On Vocational Education – Vocational education should be an integral aspect of schooling

Source: This post on Vocational Education is based on the article “Vocational education should be an integral aspect of schooling” published in Live Mint on 9^th November 2023.

UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS Paper 2 Governance – Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Education, Human Resources.

News: The article discusses the inclusion of Vocational Education in India’s new National Curriculum Framework, starting from early schooling. This initiative is designed to equip students for work and life, giving it the same importance as traditional subjects and tailoring it to fit local needs and resources.

What is the National Curriculum Framework?

The National Curriculum Framework (NCF) serves as an educational blueprint in India, revised five times—in 1975, 1988, 2000, 2005, and 2023. It aligns with the New Education Policy (NEP) 2020 to reform school education.

In 2023, the latest update integrates Vocational Education (VE) into the school curriculum, which is a shift from the National Policy on Education (1986), which limited VE to the Higher Secondary Stage.

To embed VE in the school system, Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) 4.0 has been initiated (2023 budget), mandating CBSE schools to create skill hubs, following the directives of the 2020 National Education Policy.

Earlier, vocational training in India only comprised full-time programs via ITIs under National Council for Vocational Training (NCVT) recognition and part-time courses through state boards and universities.

For more information on National Education Policy 2020, read here

How will vocational education (VE) be taught?

Until grade 5, children will develop basic work capacities through play. For instance, they might learn to safely use a tool or focus on completing a task.

In grades 6-8, students get hands-on experience with a variety of vocations via projects.

By grades 9-10, students learn specific vocations, treated with equal importance as traditional academic subjects.

In the final school years, grades 11-12, there’s an option to specialize in chosen vocations.

What are the benefits of integrating vocational education (VE) into schools?

Preparation for Employment: VE equips students with practical skills needed for jobs right after school, increasing their employment prospects.

Life Skills Development: Even for those not immediately entering the workforce, VE imparts crucial life skills like critical thinking and problem-solving.

Broad Educational Foundation: VE being given equal importance to other subjects ensures a well-rounded education. For instance, students learn to value all types of work, from manual to intellectual.

Local Relevance: The choice of VE subjects is made based on local needs and job opportunities, making education more relevant to the students’ own communities.

Social Equality: Integrating VE combats societal and educational biases, promoting equality and respect for all kinds of work.

What are the challenges of integrating vocational education (VE) into schools?

Practical Implementation: Implementing VE requires careful planning on how to include it practically within the existing school system.

Societal Perceptions: There’s a challenge to change the societal view that VE is lesser than mainstream education.

Philosophical Bias: Overcoming the bias in the education system that has historically seen VE as non-essential or less intellectual is a challenge.

Question for practice:

Discuss how the integration of Vocational Education (VE) in the National Curriculum Framework can help leverage India’s demographic dividend.