RIYADH, 1 February 2005 — Vocational training in the Kingdom will gain international recognition due to a partnership between the General Organization for Technical, Educational and Vocational Training (GOTEVOT) and two leading British awarding bodies.
The inking of the partnership program brokered by the British Council took place at its London office on Saturday. GOTEVOT, the largest Saudi government organization responsible for vocational training, was represented by its deputy governor, Dr. Saleh Al-Amr, while Yolanda Samuel, and the International Development Adviser of City & Guilds, and Nicholas Sansome, development director of Edexcel International, signed the agreement on behalf of the UK Awarding Bodies Consortium.
“The British Council is very pleased to have been able to assist GOTEVOT in its pursuit of gaining international accreditation for the vocational education and training system in Saudi Arabia,” Marcus Gilbert, deputy director of the British Council, told Arab News. He said the agreement adds value to the awards gained by students and also leads to recognition for GOTEVOT as the primary awarding body within the region to accredit qualifications within the Gulf states.
Following the accreditation, the two British organizations will offer ongoing support to GOTEVOT’s management team, colleges and trainers on an annual basis. “This will involve the benchmarking and accreditation of new programs and the external verification of all GOTEVOT centers,” Gilbert said.
Full international accreditation of the vocational education and training system in the Kingdom will enable GOTEVOT’s trainees to register with the UK Awarding Bodies and receive UK certificates and diplomas, in addition to the GOTEVOT certification.
GOTEVOT management believes that with this development, the Saudi vocational qualifications will become the awards of choice in the region — quality controlled, thoroughly assessed and respected across the world.
