The training infrastructure is weak and outdated and there is a shortage of trained teachers and trainers to handle courses and train at the geographic level. Moreover, lack of adequate buildings, modern equipment and raw material makes it hard to organize courses. The other noticeable challenge, as one of the reasons, is unattractiveness of vocational education because of the low financial returns received by vocational and technical graduates. There are limited scholarship schemes and the drop-out rate of graduates is high because of non-availability of sufficient scholarships. In Pakistan, people are obsessed with grabbing a graduation degree and generally look down upon vocational education. This has resulted in a situation where, on one hand, there are scores of unemployed graduates while on the other, there is a huge shortage of skilled workers such as plumbers, electricians etc. The formal training system because of its educational entry requirements and long duration of courses is designed to exclude the under-privileged informal sector workers. Above all, lack of equivalence for employment purposes, vertical mobility, lack of convergence between various agencies and recognition are compounding the problem.
Vocational education should be provided out of the mainstream education and there is a need to expand and upgrade the existing TVET system. The emphasis on TVET may have been stronger on tertiary programmes, yet there is a need to create clear and strong linkages with the general vocational education and training system. Technical education needs to be expanded so as to prompt the research trend in educational institutions.
Question 1: What are some challenges identified in the training infrastructure according to the passage?
Answer: Weak and outdated infrastructure, shortage of trained teachers and trainers, lack of adequate buildings, modern equipment, and raw materials.
Question 2: Why is vocational education considered unattractive in Pakistan?
Answer: Vocational education is perceived as offering low financial returns, with limited scholarship schemes and a high drop-out rate due to insufficient scholarships.
Question 3: What societal attitude contributes to the shortage of skilled workers in Pakistan?
Answer: Society prioritizes traditional graduation degrees over vocational education, leading to a surplus of unemployed graduates and a shortage of skilled workers like plumbers and electricians.
Question 4: How does the formal training system exclude underprivileged informal sector workers?
Answer: It does so through educational entry requirements and long duration of courses, which are often impractical for informal sector workers.
Question 5: What are some issues compounding the challenges faced by vocational education in Pakistan?
Answer: Lack of equivalence for employment purposes, vertical mobility, lack of convergence between various agencies, and recognition.
Question 6: What recommendations are proposed for improving vocational education in the passage?
Answer: Vocational education should be provided separately from mainstream education, and there is a need to expand and upgrade the existing TVET system, emphasizing clear linkages between tertiary programs and general vocational education. Additionally, technical education needs to be expanded to encourage research trends in educational institutions.
