Need of Vocational Education in Nepal

In the wake of globalization, education stands at the center of every domain, including economic growth, social change, and the key to unlock other possibilities. Nepal has a total population of 29.9 million, with around ten million at education receiving age (5–24 years), which makes more than 34% of its total population. Nepal has the full potential to mobilize this demographic dividend to its advantage if provided quality education and prepare them for changing job market. In short, mitigating the gap between educated population and market demand can lead to collective good for individuals as well as whole country.

Usually the qualification and credentials generated by education are measured with opportunities available in employment ground. In this regard, education system has always remained as threatening problem in our country since the inception of formal education in Nepal. The colonial master, Thomas Babington Macaulay, introduced the education system in India that was directed to produce clerks and civil servant, and Ranas adopted same system in Nepal too. Even today, we have not deviated much from the same old educational pattern. Rote learning is still the dominant practice in Nepal, and student mostly studies to score grades. The world has become more competitive and to maintain a position or even to survive in a competitive market one need to acquire quality knowledge and advance skills. Nepal lacks potential academic institutions to produce quality manpower as they don’t offer competitive courses that match the international level. Besides, education in Nepal is totally focused on the theoretical methodologies, and minimum emphasis is given to the practical aspect.

While talking about education, it can be divided into two categories; formal and vocational or technical education. In context of Nepal, vocational education is usually considered as an option for inefficient students. When any student scores low grade in formal education, parents encourage them to get enrolled in vocational courses offered by Council for Technical Education and Vocational Training (CTEVT). Nepali minds never appreciate vocational graduates since we are cultured to believe such education have lower social status than mainstream ones. Our first step to vocational education will begin after introducing positive change in such misleading social mindset of both parents and students.

Nepal’s education model is failing to integrate academic and market in a systematic manner by adding more educated minds in the list of unemployed population. There exist some institutional faults that never let education transform into great marketplace opportunity. Rather than teaching career-oriented skills, our education system is more tilted towards forcing knowledge and testing students at every level. Still plagued by the colonial model education, we are producing workers and followers, not the innovators. Such a scenario brings us to the realization that we have countless degree holders roaming around, but has not yielded any skilled manpower through education.

As the country is rapidly adjusting in a federal structure, it’s the right time to introduce change in the education sector. The new education system should be more focused to produce innovators, entrepreneurs, scientist, and writers who can establish the foundation for new opportunity rather than remaining as service providers. If one default education pattern controls entire institution, then there is no option than assuming the existing serves all well. But if we can effectively decentralize education, and if the government minimize imposing control over the syllabus and method of instruction, there could be an explosion of innovative courses that will generate place for itself in the Job market.

Almost every employment demands excellence in specific type of skill and knowledge from the potential employee. And the best way to instil such practical abilities is through vocational schools that teach specific skills. Amid growing unemployment and abroad migration, vocational education seems to be the best way out for Nepal to bridge the gap between education and the job market.

Nepal today can learn from the vocational education model practiced in other countries. For example, a non-profit digital school in Germany, named ReDI School of Digital Integration offers both education and opportunity for students to get engaged with start-up and digital technological firms. This school is one example of highly successful education system which emphasizes student’s involvement in both theory and practice. On contrary, Nepali academic arrangement lacks such integrated education system, and it even discourages some enthusiast students perusing practical knowledge on their own. Because all that matters in Nepal is marks. The German vocational education model would directly address all systematic faults plaguing our education system; ranging from innovative education to producing quality manpower for job market. In the competitive job platform, Nepalese students must learn practical job skills and updated knowledge that will ultimately shape their future career. Nowadays in Germany, many students prefer apprenticeships, under this system; the students get privilege to engage in paying job as well as internationally recognized education. An apprentice works at the company for three to four days, and remaining two days are spent at vocational school. And often upon completion, the good ones get a permanent placement as employees in same company. This means apprentices system is vibrant bridge to connect academic life and the working world.

Now it’s time for Nepal to look for similar policy level changes in education system accordingly with changing job market and implement them in upcoming educational plans. According to the Ministry of Education, a programme has been developed for the first five years (2016–2021) of the seven-year plan. The School Sector Development Plan was devised through a participatory process led by the education ministry and is in line with the country’s vision of progressing from the status of a Least Developed Country by 2022. To achieve such an ambitious national goal, Nepal should consider adopting the prototype of international vocational education model. If the base for vocational education is established in school, then it will automatically get updated in higher studies too. Of course! formal education is good, but it’s not the only door for student’s career. As per the market order of today’s world, the future is bright for those who possess relevant skills rather than degrees. So Nepal as a nation should strive for a new education model to give proper market placement for its ten million educating population.