Problems of vocational & Technical education
The following are the major problems
of vocational and technical education:
1.
Multiplicity of regulations, certifications and
curriculum
Curriculum is
main pillar of vocational and technical education. If vocational &
technical education training provisions are implemented by different
departments, ministries, agencies and organizations, whether Government or
private, with a multiplicity of certification, standards and curricula it will
result in overlapping of courses and institutions as well as creating confusion
for students and employers.
2.
The demand supply mismatch of job market
The current VET programs are largely
supply-driven and still lack of relevant training for available jobs. There is
a need to improve links between schools and the industry to minimize this
mismatch. A divergence between the skills that the population possesses and
skills required by industry is a major cause of low employability among Indian
youth. India has predominantly been an agricultural economy and much of its
population is still dependant on traditional activities, Over 90% of the labour
force of India still works in the informal sector, with low productivity and
skills. With low skills and experience limited to the unorganized sector, these
workers remain unemployable in industry. The current public VET system offers
only a few training courses and covers around 100 skills. Out of these, several
skills like stenography have becoming outdated due to the emergence of new
technologies. This increases the gap between industry need and manpower supply.
3.
Poor perception and public mind set
Many Indian parents
want their children to pursue a clerical job or be an office assistant, not
realizing that a technician can earn more than these jobs. In countries like
India VET has always been considered by the public and parents as the career
choice for the less academically-qualified with the impression that VET is for
school drop-outs, rather than as an important strategy to train skilled
workers. Too much attention and resources is given to ‘academic’ rather than
vocational education.
4.
Lack of coordination among Government Agencies
and regulatory bodies
Different
ministries manage their employability initiatives independently in India and
there is a wide range of VET providers such as social businesses, non-profits
and corporate. Coordination between all these players is required to create an
enabling environment that enhances the capacity, quality and utilization of
VET.
5.
Inadequate academia-industry linkage
These results in
low rates of employment due to the reason that what job providers are seeking for,
are not communicated with the training sector. Besides it also affects the
placement.
6.
Outdated curriculum
An updated curriculum which is relevant to
present day need of the industry is a major requirement. The curriculum should
be relevant to the need of the industry.
7.
Shortage of qualified teachers
Availability of
good quality trained and qualified teachers and trainers is an important
problem. Poor recruitment process of Governments is responsible for this.
8.
Lack of proper infrastructure
Building, modern
equipment and raw materials is a hurdle in learning during training. This can
be attributed to improper release of funds.
9.
Lack of autonomy
Lack of
administrative and financial autonomy and accountability is another pitfall in
the way. If these institutes are given good deal of autonomy, they will be
better able to change and adjust them in changing scenario of the present day
market needs.
It is clear from
the above points that there are a lot of challenges in the field of VET
education in India and to achieve the targets there is a strong need of
substantial expansion of quality technical and vocational education and
training system.
Ø Following are the other challenges of vocational and technical education
·
There is a high drop-out rate at Secondary
level.
·
Professional Education is by and by offered at
Grade 11th & 12th.
·
Private and Industry Participation are
deficient.
·
Less number of Vocational Institutes in the
nation.
·
Not sufficient number of prepared staff.
·
Vocationalisation at all levels has not been
fruitful.
·
Lacking of new parts of professional instruction
and abilities preparing.
·
Intense deficiency of gifted educators and
instructors in the nation.
·
Absence of chances for consistent ability
up-degree.
·
Current instruction framework is non-receptive
to the ability requests of the existing and future industry, prompting a supply
request hole on different checks.
·
Outside the educational system, applicable
professional instructional hubs are badly prepared to deal with the request and
are open to just a chose number of understudies who have gone in any event
level 10 and 10+2.
·
Enormous request supply ability hole. 90% of the
employments in India are "expertise based"; involving the
prerequisite of professional preparing. It is assessed that lone 5% of the
young in India are professionally prepared.
·
A large portion of the Vocational Education
Training Institutes are described by fundamentally inflexible and obsolete
concentrated syllabi that don't have much match up with the common economic
situations.
·
Nonappearance of observing council- Apart from
that however there is a lot of variation among the various programs in terms of
duration, target group, entry qualifications, testing and certification,
curriculum, etc. which has resulted in problems related to recognition of
qualifications, equivalence and vertical mobility
Possible
remedies
There are
several suggestions and implications to overcome the challenges and problems of
vocational education sector in India and for the overall improvement of the VET
sector and skill development programme in India. Below are some of the main
suggestions, given under the following heads
1.
