Skills Development: Vocational Education
in the Islamic Countries
159
in their production cost. That extra machine can be installed at any of their preferred technical
institution so that our students can also become skilled. After graduation when graduates get
employed in the same industry, they will perform more professionally. Thus, the gap between
industry and institution will decrease gradually. In the mean time we will ensure that our
graduates perform directly to the industry after completing their graduation”. (P1)
Specific to Gaza strip (Palestine)
In relation to Gaza Strip (Palestine), the following specific recommendations are worth to
highlight here:
Gaza Strip needs experts from developed countries who have experience both in TVET sectors
andworking in industries. Due to continual war and siege, these types of experts are not willing
to visit Gaza Strip to update TVET sector, thus hampering alignment of TVET curriculum with
current industrial needs. Therefore, developed countries from OIC member countries need to
come forward and share their expertise for developing TVET sectors in alignment with
industrial demands. (P3)
A Reducing the gap between TVET sectors and industries
1 Policy: Government of OIC member states should formulate policies on:
 Reducing the existing gap between institutes and industries,
 Teachers should work for a certain period of time in industry,
 Monitoring systems would be required,
 Youth’s opinion should be taken into consideration,
 Industry should install one sample machine (latest) to the institution.
2 Updating Curriculum
 Curriculum needs to be updated frequently,
 It should be job-oriented and demand-driven,
 It should be focused on a specific area (trade),
 Government should focus on incorporating basic skills in school level.
3 Expert exchange from industry: Experts from industry could be invited in the TVET
institutions to share their expertise.
4 Industrial visit: Both teachers and students need to visit industry frequently
5 Coordination and Collaboration: Coordination and collaboration should exist
between TVET institutions and industries
B. Improvement of TVE sectors
1. Female enrolment
Although female enrolment has increased over the past few years, the total number of female
students in TVET sectors is not satisfactory in few countries. This number needs to be increased
particularly in some specific trades. For example, the study identifies that the number of female
students in welding, electrical, and electronics is very low. One of the participant commented:
“Women often hesitate to take training. They think that this trade is not really for females.
For example, women think welding is a very complex job. In reality, females can go to the
industry and work for those specific skills such as welding. But they think that it’s not for
them! Rather they think it’s for men only and that’s the main problem.” (P11)