Section 5 - Public Awareness and Attitudes

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Regional Strategy for Technical and Vocational Education and Training

Caribbean Community Secretariat Competency - based Curriculum Design
TVET Council, Barbados - Ministry of Labour and Social Security,
Barbados, 19 to 23 November 2001

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Section 5 Public Awareness and Attitudes

Major Action: Develop and implement a promotional programme

As elsewhere in the world rapid technological developments am bringing about significant changes in the socio-economic reality of Caribbean society. It is therefore important far people at all levels of Caribbean society to develop an understanding of the importance of technology and its contribution to life in a contemporary society. A prerequisite to this is the need to make available to a wide crosssection of the population a body of knowledge and skills which will enable them to gain not only an understanding, but also an appreciation of the technological environment and of the variety and type of new jobs that will be necessary and available.

CARICOM Survey P. 67

Rationale

Programmes for creating public awareness of and fostering positive attitudes towards TVET occupations are necessary. Despite the great strides made in TVET, it continues to suffer from problems of low status. The requirements for success of TVET programmes go beyond the creation of systems and models: attitudinal changes at all levels are also required. Therefore public awareness and motivation programmes should have this factor as the principal point of focus.

These programmes will help persons become aware of the nature and scope of TVET. They can also learn about possible benefits and opportunities in this area. The programmes can help in creating an environment that is receptive to technology and that is conducive to the development of indigenous technology.

One strategy for promoting TVET is through the use of programmes for popularizing science and technology. For example, the National and Regional Science Fairs can be used to promote the work of students in TVET programmes. Promotion through the media is also necessary to inform the public, for example, about the processes and skills involved in certain jobs, technology in everyday living and the role of TVET in equipping people with life skills necessary to function in these situations.

The perception that TVET is for weak students gives rise to negative attitudes in both parents and children.

Parents will pressure educators or their children to do academic subjects in spite of aptitude problems and students will opt out of vocational subjects such as agriculture due to perceived status problems. These attitudes have to be addressed and will be lessened when it is perceived that TVET has its own genuine legitimacy.

CARICOM Survey P. 23

Essential aspects of a promotional programme are:

-infusing aspects of TVET into existing science and technology popularization programmes;
-preparing materials for promotion and for the provision of career and vocational guidance;
-establishing linkages between the media and the National Training System to develop strategies for promoting TVET;
-ensuring that supportive policies and procedures are outlined;
-targetting all persons whose decisions and attitudes affect the viability of TVET.

These activities must be co-ordinated and executed at the national level by the National Training Agency. However, given the similarity in the concerns in all Member States, design and materials production could be undertaken on a regional basis, under the aegis of the of the Regional Advisory Committee.

Prejudices against technical and vocational education are hard to eliminate and there is a tendency to stream children within and between schools, so that only the rejects from the academic streams tend to go to the technical and vocational stream.

This is unfortunate, and not in keeping with scientific and technological developments either in progress or envisaged. There is need to put greater emphasis on TVET to meet the demand for new skills.

CARICOM Survey P. 61

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