Improvement in physical infrastructure
Infrastructure
is an essential part of any institution; necessary physical infrastructure
should be improved.
2.
Introducing relevant curriculum
A strong
curriculum to engages students and develop their interest in vocational
education is a pre-requisite to successful learning. Improving the existing
curriculum to incorporate experiential learning into vocational education
courses, will attract more students to vocational education in secondary
school. Introducing a range of vocational skills and a well oriented curriculum
better oriented towards skills development in mainstream schools would be a
successful step. Introducing trades like carpentry and clay modelling etc. as a
part of the curriculum can provide students a better understanding of VET
opportunities
3.
Ensuring proper funding
The Ministry of
Education should persuade the Federal Government to earmark adequate funding for
VET in the face of the daunting challenges highlighted above. Other funding
sources like World Bank Step-B intervention fund, and Commonwealth assistance
should be explored.
4.
Establishment of good Relationship with industry
For proper results
of mainstreaming VET with the needs of the industry, it is required raining to
form strong relationships between the training institutes and industry. This
would be beneficial in two ways. Firstly, institutes would get access to
facilities of practical exposure to students during industrial tours,
Industrial attachment and internship. Secondly,
it would encourage the private sector to direct their corporate social
responsibility initiatives towards fortification of TVET in the polytechnics.
5.
Bringing skill development programmes under one
roof
The entire
national skill development system should be put under the single ministry or
governing body, rather than running them under the leadership of several other
Ministries. This will lead to better focus and coordination between different
initiatives.
6.
Providing Accessible and affordable training
With poor
infrastructure, accessibility continues to be a major problem. It is crucial to
build and fund modern institutes of training, which are made easily accessible
by building additional infrastructure. To enable and encourage individuals
belonging to low income groups to join vocational training programmes, it is
important to provide quality training at an affordable cost with the option of
availing loans and scholarships.
7.
Establishing Employment Exchanges
Employment Exchanges are a crucial link
between trained manpower and employment opportunities. India’s state-run public
employment exchanges provide services like registration, placement, vocational
guidance and career counselling. However, low placement rates of applicants are
a concern. These exchanges are located in urban areas mostly, which is a
barrier for rural areas people. Filling this gap by providing effective
employment exchange services to youth is necessary. These services can include:
·
Preparing youth for job opportunities
·
Inviting industry for placements
·
Placing youth in the appropriate industry
·
Post-placement follow up
·
Career guidance
8.
Bridging the gap between VET and higher
education:
One of the
biggest problems for VET in South Asian countries including India is the poor
quality and low status of sector among potential students. Curricula should be
relevant to today’s job market, with direct linkages to employment skills and
market, are needed today. For this the development of VET sector skills
councils—having collaboration of industry and government may be useful linking
skills training with job prospects. Specialised technical skills and a high
degree of co-ordination of the government, the public sector and other
stakeholders will be required to go forward.
Conclusion
Technical and
Vocational Education (TVET) play an essential role in promoting sustainable
economic growth and the socioeconomic development of countries, with benefits
for individuals, their families, local communities, and in turn, the whole
society.
Education and
social development are complimentary to each other. Education improves
functional and analytical ability and thus opens up opportunities for
individuals to achieve greater access to skills and livelihoods. Skilled
workforce is an essential factor to become a developed economy. In fact, Skills
and knowledge are the two pillars of economic growth and industrial development
of any country. Vocational education and training is the branch of education
which leads to work, which in turn provides skilled manpower that contributes
to the national progress.
The quality of
education is an issue which is used as the main agenda to be addressed in the
development of education policy, because only with a quality education will be
acquired quality graduates who are able to build self, family, community,
nation and state. National Education Standards.
In order for
technology and vocational education curriculum in accordance with the development
of science, technology, and communication as well as the needs of
business/industry, preparation and curriculum development should always
involves parties concerned stakeholders, especially business/industry. In order
to improve human resources of technological and vocational education graduates,
collaboration with business/industry must be maintained and constantly
developed. Development of technology and vocational education can be done
through school education and out of school education. Improving the quality of
technological education and vocational education through schools and out of
school education can work well if it is supported by the input, process, and
other supporting facilities were adequate.