The jury is still out. What is the best way to tackle unemployment in developing countries? Should the government spend more on tertiary education to produce graduates with better academic credentials? Or should the emphasis be on imparting employable skills to the youth, given than nearly half a million of them leave the country in search of menial jobs every year? The reason the first approach seems to be falling out of favor with development planners is that there has been very little bang for the all the bucks that have gone into tertiary education in Nepal.
Except for the graduates in hard sciences, others find it very hard to land decent jobs. This is the reason Nepal, and other developing countries, appear more and more willing to explore vocational education to fill the skills gap in the job market. In this connection, the Department of Education (DoE) is starting a pilot vocational training project for students of grades IX and X, with the involvement of 100 community schools across the country. Initially, the courses on offer will cover agriculture, engineering, hotel management, computer training and livestock farming, all areas of vital importance for Nepali economy.[break]
The goal is to make school education practical and skill-oriented to boost students’ career prospects. Vocational training for the youth is a great idea, particularly if it can be taken side by side with formal education. In this way, students won’t have to make the difficult choice between a degree (a matter of prestige) and gainful employment (a matter of bread and butter). There has been some criticism of introducing vocational training as early as high school. The fear is that even the students who might do well in higher education might be tempted to take the easy way out and stop their studies even before they enter university. But this line of argument is hard to justify in a country where over half a million youth leave the country in search of work every year. If they could be equipped with employment skills, many of them would surely stay back and make meaningful contribution to national economy. Besides, new studies suggest a strong positive correlation between vocational education and personal income. One 2012 study carried out by the Employment Fund, a multi-donor basket fund, found that people earning an average of Rs 2,471 per month prior to any vocational training boosted their pay up to Rs 8,933 after such a training.
Building a sizable workforce with marketable skills will be crucial for the development of a self-sustaining economy, not dependent on foreign largesse even to cover the basics. Since the private sector will disproportionately benefit from a skilled workforce, there is a strong case to involve private players in vocational training. A strong vocational training base (as in Germany and Scandinavian countries) has been proven to reduce unemployment, boost economy and spur innovation. There is no reason Nepal cannot reap similar benefits. In the 21st century marketplace, it is not academic credentials but the capacity to make meaningful contribution to workplace that sets one apart from the rest of the pack. Since the traditional education system has fallen woefully short of imparting such valuable skills, there is a strong case to explore vocational education opportunities to fill the void.
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