By EARYEL BOWLEG

Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

THE Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute (BTVI) has been accepted as a candidate for accreditation by the Commission of the Council on Occupational Education (COE).

In a statement, BTVI clarified that this should not be confused with an actual accreditation status but that candidacy status is a “pivotal step in the accreditation process”.

The COE is a national accrediting agency in Atlanta, Georgia.

BTVI’s president, Dr Linda Davis, said: “To be accredited by COE is a coveted and respected designation recognised worldwide.”

“This is in no small part due to the degree of rigour and complexity built into the accreditation process. All hands are on deck and the BTVI team is working assiduously towards the goal of accreditation. There is an excitement in the air throughout the institution as we embark on this candidacy journey. We are on the cusp of something huge.”

In December 2023, BTVI’s board of directors decided to pursue national and international accreditation. The institution is currently working with COE, an accrediting body recognised by the National Accreditation and Equivalency Council of The Bahamas (NAECOB), to achieve international accreditation.

As an accredited institution, BTVI would join a network of 1,095 campuses worldwide with a shared mandate to uphold the standard of excellence in occupational education.

“The accreditation process is rigorous and multifaceted, requiring BTVI to be simultaneously strategic and tactical in its approach,” BTVI said.

“Before the prized status of accreditation is conferred, COE requires desirous institutions to undergo a pre-accreditation period of self-study and evaluation called candidacy. Even still, before an institution is considered for candidacy, it must demonstrate eligibility and readiness to commence the accreditation process.”

BTVI’s journey began in April 2024 with the COE Candidate Academy Workshop in Atlanta, Georgia, attended by Dr Davis and Quality Assurance Officer Dr Dorcas Cox. They submitted an application for candidacy and accreditation to COE following insights gained at the workshop.

After the application was approved, BTVI underwent a candidacy visit on August 26 2024, which involved a physical and administrative evaluation by COE representatives. The BTVI team presented detailed exhibits to showcase the institution’s eligibility while COE representatives toured the campus and interviewed staff and faculty.

On September 12-13, 2024, the COE Commission met to review BTVI’s application and the candidacy visit report. On September 24, BTVI received official notification of its acceptance as a candidate for accreditation.

“During candidacy, the institution must establish compliance with ten overall occupational education standards with over 100 evaluation criteria,” BTVI said. “A mandatory investigative self-study must be completed to identify instances of compliance and remediate in instances of non-compliance.”

“Subsequently, compliance with these standards and criteria must be evidenced by over 300 exhibits and supporting documents. Additionally, COE must physically evaluate all sites under BTVI’s remit to verify compliance with firsthand accounts.”