BTVI could absorb portion of COB student body

Wed, Apr 15th 2015, 09:54 AM

Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute (BTVI) Chairman Felix Stubbs yesterday stated that the institute could prepare to absorb a portion of the current College of The Bahamas (COB) student body as COB transitions to university status.

Speaking with Guardian Business, Stubbs stated that with the transition and accompanying stricter admission policies in place, BTVI might have to accommodate an influx of former COB students while maintaining its heavy focus in providing remedial skills training for students.

"We haven't put much focus on how the University of The Bahamas will impact us, although I think it will because there will probably be a greater requirement for us to meet the demands of those persons who now go to COB who may no longer be going there," said Stubbs.

The government recently suggested that COB will complete its transition to the University of The Bahamas (UOB) by 2016.

Stubbs acknowledged that while BTVI would remain an alternative to the UOB that does not bar students through excessive specialization, he wants to encourage the possibility of introducing more specialized programs in the future.

However, he noted that the BTVI's current objectives likely eliminate any possibility of higher specialization programs in the short term.

"We're not going to be a COB or University of The Bahamas. We will always be a technical institution, but having said that there is a possibility that we could look at expanding the technical education to a higher program," he said.

Stubbs further noted that the BTVI's current focus on providing remedial skills for students currently outweighs other education initiatives.

While Stubbs said that providing such skills is somewhat "forced" on the institute, he noted that it was an essential burden in preparing the country's workforce.

"We've found, though, that there have been significant requirements for us to give our students some remedial skills in order to properly prepare them for those technical skills that they need.

"That has been the core of our focus up until now, because we do not want to have an institution where we are so specialized that the majority of the potential workforce can't come through our doors, so we have to make available the opportunity for them to bring their skills to a level where they can take advantage of the things we teach.

"It shouldn't be the role of BTVI. We'd prefer it not to be, but we were forced into that role because if we don't do it, then the students who we're asked to pass on these technical skills to wouldn't be able to take advantage of what we offer," he said.

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