Skills Development: Vocational Education
in the Islamic Countries
103
Industrial views towards TVET in Palestine: Success, Challenges and Government Initiatives
1. The industry has no partnership with institutions which provides immediate employment
2. There is lack of collaboration between vocational institutions and industry in organizing
exhibitions to motivate young unemployed people
3. Generally, there is no joint assessment of students by industry and institutions
4. Female workers do not necessarily face higher levels of unemployment
Industrial contribution:
5. In Gaza strip (Palestine), there is not lack of skilled workers in industries.
6. Graduates from TVET sectors do have adequate skills for current workplace.
7. The industries are not working jointly with TVET institutions to produce competent
skilled workers.
8. Industry does not send their staff overseas for field training so as to equip them with up-
to-date skills.
9. The industry does not provide carrier guidance to students of vocational institutions so
as to prepare them for future workforce.
10. Industry has no (in some cases very less) partnership with institutions.
11. The industry is not consulted during curriculum development for vocational institutions
to improve current skill training.
4.2.2. Findings fromqualitative data
The interviewswere carried out in English and transcribed verbatim through audio files. It was
analyzed by using grounded theory that is, first identified the central mean ing and then
converted into a theme and thereafter the themewas linkedwith the research questions. All the
themes were verified with the participants’ citations from interviews. The participants’ names
were anonymous and were kept confidential. An identification number was used to uniquely
distinguish them from one another:
THEME 1: Eradicationof poverty viavocational education
Poverty eradication: Muslims in Gaza Strip (Palestine) are living under extreme poverty. It
strikes a significantly high rate of unemployment and therefore, most of the families live under
poverty line. In order to improve this situation, TVET may play an important role. The TVET
sectors, in Gaza strip, provide employable skills to the young people which help them to gain a
job, and to open a private business. As a result, unemployed males and females who acquire
necessary skills for their employment are able to earnmoney for their own living. Through these
efforts, it will be possible to eradicate poverty from the Gaza Strip (Palestine). The participants
highlighted these issues:
“TVET is one of the most important ways to eradicate poverty here in Gaza”. (P3)
“We are in tight siege which was imposed on Gaza Strip in 2007. The siege resulted significantly
high poverty rate …. [this] poverty was as a result of the siege and the restriction on the
movement of the people and commodities [from] in and out of Gaza [strip]. This resulted in a
high rate of unemployment especially amongst the youth . We believe that TVET program is
contributing to eradicate poverty through providing employability among youth [providing
youth competencies and the skills needed for the labor market]”. (P2)
“Especially in Gaza Strip, the TVET sector plays an important role in the fight against poverty”.
(P4)