Umesh Raj Regmi

Technical Education and Vocational Training (TEVT) holds a key role in economic development of a nation. So, the need and relevancy of skilled human resource is paramount in Nepali context. To address the rising problem of unemployment in the country, vocational education and trainings are crucial. The youths trained and educated vocationally or technically will be able to become self-reliant and confident in works in the areas like agriculture, veterinary, automobile, electrical, plumbing, carpentry, computer engineering and health services. Technical education not only helps in an immediate employment but also makes the graduates an intelligent user of natural resources. It definitely fixes the mid-level career path either through the job in the concerned areas or entrepreneurship. Hence, honing of human resources is obviously the thing to give due priority by the government of all tiers in Nepal. However, the accessibility and efficacy of the technical education in the country is still a question. Despite the need and benefits, technical education and vocational training still lie in shadow.
The Council for Technical Education and Vocational Training (CTEVT) constituted in 1989 is Nepal’s apex body of the TVET sector committed for the production of trained and skilled human resources required to the nation. The council shoulders the responsibility of imparting technical education both in quantity and quality. Now, it has the total of 876 institutes running the technical education courses (diplomas and TSLC), out of which 45 are constituent, 429 affiliated, 397 TECS (Technical Education in Community School) and 5 in partnership modality. There are other 1082 institutes providing short-term skill-based training in different areas.
The government initiated the policy to run, at least, one technical education centre in all local levels from the past fiscal year. Consequently, the technical education has reached in 541 local levels. Yearly, there remain more than 60,000 seats in long-term technical education, where around 60 per cent quotas are found to be under TSLC (Technical School Level Certificate) in it. Till the date, over two and half lakhs human resources have been produced under the banner of the CTEVT. Different studies have shown that the employment rate of the technical education graduates is 75 per cent.
The focus of the concerned authority seems to be on the number of the institutes rather than their quality production and justified quota management. The CTEVT lacks quality assurance, timely monitoring and scientific distribution of the programs in federal context. On the other hand, the attraction of the students in few schemes is getting low. Mainly, students’ attraction in electronics, auto-mechanics and computer engineering seems to be low. But the students’ flow in nursing, health assistant and pharmacy is found to be higher. Even the agriculture area in the agricultural country is not charming. Technical Education in Community School (TECS) is felt to be random. The spirit of this programme is to reach the technical education in the community schools, analysing the geographical status, pertaining need and minimum indicators of quality education. But, the programme is run in four schools of the same municipality somewhere and nil in others. Likewise, needful programme, infrastructure, laboratory and instructors are again neglected while giving permission to run the programme in schools. To the latest, 612 community schools are given the license to run technical education in local level. Hence, the technical education in its form is fine but not the same in its substance.
Technical and vocational education is relatively expensive as it is equipment-based. This reality brings about the problem of insufficient funding and inadequate flow of finance in most of the education institutes. The ad hoc operation of the courses and trainings is making the graduates less competent and less productive than they ought to be. The three tiers of government in the country are interested in funding the technical education but it is still challenging to meet the needs. Similarly, job-seeking mindset in majority of the youths and adults is shadowing the job creation and economic self-reliance as an output of the technical education.
Another issue is of affiliation and fees in the interest of the particular institution. The news of overcharging cannot be ignored. It is also heard that certificate without an adequate skills are being awarded from different institutes in the name of vocational training. The skill-based training programs (level-1) are not meeting the need of job demand in market. So, the qualifying test and time for the short-term trainings are the things to consider.
It is imperative that technical education and skill development programmes are made more accessible to the people of every sphere in the country. Meanwhile, ideas on the scope and opportunities in technical education and general education should be clarified mainly in the beginning of secondary education. The misconception on the technical field is still prevailing as it is mainly for the drop-outs, failures and low-graded students. Here, the educationists, teachers, parents and local leaders have to play an active role in highlighting the importance of technical education. The concerned authorities should pay their attention on changing the traditional attitude toward vocational education for adopting a job-oriented modality in society.
As Nepal is experiencing a demographic dividend, the political and administrative agencies are recommended for not wasting the resources. There needs to be more funding in the technical field and full-time instructors should be appointed for better results. The Ministry concerned, CTEVT, Education and Human Resource Development Center, and local levels should have a nice coordination for the quantity and quality enhancement of technical education and vocational training up to grass root level.
The upcoming plans and policies should reflect the aspirations of youths in adherence to their education suit. It is high we give front line space for the pragmatic education in the country to enrich human capital. There should be a question-free affiliation and seats allocation for the programmes of technical field. The government agencies should build a close partnership with the non-governmental and private sectors to widen the area of the vocational training

(Regmi is associated with Nepal Youth Foundation and can be reached at umesh_regmi71@yahoo.com)