Education in Focus- Part III Education vs. Market Demand
Unknown
9:22 PM
0
On entering the formal education system a child is channelled through a series of institutions all of which attempt to transmit and uphold values of discipline, diligence, responsibility and possibly even, patriotism. For at least fifteen years, s/he is enjoined to value hard work, perseverance, good grades, respect and recognition amongst peers and figures of authority. Education in and of itself, becomes a means to a desirable end. Whether this ‘end’ is achieved at one’s Secondary school graduation ceremony or upon the attainment of a tertiary level qualification, the vision and inherent expectation are quite similar to all individuals who have applied themselves to the requirements of any formalized system of education.
At
school, we are trained to work within structure. All actions or investment in
time and effort have direct and visible consequences of either positive or
negative results. Furthermore, the school system programmes our minds to become
familiar with the idea of natural progression to a higher level of achievement
and possibility. To this end, I recall my own alma mater’s theme for
postgraduate entrants of the year 2011, ‘the only limit is your imagination’.
Outside
of this backdrop of enthusiasm, a graduate is thrust into a world far from the
institutionalized structures that adhere to rules or the concept of ‘fair
progress.’
In
March 2014, a panel discussion at the Dubai Global Education and Skills Forum, heard
concerns echoed by governmental representatives and other education officials
from across the globe. It was brought to the conference’s attention the fact that
forty million young people in the Middle East and North Africa, who are not
qualified in terms of skills and knowledge to be productive, will be entering
the labour market within the next ten years. Fahd Al Rasheed, chief executive
officer of the King Abdullah Economic City in Saudi Arabia, stressed that the
skills gap is not just a Middle East problem but a worldwide issue, which he
purported to be ‘the most critical challenge of the next fifteen years’.
In May 2014, the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) announced
the launch of five ‘new-generation’ subjects for the Caribbean Advanced
Proficiency Examination (CAPE). The new subject fields are ‘Agricultural
Science,’ ‘Entrepreneurship,’ ‘Performing Arts,’ ‘Physical Education and Sport’
and ‘Tourism’. In addition, Trinidad and Tobago has seen the opening of its
seventeenth ‘Technology Centre’ (in conjunction with the ‘Metal Industries
Company’ M.I.C.), which serves as the hub for technical vocational education
and training. A newly opened ‘Nurses’ Academy’ in El Dorado, and a governmental
promise of more to come, add to the list of developments geared towards
modelling T&T’s upcoming workforce. How these provisions line up with the
actual needs of the labour market however, is yet to be observed.
Across the board, Caribbean nations seem to be responding to
the need for diversification of syllabi, welcoming discussion on alternatives
to archaic forms of examination and steadily providing the technological and
physical infrastructure necessary to thrust the region to new heights in the
provision of education. On the other hand, we remain in a precarious situation
of being caught in an experimental era within the throes of a rich
developmental one.
An interesting reflection by a representative of the Abu
Dhabi Education Council highlighted the need for guidance even at the
kindergarten level, to get students focused and passionate about their future
job options. Additionally, it was emphasized that career and academic counselling
as well as students’ deep engagement with the awareness of what jobs are available
were imperative actions from any Education Ministry. With the issues
highlighted in part two of this series (‘The Innovator’s Dilemma’), it was this
inherent lack of clarity in a vision of progress or opportunity that was cited
as one of the main causes for the disillusionment amongst youth at the
secondary school level.
While the recognition of this need sheds light on an
important area, job markets are battling at the mercy of a host of flailing
external economic and social forces that are frankly impossible to control. A
deeply concentrated effort is welcomed from the level of governments to that of
community groups and parent/teacher associations to form a consistent dialogue
that recognizes and addresses the needs of graduating students in relation to
employment. This is one way in which Caribbean societies can remain in touch
and relevant with the dynamic changes and problems facing its education
systems.
Furthermore, the islands’ respective ministries of education
and university think tanks would do well to put forward studies and information
exploring global changes and their implications for the employment challenges
facing its graduates. Such emphasis, especially on a regional forum would
facilitate dialogue and clarify the region’s vision for development, a
necessity in preventing any further marginalization from the global economy which
is currently experiencing a rebalancing of sorts, in its own regard.
Too many can attest to the ‘resorting to migration’ option,
however, for the vast majority, migration in search of higher education and
employment is simply not a viable, affordable or even secure an option. It is
therefore, with high expectation and necessity that we as Caribbean citizens
and university graduates in particular, engage and adapt to the world beyond
school that we hoped would await us.
.jpg)
No comments