Foreword
Technical and vocational education has always been
an important component of UNESCO’s consecutive Medium Term Plans. The
basic objective of this programme is to support the efforts of Member
States to link education systems more closely to the world of work and
to promote the expansion and improvement of technical and vocational education
in the light of changing employment needs.
The Colombo Plan Staff College for Technician Education (CPSC) also dedicates itself primarily to enhancing the growth and development of the technician education systems in its member countries which are located in the Asia and Pacific region. Its programmes, projects and activities are geared to provide the needed impetus for the professional development of senior level personnel involved in technician education development efforts.
UNESCO has launched an International Project on Technical and Vocational Education (UNEVOC) as of 1992 in co-operation with the Government of Germany, ILO, FAO, UNDP and NGOs interested in the reform of technical and vocational education. This project focuses on exchanging information, research and experiences on policy and programme issues in technical and vocational education through a network of co-operating institutions.
In a spirit of co-operation between UNESCO and CPSC, under UNEVOC, an attempt is being made to compile and publish studies on the development of technical and vocational education in Member States in the form of TVE profiles of 21 countries. It is hoped that this series will serve as a handy reference information on TVE systems, staff development, technical co-operation and information networking. These studies have been possible because of the full co-operation to UNESCO PROAP and CPSC by all concerned in the Member States.
The opinions expressed in this study are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the position of UNESCO and CPSC in this regard. This profile on Bhutan was prepared by Dr. Pichit Punsri, seconded Faculty Member to CPSC by the Government of Thailand.
C.K. Basu
Director, CPSC
Victor Ordonez
Director, UNESCO PROAP
Part I. Policy Concerns
1.1 Introduction
We call Bhutan Drunk Yul which means the Land of the
Thunder Dragon. The neighbour countries closest to Bhutan are China in
the north and India in the west, east and south. Bhutan has an area of
46,500 square kilometres. It lies between latitudes 26° 40’ and 28° 20’
north; and between longitudes 28° 45’ and 29° 10’east.
Climatically, it varies from place to place. This is because some places are very high in altitude while others are very low. On high mountains it is cold while in lower valleys and foothills it is hot. Bhutan is full of hills, valleys, mountains and very few flat areas. The population of Bhutan in 1988 was established at 1,375,000.
Until the early 1960s, practically no formal schooling existed in Bhutan except for the teaching of religion and classical Dzongkha in monastic schools in monasteries and dzongs. The number of Bhutanese who had studied outside the country was extremely limited, with most of the few who had, having been sent as children to schools in India. Over the last two decades, the country has made considerable progress in education. A formal education and technical training system has been established, and students have been sent abroad in significant numbers for specialized training. Nevertheless, Bhutan is still struggling to improve its key education indicators such as enrolment ratio and adult literacy.
1.2 Education Delivery System
The formal education cycle consists of two years of
pre-school education (lower and upper kindergarten), five years of primary
education (Class I through Class V), five years of secondary education
(Class VI through Class X), and two years of the Plus Two Programme at
the Junior College. At present, there are 132 primary schools (offering
elementary education from lower kindergarten through Class V), 24 junior
high schools (covering lower kindergarten through Class VIII), and six
central schools (offering integrated education from lower kindergarten
through Class X). While primary schools are day schools serving the local
communities, both central schools and junior high schools have hostels
and function as boarding schools. The formal education system culminates
in the Junior College. There is no university in Bhutan at present. The
medium of instruction is English, although the teaching of Dzongkha, the
official language, is mandatory. Vocational training institutes include
two teacher training schools, the Kharbandi Technical School, and the
Royal Bhutan
Polytechnic. There are no private schools in Bhutan. Formal education and vocational training are administered entirely by the government. This makes the education system highly centralized. The Department of Education controls the curriculum, the recruitment, training and assignment of teachers.
The Government provides free textbooks and supplies,
as well as free food and board at every level of education and vocational
training. Under the recent. decentralization, the financial administration
for primary schools has been shifted to the district administrations which
pay for teachers’ salaries, teaching materials, and other supplies out
of their annual budgets. Local communities also provide voluntary labour
for the construction and maintenance of primary schools. On the other
hand, the central government pays to establish and operate all central
schools, junior high schools and other specialized institutions, as well
as for the tuition and stipends of students and civil servants doing school
education and degree programmes abroad. In 1980/81, total public expenditure
on education amounted to roughly 4 per cent of GDP; recurrent expenditure
in education accounted for 15 per cent of the total public recurrent expenditures.
