Skills Development: Vocational Education
in the Islamic Countries
13
Administrative
appointments
Skilled workers should be placed in their respective occupation
where they can contribute their expertise
Entrepreneurship There should be provisions and opportunities to start up own
companies and businesses which will become a source of
employment to many more skilled workers to utilize their skills.
Foreign investors Tax holidays and other incentives should be given to the foreign
investors who wish to invest in major industries/sectors for creating
opportunities for skilled people
Scholarship/Reward Scholarship opportunities should be granted to the best performing
graduates with vocational skills to go abroad and advance in their
skills so that they can perform at full potential.
Government and Concerned stakeholders should promote Craftsmanship in various sectors
through organizing competitive forums where best performers can win some awards like
monetary grants, trips to foreign countries for gaining advanced skills, and more other benefits.
This entices skilled workers to work hard so that they can benefit from such opportunities ; for
example, in Uganda one of the leading media group called Vision Group organizes with
collaboration with the Embassy of Netherlands annual competitions for farmers called
“Omulime Asinga”, meaning best farmer where farmers from all over the country converge and
compete in show casing best farming practiceswhich leads tobetter yields and soil conservation.
Winners are taken to the Netherlands for a month-long farming tour and workshops.1
1.2. Technical and Vocational Education as a Tool to Eradicate Poverty of Students
from Poor Socio-Economic Background
1.2.1. Practical Skills
VET focuses on practical and employable skills that graduates can put to use in the market
without requiring on-the-job training. Vocational training programs usually focus on imparting
skills on how to perform specific tasks that would be required for gaining immediate jobs in
various fields, such as computer care and maintenance, ICT sectors, metal craft, hair stylist,
medical assistance and other skill focused industries. Because the training is specifically linked
with specific occupation, graduates often find jobs easier than people with general academic
backgrounds (Hanushek, Schwerdt, Woessmann, & Zhang, 2017).
1.2.2. Easier to Get Employed
Skilled workers are in high demand in most developing and developed countries. Therefore, it
is easier to get a student from poor socio-economic background to earn a living by acquiring
specific skills to enter into occupation or to open his/her own business (entrepreneurship).
Case Study: Sudan (OIC Member State)
In Sudan, the Gash Sustainable Livelihoods Regeneration Project (GSLRP) provides skilled
training in different trades. In case of food processing trade, it was found that more than
1 Vision Group starts awardfor best farmers