Muscat: The Oman Authority for Academic Accreditation and Quality Assurance of Education (OAAAQA) launched the National Qualifications Framework in the Sultanate of Oman on Wednesday.
The framework encompasses four main tracks, namely the academic track, the vocational and technical track, the professional track, and the technological track, each consisting of ten levels ranging from basic education to advanced tracks equivalent to a PhD. This significant event took place during a prestigious ceremony held at Kempinski Hotel Muscat. It was held under the auspices of Nasser bin Khamis al Jashmi, Secretary-General of the Ministry of Finance.
The inauguration ceremony commenced with an enlightening speech by Dr. Jokha bint Abdullah al Shukailiyah, CEO of the OAAAQA.
She highlighted the significance of the National Qualifications Framework in the Sultanate of Oman and emphasised the framework's structure, objectives, scope, and the manifold benefits it offers. She also recounted the remarkable journey undertaken to develop a comprehensive national framework for qualifications in Oman, which involved benchmarking with regional and international frameworks, conducting a thorough environmental survey of qualifications, formulating a strategy for consultation and communication, and designating responsible entities for governance, management, and implementation.
Dr Al Shukaili underscored the importance of the National Qualifications Framework in realising national priorities and strategic directions, particularly in alignment with Oman Vision 2040. She emphasised the imperative to establish an educational system of international quality, foster community partnerships, and establish a self-regulating and comprehensive evaluation system in line with national standards. She also highlighted the National Strategy for Education's mandate to provide technical and vocational education opportunities for post-primary students.
In her concluding remarks, the CEO of the OAAAQA expressed hope for cooperation from all stakeholders to ensure that the National Qualifications Framework becomes the primary point of reference for general education, higher education, and various training and qualification bodies. "It will play a crucial role in licensing education and training programmes of all levels and types, evaluating foreign certificates, and recognising qualifications issued by any educational or training institution in the Sultanate of Oman." Additionally, two keynote speakers delivered enlightening presentations during the event. Dr Tariq al Sindi, Secretary-General of the Arab Network for Quality Assurance in Higher Education and former CEO of the Education and Training Quality Authority in the Kingdom of Bahrain, shared regional experiences in implementing and developing national qualifications frameworks.
Malik Sarieddine, Regional head of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) Middle East, elaborated on the role of national qualification frameworks in recognising professional qualifications, focusing on the ACCA qualification model.
The OAAAQA, empowered by Royal Decree No. (9/2021), assumes the responsibility for governing, managing, and implementing the National Qualifications Framework. The decree grants the Authority the mandate to prepare and develop a comprehensive national qualifications framework, listing Omani qualifications and aligning foreign and international qualifications. With this momentous inauguration, the Sultanate of Oman proudly joins the ranks of 150 countries worldwide that possess a National Qualifications Framework.
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