Bhutan allocates a relatively large share of financial resources to education
compared to neighbouring countries. Primary education which accounts for
93 per cent of school enrolments, claims about 50 per cent of the education
recurrent expenditure (of total recurrent outlays on primary education,
about 70 per cent goes to teacher salaries and related allowances). Another
major category in the recurrent budget is the outlay for degree scholarships
and associated expenditures on students studying abroad. This amounts
to about 10 per cent of recurrent expenditure on education.
1.3 The Role of Primary Education
Recognizing the role of basic education (and literacy)
in overcoming poverty through increasing productivity, improving health
and nutrition, and reducing family size, the Government is committed to
free and universal (but not compulsory) primary education. Nevertheless,
enrolments in primary education (lower kindergarten through Class V) amount
to only about 37,400 comprising 25 per cent of the estimated age group
for boys and 17 per cent for girls. In most areas of Bhutan, settlements
are scattered. The consequent need to travel significant distances in
a harsh environment and with poor transportation makes school attendance
difficult. And although primary education is free, children are frequently
needed at home to help with household and agricultural work during the
peak seasons, which may conflict with a fixed school schedule. For these
same reasons, the drop-out rate and repeater ratios are reported to be
high, although relevant statistics are not available.
Much thought has clearly gone into developing an education system which is consistent with the Government’s overall development objectives. The emphasis on universal primary education is sound. People need basic formal schooling to acquire a broad base of knowledge, attitudes, values and skills on which they can subsequently build, even if they do not receive further formal instruction. There remain, however, two fundamental questions. First, is the five-year primary education cycle adequate for providing the basic literacy and education needed in adult life? Second, what government initiatives are needed to reach the vast number of children (up to 80 per cent of the age group) who are not receiving basic education.
Considering Bhutan’s mainly agrarian economy, the current five-year primary education cycle is probably adequate for imparting basic literacy and numeracy. The curriculum attempts to balance the training of cognitive skills (through subjects such as languages, mathematics and social studies) with instruction in practical subjects such as farming and animal husbandry. The Government also plans to include instruction on health, hygiene, and nutrition in the primary school curriculum, once the textbooks currently under preparation become available. Nevertheless, children are normally no more than 11 or 12 years of age when they leave Class V, and are hence liable to forget what they have learned. To help utilize and reinforce reading habits, local communities should be encouraged to organize periodic refresher courses and to distribute suitable reading materials. The Government is also considering raising the minimum age for admitting children to primary education.
Perhaps the more crucial question at this stage is how to make primary education accessible to a much wider segment of the population without putting an excessive burden on the government budget. From a strictly financial point of view, it would appear unwise to attempt to attain universal primary education too quickly. If, for instance, primary school enrolments were to increase from the current 27 per cent to 50 per cent of the age group over the next five years, the financial implications of this increased enrolment in primary education alone would mean the GDP would have to grow by as much as 8 per cent per annum in real terms over the next five years to keep the share of total outlays on education from rising above the already relatively high 3.7 per cent of GDP of 1980/81.
The problem of growing demands for education on budgetary resources cannot easily be resolved. Two possible courses of action are: finding additional sources of financing; and reducing per student costs by improving the efficiency of the education system. Local communities are already effectively mobilized to contribute free labour for the construction and maintenance of primary schools. Based on the affordability criteria, the government is now considering asking certain communities to contribute to the cost of operating their primary schools by providing food and paying for the children’s textbooks and supplies which are entirely paid for by the Government at present. Moreover, a system of fees balanced by scholarships could be introduced selectively at the primary level. Any decrease in unit costs of secondary and higher education can release significant additional funds for providing primary education, while the potential economic gains to individuals with post-primary level education are large and could justify some fees. Possible approaches to increasing efficiency include sessions and increasing the ratio of students to teaching staff. Because teacher salaries constitute as much as 70 per cent of the recurrent expenditure in primary education, student-teacher ratios need to be maintained at as near to the acceptable norms as possible. A recent World Bank study challenges the conventional wisdom that a decrease in class size implies improvement in education quality. In fact, studies have shown that variation in the size of the class within a range of 20 to 40 make little or no difference in the average achievement level of students. Considering that the average ratio in Bhutan is a relatively favorable 31, this suggests that some saving could be achieved here with no significant loss in educational quality.
