Technical and Vocational Education and Training and Its Relationship to Employment in Nepal: A Mixed Methods

Abstract

The relationship between actors of education and employment is an underlying concept of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) that contributes to balancing the world of education and work. The existing literature provides an understanding of the extent and nature of the relationship between the actors of education and employment in the curriculum process. Still, it does not explore how it is framed in the broader political and socio-cultural environment. In this background, this study first assessed the relationship between actors of education and employment in the TVET curriculum process, then explored the causes that weakened their relationship and identified the perceived premises of actors for developing a good relationship between them. The study featured sequential mixed methods research conducted in three stages. First, a survey was administered to 124 individuals with at least five years of experience in the TVET sector to assess the relationship between actors of education and employment in the curriculum design, implementation, and feedback phase. It is found that actors of education possess decision power in most activities across all the processes, and their relationship with actors of employment remains weak. A case study was conducted in the study's second phase to explain why these actors have weak connections. For this, I interviewed 15 participants among the individuals who participated in the first phase of the survey. All the participants were purposefully selected, and meaning was sought through thematic analysis. Finally, the survey was conducted with 616 respondents and analyzed through principal component analysis (PCA) to explore the factors contributing to developing a good relationship between

2 them. The results that emerged in the study are presented in joint display and interpreted with the relevant literature in a broader political and sociocultural context backed with systems and power theories. The overall education employment linkage index measured (3.06) in this study indicated that employers have less decision power in major curriculum processes. Similarly, there is a policy and practice gap as the calculated index of the curriculum design phase scored lowest while the respondents considered it the most important. This study explored several reasons for persisting in this policy and practice gap. It explained them in five broader themes: lack of readiness in actors, lack of relevant curriculum, lack of quality teaching-learning process, lack of shared roles, and lack of accompanying measures. The result of PCA followed by varimax rotation yielded five components with a total variance of 58.69%. The explored components are five perceived premises for developing a good relationship between actors of education and employment in the context of Nepal. Quality education attracts employers to collaborate with actors in the education system. However, fulfilling their felt need also determines their readiness for collaboration. Labour market responsive curriculum, defined roles and responsibilities, and accompanying measures, such as motivation and formal and efficient mechanisms for cooperation among/between the actors, were also explored to contribute to developing good relationships. In conclusion, the actors' relationship between these two systems is a social process affected by a broader political and sociocultural environment. Developing an understanding between actors of education and employment in the design, implementation, and feedback phase of the curriculum process helps to strengthen their relationship. The insights provided by the study can be helpful to TVET providers, employers, and policymakers to implement in their existing practices and build their commitment to the process of strengthening the TVET system in Nepal.