Technical education and skilled manpower

The country’s technical and vocational institutes are still too few in number to turn the huge population into a skilled manpower force

While inaugurating a new building of Zamsed Ahmed High School at Beanibazar upazila in Sylhet, the Education Minister said the government is giving importance on technical education to turn the country's huge population into skilled manpower. The vision from the government’s end is unquestionably well-timed and praiseworthy. Apart from employing technically skilled individuals at home their demand in the global market has shot up immensely. Spot-on this point where the importance of technical education gets elevated many time higher.

However, in tune with the vision the country’s technical and vocational institutes are still too few in number to turn the huge population into a skilled manpower force.

In line with the minister’s words, education should not be confined to classrooms and the new generation should get ready for taking the country forward more practically, meaning to become more technically sound on specific fields.

Currently, the ongoing Skills and Training Enhancement Project (STEP), a joint project of Bangladesh government, Canada and World Bank to promote and improve technical education in the country is playing a commendable role. But given its scale and limitations, it is not enough. Besides public and joint-based projects we call upon our entrepreneurs to come up with more skill-based technical institutions other than just focusing on launching private universities.

However, the government has reportedly ensured 14 per cent enrolment in the technical education segment which was only a mere 1 per cent for many years. Additionally, it is working hard to take this up to 20 per cent by 2020 and 30 per cent by 2030. That said, the government too, should take additional measures by including relevant skill-based optional subjects and courses in our mainstream schools and colleges.

In final words, there is an age-old misperception concerning the status of both vocational and skill-based technical education which we must address the soonest. Despite sincere continual efforts to promote skills-based study - the stigma of skill-based technical studies often reduces it to a second choice to academia. This wrong insight must be wiped out through regular campaigning.      

Technical education and skilled manpower

The countrys technical and vocational institutes are still too few in number to turn the huge population into a skilled manpower force

While inaugurating a new building of Zamsed Ahmed High School at Beanibazar upazila in Sylhet, the Education Minister said the government is giving importance on technical education to turn the countrys huge population into skilled manpower. The vision from the governments end is unquestionably well-timed and praiseworthy. Apart from employing technically skilled individuals at home their demand in the global market has shot up immensely. Spot-on this point where the importance of technical education gets elevated many time higher. However, in tune with the vision the countrys technical and vocational institutes are still too few in number to turn the huge population into a skilled manpower force. In line with the ministers words, education should not be confined to classrooms and the new generation should get ready for taking the country forward more practically, meaning to become more technically sound on specific fields. Currently, the ongoing Skills and Training Enhancement Project (STEP), a joint project of Bangladesh government, Canada and World Bank to promote and improve technical education in the country is playing a commendable role. But given its scale and limitations, it is not enough. Besides public and joint-based projects we call upon our entrepreneurs to come up with more skill-based technical institutions other than just focusing on launching private universities. However, the government has reportedly ensured 14 per cent enrolment in the technical education segment which was only a mere 1 per cent for many years. Additionally, it is working hard to take this up to 20 per cent by 2020 and 30 per cent by 2030. That said, the government too, should take additional measures by including relevant skill-based optional subjects and courses in our mainstream schools and colleges. In final words, there is an age-old misperception concerning the status of both vocational and skill-based technical education which we must address the soonest. Despite sincere continual efforts to promote skills-based study - the stigma of skill-based technical studies often reduces it to a second choice to academia. This wrong insight must be wiped out through regular campaigning.