Accreditation is an approval of the Council granted to an institution on account of having programmes and quality assurance systems that ensure the provision of set qualifications and educational standards. Accreditation is a continuous process, the heart of which lies in periodic self-appraisal by each institution. Accreditation is renewable after every five (5) years. Institutions are required to process for accreditation within six months after being granted Full Registration and must be accredited within five years, otherwise, their registration will be withdrawn by the Council.
Accreditation Requirements (See Accreditation Workflow here)
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Compliance with Accreditation Standards
An accredited institution is required to comply with NACTVET Accreditation Standards. NACTVET has defined in broad terms, Accreditation Standards against which technical institutions and vocational training centres should operate in the interest of their stakeholders. The Standards are grouped under 10 headings relating to different dimensions of academic activities as follows:
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Standard 1: Institutional Vision and Mission
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Standard 2: Governance and Administration
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Standard 3: Institutional Integrity
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Standard 4: Institutional Effectiveness
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Standard 5: Educational Programmes
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Standard 6: Student Support and Development
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Standard 7: Information and Learning Resources
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Standard 8: Teaching and Supporting Staff
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Standard 9: Physical Resources
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Standard 10: Financial Resources
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Establishment of a Quality Assurance (QA) System
The institution is required to also ensure that it has in place a Quality Control (QC) and Quality Assurance (QA) mechanism. This entails having a sound Quality Control and Quality Assurance Policy, Quality Management Plan; and QC/QA Committee for coordinating the QC and QA activities of the institution. This is a basic requirement for ensuring that the institution offers training leading to quality-assured qualifications, a necessary condition for national and international recognition.
To download the Guidelines for Institutional Policy on Quality Assurance Click here
To download the Guidelines for Preparation of Quality Management Plan for Institutions Accredited by NACTVET Click here
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Adoption of National Technical Awards or National Vocational Awards
The institution is further required to ensure that its training programmes leading to the National Technical Awards (NTA) or National Vocational Awards, (as the case may be), are supported by curricula, which are developed by following the NACTVET requirements for the same. These include, but not limited to, conducting a labour market demand survey, developing outcomes/competence-based modular schemes; and adopting a semester system. Curricula should have stakeholders’ endorsement and institutional approval before they are submitted to NACTVET for validation.
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Recognition of Department
The candidate institution is required also to ensure that it prepares itself for recognition of its department(s), which is a certification that the institution’s department has the capacity to deliver a curriculum prepared or approved by NACTVET. This entails having the capability to evolve, design, deliver or manage a course programme at a level and standard expected. The institution should therefore submit particulars of its departments requiring recognition for assessment by NACTVET. To download the Application Form for Recognition of Institution's Department Click here
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Conducting Institutional Self Evaluation
The Council has prepared a Self-evaluation Study Guide for technical institutions. The self-evaluation is part of the accreditation process that aims at improving the institution's effectiveness in achieving its stated purposes. The self-study examines every aspect of institutional functioning against NACTVET’s standards of good practice. The guide requires the institution to present to NACTVET a self-evaluation study as a step towards accreditation. The self-study report is supposed to include, among other things, a description of what the institution is doing, an assessment of how the institution is doing and an action plan to address issues raised in the appraisal exercise. To download the Self-Evaluation Study Guide Click here
Accreditation Awards
NACTVET has prescribed three Accreditation Award categories, namely:
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Accreditation Candidacy Status
Granted to an institution once it attains full registration award upon fulfillment of some NACTVET Academic Qualification Standards.
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Provisional Accreditation
The Council grants Provisional Accreditation awards to an institution when the Council is of the opinion that there are some requirements to be fulfilled by an institution with pending fulfillment of the identified requirements within a specified time frame.
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Full Accreditation
The Council grants Full Accreditation awards to institutions that meet adequately the above-stipulated accreditation requirements.