Transforming Higher Education for Effective Technical and Vocational Skills Delivery in Zimbabwe
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Date
2007
Authors
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Publisher
African Higher Education Research online
Abstract
The major thrust of technical and vocational education (TVE) worldwide is to address issues of youth unemployment, poverty and international competitiveness in skills development towards current and projected opportunities and challenges (McGrath, 2005). Such issues are crucial to Africa’s dignity and survival in the fast-changing global environment. African countries and their governments have been challenged to take cues from their industrialized counterparts to seriously consider the role of higher education and training in the quest for economic emancipation and social stability. In developed countries, higher education, for its part, is facilitating the elevation of human intellectual capital well above other forms of human endowment. The International Bank for Development and Reconstruction/World Bank (2000) has observed that: “Today, global wealth is concentrated less and less in factories, land, tools, and machinery. … Human capital in the United States is now estimated to be at least three times more important than physical capital. … The developed world is reacting quickly, with education a major political priority. High quality human capital is developed in high quality education systems, with tertiary education providing the advanced skills that command a premium in today’s workplace.” TVE has played an important role in charting the course for human civilization into modern times. Most of today’s increasingly more complex and specialized technical jobs require systematic strategies of handing down vital cumulative skills to younger generations. It has been noted that in developing countries, TVE is one of those sections of education given much less priority in policy formulation, funding and monitoring than other sections such as basic education. In this paper we analyze some pertinent developments and report on a survey of major policies and activities that promote and recognize the place and role of technical and vocational education in Zimbabwe in relation to the demands of this type of education for the economic development of the country. The challenge to transformation in our developing economies as always is whether to emphasize cultural and contextual differences and national idiosyncrasies instead of international similarities, competitiveness and comparative indicators. (Watson,1994). In order to play its part well as leading and advising, higher education must itself be seen to transform.
Description
Presented at a Research seminar in Accra,Ghana,from 22 to 24 march 2007 on the theme “The Contribution of Higher education to National Education Systems: Current Challenges for Africa”.
Keywords
Statistics, Research, Skills development, Zimbabwe, Vocational education and training, Technical skills, University of technology
Citation
Phuthi Nduduzo and Maphosa N,.(2007)Transforming Higher Education For Effective Technical And Vocational Skills Delivery In Zimbabwe.African Higher education Research online.