There is a call being made for greater focus to be placed on technical and vocational education and training (TVET), in preparing students for technological demands. The call comes from the head of the Hugh Shearer Labour Studies Institute at the UWI, Open Campus, Danny Roberts, who believes that jamaica’s current education system is inadequate to meet these requirements.
He says the current education system is not equipped to handle technological changes and supply the skills needed to meet the labour market demands. According to Roberts, the education ministry must revise its curriculum and include TVET programmes at the earliest stage of education.
He says while this can solve problems such as unemployment among Jamaican youth, there is still a stigma attached to TVET programmes in Agriculture, Technology/Engineering, and Home Economics
Citing the 2018 Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development report, Roberts says TVET has been proven as being critical for economic growth. The 2019 Global Competitiveness report ranks Jamaica at 36 out of 141 countries for the quality of vocational training, and 93 out of 141 for digital skills.
KHADIJAH THOMAS
