Over 72% of youth uses Internet, but only 28% searches technical education info
As many as 86% of young people in the country have access to smartphones
Over 72% of the youth uses the Internet, but only a little over 28% takes its benefit to learn about Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), according to a new study.
Some 65% of young people identified Facebook as the most effective platform to raise awareness on technical education, said the study on the youth perception on TVET and subsequent employment, conducted by Brac.
As many as 86% of young people have access to smartphones.
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The study report was unveiled at a view-exchange meeting titled "Changing the perception of youth in Bangladesh about Skills Development" at a city hotel on Thursday.
While presenting a keynote, Tasmiah T Rahman, current in-charge of Skills Development at Brac, said many people in Bangladesh still consider jobs gained through vocational and technical education inferior in some way. Awareness needs to be created to overcome such a misconception.
Many young people are still not interested in technical education. Some 44% of students do not want to study technical education. And, only 25% of students in technical education are girls.
Tasmiah said TVET as a stream of education did not come to mind for 44% of the youth while selecting the stream at grade IX and 23.3% of the youth did not have any idea about this.
Dulal Krishna Saha, executive chairman at the National Skill Development Authority, said, "Our workers have a lack of skills. If we are to survive the technological revolution, we need to create skilled manpower."
KM Tariqul Islam, director general of the NGO Affairs Bureau, said, "The country is now enjoying the benefits of a demographic dividend. We have to cash in on it."
He said 100 economic zones are being set up across the country where skilled manpower will be required. "We need to persuade our parents to encourage their children to take up vocational education."
Winne E Petersen, Denmark's ambassador to Bangladesh, said online education is gaining importance in this pandemic time. But many students in Bangladesh could not attend classes owing to a lack of digital devices. They have to be given such devices.
Asif Saleh, executive director at Brac Bangladesh, "We need to focus not only on constructing training centres, but also on ensuring that those with skills training get jobs, become entrepreneurs, or improve lifestyle by getting engaged in income-generating activities."
