan, and the building blocks for such system. To ease the implementation of inclusive RPL programmes, the TVSDC with ILO support also developed an implementation guide that details the main processes, operational steps, and guiding principles for RPL implementation.
The overall objective of this assignment is to contribute to strengthening RPL system and diversify skills recognition indifferent sectors in line with recently endorsed RPL framework, mainly:
(a) Strengthen the national institutional capacities to implement inclusive RPL schemes based on the approved RPL implementation guide.
(b) Review the current practices and available tracer studies and assess for the demand to the RPL services to identify scope of improvement and potential future pilots in line with the Implementation guide.
ILO is seeking a Non-Governmental Organization (Implementing Partner) to support the TVSDC and the NSSCs in Jordan in strengthening the RPL system based on the endorsed RPL framework for TVET in Jordan and building the institutional capacities for implementing quality inclusive RPL schemes. The Implementing Partner must work closely with ILO and under the TVSDC management and coordinate with the NSSCs to achieve the objectives and outputs of this assignment. The Implementing Partner should follow the TVSDC’ endorsed RPL national framework for TVET in Jordan and its implementation guide.
The followings show the main tasks under this assignment that the Implementing Partner need to accomplish:
• Conduct review and assessment of current practices and the demand to the RPL services for TVET in Jordan; define the targeted sectors and occupations for piloting RPL programmes (at least five occupations under five sectors).
• Design and implement strategy/plan and activities to raise the awareness on RPL among employers and workers’ organisations, NSSCs, local chambers, and other stakeholders in the targeted sectors and occupations; Organize sensitization sessions and activities for the private sector, workers, and public delivered by/through the employers and workers’ organisations, NSSCs, local chambers, and other stakeholders.
• Build the institutional capacities of the RPL practitioners in the targeted sectors including the assessors, assessment developers, advisors, and administrators on design and implementation RPL programmes.
• Design and develop the needed tools for the applicants’ registration and guidance to the RPL programmes inthe targeted sectors.
• Design and develop the RPL assessment evidence, tools, methods, and databases for the targeted occupations.
• Propose guidelines for the certification’s rules and process of the RPL beneficiaries.
• Design tools and checklists for monitoring and quality assurance of the RPL services and programmes.
The ILO will provide technical expertise, backstopping, and capacity building through the entire assignment by the ILO’ Regional Senior Skills Specialist, PROSPECTS’ Skills Technical Officer, and ILO’ nominated international and national consultants. The methodology, processes, and tools to be implemented should be discussed with the ILO and the TVSDC and be aligned with the endorsed RPL framework and implementation guide. The Implementing Partner should recruit the needed national and international consultants to support the implementation of this assignment incoordination and/or nomination by the ILO.
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