As Confucius said, “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” The seed of choosing a job if sown at the right age, may work wonders. This is the essence of vocational training and its journey with school students.

“I learnt about the basics pertaining to the care of sick people. It was very useful, not only for the moment, but also for the future,” says Amciful Lyngdoh, a student of Sibsingh Memorial Government Higher Secondary School, Nongstoin, West Khasi Hills, Meghalaya. Her teacher, Shidaris.

Nongsiang, adds, “My journey, with the students, on this path of vocational training helped me also to understand the nuances of the sector. In fact, learning about these basic skills in schools empowers and enables students, and indirectly, their families and communities.” The Centrally sponsored scheme for vocationalization of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education that is being implemented in 16 states, across nine trades, impacting more than 1 lakh students is initiated by the Central government, in alignment with the National Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF).

It establishes a system of clear educational pathways, from school to higher education, while providing certification of vocational skills. NSQF is a nationally-integrated education and competency-based skill framework that provides for multiple pathways, horizontal as well as vertical, both within vocational education and vocational training. There are 10 levels in the framework, depending on the complexity, knowledge and autonomy required. Level 1 represents the lowest and thus the entry level, while Level 10 is the highest.

Adding skills

B Sandeep is 14-years-old, studies in Class X at TS Model School, Kuntala Nirmal, Telangana. He was initiated into IT/ITES in Class IX. His father, B Suyanna, is a farmer. Post the completion of his Level 1, where he was introduced to the basics of computer, the teenager is elated about the classes, citing quick typing speeds and elegant presentations as the top benefits derived from the classes, at Level 1 itself. “I hope to be able to find a good job easily!” says Sandeep.

Vimala Rawat studies in Class XI at the Government Adarsh Senior Secondary School, Bhiwanikhera, Ajmer. “The electrical trade always interested me, so much so that I wish to be an engineer in this trade. When vocation training in this trade, was introduced, I was delighted, as I could learn both the practical and theory aspects, within the school hours, allowing me to understand the nuances of the trade, and the future course I wish to take with it.”

“We signed an MoU with RMSA, Government of Maharashtra, in 2015-16, to introduce vocational training in the ‘Automobile’ trade in 50 schools, for healthcare in 34 schools (2016-17), and in 15 schools for the retail sector (2017- 18),” said Vandana Bahri, vice-president and head, Corporate Solutions and International Markets, IL&FS Skills Development Corporation Ltd.

“The response was positive. The trainers reciprocated in an enthusiastic manner, and the schools, principals, teachers and students cooperated extensively to bring about a radical change in outlook. The change was so drastic that many state and Central government officials started visiting often to see and report the change that was never seen before. Passionate and qualified trainers, with vast knowledge and extensive contacts, organised guest lecturers and industry visits; this ensured a lot of exposure of the students to the concerned sectors.”

Hands-on

Bahri also enumerated enhanced creativity, active participation, improved attendance, decreased drop-out rates, and better pass percentages as some of the additional results. She recalled, “One of the trainers even used his contact to bring running or operating vehicles from a company, dis-assemble them and encourage re-assembly on the school premises. Nothing can teach better than this practical aspect.”

Amol Keskar was appointed as a vocational trainer for the sector “Automobile”, having the requisite qualifications and experience to teach students the skills for becoming an Automobile Service Technician. During the course of teaching the practical aspect of the trade, he was using the IT facilities of the school and showing the students the practical aspects of the subject.

He helped the students in understanding the mechanism better through industry visits and guest lectures. But without hands-on experience, learning the nuance of the Automobile industry is not only difficult, but also cumbersome. So the trainer started exploring other avenues and ways of compensating the lack of practical knowledge in the subject.

He, along with the Principal, started exploring other areas by talking to different education officials, Block Development Officers, and also visited the Tehsildar’s office. After exploring for one year, the office of the Tehsildar agreed to provide them help. There was a car at the concerned official’s office that was unused for a long time.

This car was provided to the school, so that the students could do hands-on practice and observe things live. It is an Ambassador car that is now stationed in the school for students to learn every aspect of the sector, with the objective of earning a living someday. Only a few pennies were spent to transfer the car to the school.

Mohite Tejanand Balraj works with the Mahalaxmi Auto Garage in Pune. His work includes: changing and checking the oil and coolants of two-wheelers, and assisting in the servicing of two-wheelers; as of now, he earns Rs. 3,000/- per month. He had completed his L1 and L2 levels (Automobile) at the PCMC Madhyamic Vidyalaya in Pune. “During my summer holidays, post my class X exam, I wanted a job, so I applied for the job in a garage, which I got. I am now able to not only contribute to the family income, but also embark on a career.”

The Government PB Ashram School, Rangi, Gadchiroli, is an Ashramshala located in the remote villages of Gadchiroli in Vidarbha, Maharashtra, where tribal students stay and study, totally cut off from the happenings in India and the world. Most of the parents are into farming, but own small land areas and are unable to bear the expense of the family.

Life in these remote villages is not easy; with the absence of proper transport, problems of insurgency and lack of security for the girl child, normal life of people is affected. Shipla B Kumbhalkar, the vocational trainer allocated to the school, took the initiative on her own.

She educated the students and their parents about the need for vocational education, not only for their wards, but also for their families, besides future prospects of vocational training; she stressed on the need for healthcare training. Her efforts bore fruit when the subject immediately got 25 students enrolled, and many more requesting for admission.

This had a domino effect of sorts. The parents took the initiative to ensure that their wards attend their vocational subject classes regularly. A Pulse Polio Campaign conducted at the school further increased enthusiasm and a feeling of being able to contribute towards society and making a difference.

Vocational education

The school system in India is follows a 10+2+3 years pattern, comprising elementary, secondary and higher education. Vocational Education at the Higher Secondary level was introduced in 1976 in several states. Prior to 1978, the Central Board schools pursued 11-year schooling system.

The break-up into 10+2 came into being to enable vocational education. It was only in 1998 that the Union government a Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) of Vocationalisation of Higher Secondary Education. This was mainly to facilitate vocationalisation of education at Class XII level. However, this met with only partial success as most students preferred to pursue general education.

Vocational education was accorded high priority in the National Policy on Education 1986, which stressed more on a student’s “entry to workforce”. The policy set a target of bringing 10 per cent of Higher Secondary students under vocational courses by 1990 and 25 per cent by 1995. An evaluation study in 1995-96 revealed that only 4.8 per cent students were diverted to vocational stream. However, as per official reports, the success of the scheme was varied across the states.

A World Bank report of 2006 indicates that skill development enrolment in vocational educations in India is negligible when judged by international comparisons. In India, only five per cent of the labour force in the age group of 20-24 has received vocational training whereas in industrialised countries it is much higher, varying between 60 per cent and 80 per cent. Korea has 96 per cent skilled workforce.

Therefore, the Union government has come out with various policies and measures to enhance vocational skill training system. However, it has been observed that the current growth is mainly urban-centred, which has failed to incorporate the huge rural population, where the need is felt the most.