Skills Development: Vocational Education
in the Islamic Countries
51
3.2 Empirical Analysis
Research Questions:
The case study was guided by four main research questions:
i. What are the main factors that determine the skills levels of Bangladesh?
ii. Is there any skills gap between TVET institutions and respective Industries?
iii. What are the efforts to increase skills and what are the critical success factors of
Bangladesh?
iv. How will appropriate skill acquisition lead to the reduction of poverty in Bangladesh?
v. How does Bangladesh differ to other OIC countries and over time
3.2.1. Results
Initially, a descriptive analysis of the participants’ responses was made in each of the items on
the scale. In order to carry out the analysis, the following interpretation scalewas used for items
of Part B (Appendix). The open-ended parts (narrative data)were analysedwith qualitativedata.
The rest of the items in Part B were analysed using percentile rank scale (% of responses) and
calculating Weighted Average (W). Results from Part B revealed three broad themes:
 X < 2.5 Low valuation of the item
(ranges from strongly disagree to disagree)
 X between 2.5 and 3.50 Average valuation of the item
(ranges within undecided and agree)
 X > 3.50 High valuation of the item
(start from agree to strongly agree)
Note: [Agree=SA+A; for instance, item one: Agree (59.6%)=24.2+35.4]
[Do not Agree=(100-Agree), for instance, item 6: do not agree = (100-9.5)%=90.5%; here neutral opinion is
inclusive]
[If mean value is 3.5 or more, that is X=>3.5 then statement is accepted]
3.2.2. Findings fromQuantitative Data
A. TVET inBangladesh: Success, Challenges andGovernment Initiatives
(i) Success inTVET sector of Bangladesh:
Table 3.3 shows 59.6%of teachers and 58.1% of administrators agreed that integration of basic
skills in school level provides young people necessary skills to get an occupation in future.
However, a considerable amount (it is more than 40% in both cases) of teachers and
administrators are not in support of this statement. The mean values, X for T (teachers)=3.52
and X for A (administrator) = 3.24, also range in between average valuation. Therefore, the
statement is undecided. It needs further analysis tobe confirmed. In the second statement, most
of the teachers (75%) and administrators (85.75%) agreed that TVET institutions focus more
on skills training than theoretical knowledge. The mean values (X for T= 3.89 & X for A=4.05)
are also high which are in support of the statement. In the case of third it em, similar opinions
emerged (74.4% of teachers and 95.2% of administrators). Therefore, it is accepted that
vocational training is almost free in Bangladesh. Items 4, 5 and 6 in Table 3.3 are not comparable
among teachers and administrators. Items 4 and 5 are placed in favour of teachers. In item 4,
most of the teachers agreed (88.3%) that the instructors in TVET sectors are competent to
conduct subjects which need new knowledge and skills. In case of item 5, most of the teachers
(72%) agreed that the current skill trainings in TVET sectors are updated training programs
which produce competent skilled workforce. However, the mean value (X=3.73) is higher than