Emerging Challenges in Technical Vocational Education and Training of Pakistan in the Context of CPEC

Abstract

Pakistan is a country with rich natural and human resources. The role of highly skilled people in national development has become enormously vital in the new developmental period, but it is also an irrefutable fact that the gap in highly skilled personnel in Pakistan is expanding. The organization of Technical Vocational Education and Training was introduced to prepare a skilled workforce for various industries and sectors in Pakistan; however, the 60% level of young, unskilled, and semi-skilled labor emerging from informal and non-formal sectors is largely attributed to the failure of Technical Vocational Education and Training to supply the country with its requirements for trained manpower for the economy and China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects. China and Pakistan launched historic projects such as CPEC as part of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which fostered economic cooperation and development between the two countries. This article will go through the overview and the course of Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in Pakistan. The major purpose of this study is to highlight that TVET in general, and CPEC in particular, are suffering from a lack of qualified personnel because of a variety of other reasons, such as outdated equipment, a lack of industry connectivity, inadequate skills, unemployment, and so on. The study is descriptive and exploratory in nature, and it employs a qualitative research method. The perspectives of the TVET challenges in Pakistan were researched using the data obtained from 500 student and staff respondents, including teachers, TVET workers, and TVET job holders. Some of the important findings include the fact that the current state of the TVET institutions is no doubt due to infrastructural issues and a lack of funding. In addition, TVET in Pakistan is marked by inadequate skills, a lack of industry connectivity, unemployment, insufficient teacher training, and a lack of female participation. In this study, recommendations were given based on the research analysis and research findings.

The Challenges of Using Technology in Vocational Education and Their Impact on Students' Achievement from the Teachers' Point of View in Ramtha District Schools in Jordan

“…These results are consistent with Ahmed (2019) who concluded that the degree of use of modern technology in teaching life sciences came to a medium and average degree. Bano et al (2022) found that the current state of the TVET institutions face infrastructural problems and lack of funding. Al-Maamari (2019) reported that school community suffers from several obstacles such as lack of equipment and modern technologies used by teachers.…”

“…There are many studies that have highlighted the significance of employing technology in vocational education and training and presented the challenges facing the application of technology in vocational education. Bano et al (2022) investigated the challenges associated with delivering technical and vocational education and training (TVET) in Pakistan. They adopted descriptive and exploratory approaches.…”

“…Multidisciplinary support has cons and pros from the perspective of planners. Virtual and real-world environments affect the students' learning process (Bano et al, 2022). Koehler & Drummer (2018) add that conditions of school, vocational and ongoing learning have been changing worldwide.…”

Does a vocational education program prepare competent graduates for further academic programs?

“…Additionally, having the right kinds of technological and human capital for making economic progress is becoming more evident. Educational institutions often provide high-level professionals with academic instruction and occupational training to meet the demand for new competencies (Bano et al. , 2022; UNESCO, 1996; Blundell et al.…”

“…of technological and human capital for making economic progress is becoming more evident. Educational institutions often provide high-level professionals with academic instruction and occupational training to meet the demand for new competencies (Bano et al, 2022;UNESCO, 1996;Blundell et al, 1999;McGrath et al, 2020). Technical and vocational education and training (TVET), following the World Bank (2021), often offers practical skills and job preparation guides for the labor market (Cavanagh et al, 2013).…”