Skills Development: Vocational Education
in the Islamic Countries
139
The above challenges are supported by the following interviews data:
“The skill gap that exists is in regards to practicing skills. We send our students for
internship but probably the time is not enough for the students to learn skills first-
hand. Students have always told us that internship opportunities are great to have
but the time we allocate is not enough e.g. two months, three months is not enough
for one to practice something practical and sharpening skills out there properly. The
other issue is getting the opportunity to learn modern techniques and work with
advanced equipment. The world is moving in a supersonic speed and our education
sector has not matched the speed at which world is moving forward. For example,
we teach students but we still adopt more out-dated techniques where the world has
got accustomed to using digital technology (and we have not reached there). Even
for us i.e. who are teaching, we need exposure to that technology! This is where the
big missing gap is.”(P6Ug)
“They are caused by inadequate practical training given to teachers and learners.
the learner can visit the field in case the institution lacks the materials. This is will
be helpful especially for institutions that cannot afford some equipment and through
collaboration with such industry they can improvise”(P10Ug)