Vocational Education Training Centres in Bangladesh

Published on The Borgen Project

Bangladesh, located in South Asia, is a vibrant and densely populated country, home to more than 170 million people, characterized by a rich cultural heritage and diverse traditions. Bangladesh is renowned for its colorful festivals, traditional music, dance and the warmth of its people. The country is home to monsoon seasons, humid summers and lush green landscapes. However, the country has faced challenges with poverty and the employment sector. Here is how vocational education training centers in Bangladesh could make a difference.

What is Vocational Educational Training?

Vocational education and training equips learners with specific skills that they can carry into the workplace. It teaches the knowledge behind specific trades or occupations. This usually occurs after secondary education. This training can come in many forms. It could occur during employment or apprenticeships or provided during formal education.

The Importance of Vocational Education Training Centres

Vocational education training centres in Bangladesh provide opportunities and career advancement for the country’s youth. They act as a bridge between education and work life. These vocational education centres equip young people with the practical skills that are applicable in various industries such as tech, sciences, agriculture or construction. 

Not only does vocational education training centres support the youth of Bangladesh but they also support the economic growth of the country. As Bangladesh continues to industrialise, the demand for a skilled workforce grows. This is what the vocational education training centres aim to achieve a skilled workforce. 

With these centres producing a skilled workforce, some have argued that this is helping Bangladesh enhance its global competitiveness. With a number of Bangladesh’s workforce being employed overseas, particularly in the Middle East, there is a constant attempt reach these international standards. Therefore, the centres are constantly trying to better the training they are teaching.

TVET Initiatives

Over the years, there have been a number of vocational education training centres in order to provide people with vocational education in Bangladesh. In 2011, the National Skills Development Policy (NSDP) was put into action. This policy aimed to create a more cohesive development system, emphasising in demand driven training.  

From 2009 to 2013, the Skills Development Project (SDP) occurred with funding from the Asian Development Bank and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation. This project aimed to expand access to vocational education training centres, particularly for women and disadvantaged groups. It supported the establishment of new training institutions and provided scholarships to those who needed it. 

The Skills Training Enhancement Project (STEP) was rolled out based on the success of the SDP. From 2010 to 2014, STEP was more focused on improving the quality and relevance of these vocational education training centres. This enabled these centres to enhance their training programs and develop needed partnerships with industries. This made it easier for participants to walk into employment straightaway. 

After this, an additional funding phase was introduced to further expand vocational education training centers in Bangladesh up until 2019. Since then, plans for the Skills Development for Tomorrow (SDT) Program have been drawn up. This initiative aims to prepare the new workforce by focusing on emerging industries and technology.

Challenges Facing Vocational Education Centres in Bangladesh

Although the idea of vocational education sounds appealing in terms of helping the economic growth of the country it is facing several challenges. There is a lack of apprenticeships across the country. This means there is limited opportunity to receive not only the hands on training necessary for the workplace but apprenticeships also allow a taste for what the work place could be. 

Furthermore, there is a stigma around VET. While only 64% of children complete secondary schooling in Bangladesh only a 0.81% go on to use these centers for vocational training. This is due to social attitudes surrounding it. There is a preference for more ‘prestigious’ education.

Conclusion

The development of these vocational education training centers is crucial for the country in addressing their socio-economic challenges and the need to align their workforce with the ever growing global economy. While the current TVET programs are showing improvements in terms of growth, they still face numerous challenges such as low public perception and insufficient infrastructure.