VIT launches new qualification programs

Mar 17, 2026 | News | 0

The Vanuatu Institute of Technology (VIT) has launched three new qualification programs aimed at strengthening the workforce and addressing shortages in key sectors such as health and education.

The new programs include a Diploma in Biomedical Engineering, a Diploma in Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning, and a Certificate IV in Vocational Education Training and Teaching.

Principal Wade Evans said the biomedical engineering diploma is the first accredited program of its kind in the Pacific region.

VIT has recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Vanuatu Qualifications Authority to deliver the Certificate IV in Vocational Education Training and Teaching.

The new Diploma in Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning is a regional qualification accredited through Educational Quality and Assessment Programme (EQAP), an institution established by Pacific governments.

Around 20 students are expected to begin the program, with VIT also exploring cross-border learning through its learning management system

Principal Evans described the launching as a milestone not only for the institution but for the entire country.

Minister of Ministry of Education and Training, Simil Johnson, said the launch of the three programs reflects the government’s commitment to aligning education and training with the country’s development priorities.

“This event is not just about adding more courses at the institution,” Johnson said. “It is about strengthening the capability of the country and ensuring that education and training respond to the real needs of our communities and our region.”

Johnson highlighted biomedical engineering as a particularly significant achievement.

“This qualification is a milestone for our country. It reflects a strong connection between technical education and the strengthening of our health services,” he said.

He also emphasized that the government’s scholarship priorities currently focus on engineering, health, and teacher training, and welcomed the introduction of programs that support those areas.

Acting Director General of the Ministry of Health, Dr Santus Wari, said the biomedical engineering diploma represents a major step forward for the health sector.

Wari noted that while healthcare workers such as doctors, nurses, and midwives play a vital role, modern healthcare also depends heavily on technology and medical equipment used in hospitals, laboratories, and clinics.

“These machines support diagnosis, monitoring, treatment, sterilisation, and patient care. When equipment breaks down and cannot be repaired quickly, health services are affected,” he said.

He added that many Pacific Island countries face challenges when medical equipment remains unused due to a lack of local technical expertise to repair or maintain it.

The new program will help build local capacity to maintain critical medical equipment, reducing downtime and improving healthcare services across the country, he said.

SOURCE: VANUATU DAILY POST

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