HCT does away with certificate diplomas

To increase the level of proficiency and skills of nationals, the Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT) will no longer grant its students certificate diplomas.

Students enrolling at the HCT with a high school percentage of below 70 normally graduate in two years with a certificate diploma qualifying them to hold administrative posts.

Dr Sulaiman Al Jassim, Director of the Community Relations and Manpower Development, told Gulf News: "Certificate diplomas will no longer be given to the HCT students starting this year since we have discovered that they do not qualify the students for joining the working environment."

Instead the university has restructured the educational system. Jim Horton, Vice-Chancellor of the HCT, said: "We want to make sure that students have the level of skills that a job requires."

Under the new educational system, all students enrolling with the HCT will undergo a placement diagnostic test that will determine their level.

Students who achieve below 70 per cent will undergo two years of intensive learning in basic skills such as mathematics and English. After this if the student decides to drop out, he will receive a recognition letter saying they attended two years of basic training and not certificate diplomas as previously followed.

The 15 certificate programmes at the university usually taught during the first two years will be taught in third year where a student will learn all the technical programmes such as Information Technology.

Horton, said: "We have discovered that two years is not enough for students to acquire the technical skills they need. That is why we have decided to offer these courses in the third year after a student has acquired all his basic skills."

Also, those who acquired a percentage of below 70 per cent can now go for a bachelor's degree.

"These students previously could not enter the bachelor's programme and could only graduate with a diploma." He said students will now be regularly assessed and they will be given diplomas, higher diplomas and bachelor's in Applied Sciences depending on their performance.

Students who obtain above 70 per cent in the placement diagnostic test will directly start their programme studies.