1.4 The Role of Secondary Education
Secondary education in Bhutan is offered in junior
high schools and central schools. Enrolment is restricted, and is guided
by the projected manpower requirements of the country in order to avoid
creating a pool of educated unemployed. At the end of the fifth, eighth
and tenth year of schooling, students take examinations that determine
eligibility for (though not necessarily confer entrance into) subsequent
levels of education. At the end of the fifth and eighth years the Government
also transfers students between schools in different regions of the country
to promote national integration.
The ceilings for the numbers of students who can be admitted to each level are set by the Government. They are based on manpower projections which indicate that Bhutan’s incremental high level manpower needs will number 600 during the Fifth Plan period and 170 per year through the remainder of the decade. On the basis of the Class V examination, the first 1,500 are eligible to enter secondary schools. The remainder may enroll in technical schools, join the army, return to their villages or apply to the various on-the-job training schemes conducted by government departments. On the basis of the examinations conducted at the end of Class VIII, the best 600 students may be admitted to Class IX. After Class X examination, about 120 students are selected for admission to the Junior College at Kanglung, near Tashigang. As of April 1982, secondary school enrolments were 2.5 per cent of the age group, and the number of students qualified to enter Classes VI, IX and XI had not reached the approved ceilings. Up to about 100 of those who successfully complete the “Plus Two Programme” in the Junior College and pass the qualifying examinations can be sent abroad (primarily to colleges and universities in India) for degree programmes.
Although it is unclear whether the secondary enrolment ceilings are too restrictive for establishing an adequate base for manpower training, at present this issue is immaterial as the number of qualified candidates at each level is below the approved ceilings. In this light, it appears appropriate for the government to concentrate its limited resources on primary education, while trying to increase secondary and higher level enrolments to the ceilings. Over the longer term, it will however, be necessary for the government to keep the ceilings under periodic review, to ensure that projected future higher-level manpower needs can be met, not only for the public sector but also for the economy as a whole.
As many Bhutanese students have traditionally gone on to degree programmes in Indian Colleges and Universities following the “Plus Two Programmes”, the education system in Bhutan is closely affiliated with that of India. The coverage of the Indian secondary school examinations has effectively determined the curricula and the choice of textbooks for secondary education in Bhutan. In order to acquire greater flexibility for orienting the education system to suit Bhutanese conditions and needs, the Government is planning to establish a National Board of Secondary Education and Training during the Fifth Plan period. The Board will be responsible for developing and reviewing the school curriculum, establishing its own school certificates and holding its own qualifying examinations at the end of Classes X and XII. The Government of India has promised full co-operation by directing the Equivalence Committee of the Indian Universities Association to recognize the certificates of the Board on par with those of the Indian system for purposes of admitting Bhutanese students to colleges, universities and other training institutes in India.
1.5 Technical and Vocational Education
Technical and vocational training under the Department
of Education was started in early 1976. It was the only coordinating body
between the user organization and the institutes. This body was established
with the following objectives.
1. To plan, implement and co-ordinate the technical and vocational training in the country.2. To analyze the needs of technical personnel at different levels.
3. To strengthen and update the technical and vocational training system.
4. To identify new programmes to be started in line with the needs of the country and implement them as and when necessary.
5. To monitor the training programmes, and evaluate them.
The Technical and Vocational Education Division has played a vital role in exercising its mandate. In fact, the number of technicians and draftsmen employed across the country was directly or indirectly co-ordinated by the Division. The Division also played an active role in training the drop-out students from primary level and attaching them to various departments as in-plant trainees. It was also the certifying body for the in-plant trainees. On completion of the training, they are directly employed as semi-skilled and skilled workers depending on the duration of the course received.
There are at present about nine institutes catering to the vocational/technical education needs of the country as follows:
A. Technical
1. Royal Bhutan Polytechnic
2. Royal Technical Institutes
3. National Trade School
B. Others
4. Health School
5. Royal Institute of Management
6. Royal Commercial Institute
7. Royal Veterinary Institute
8. Royal Forestry Institute
9. Agricultural Training Institute
The first three are administered by the Technical and Vocational Education Division of the Department of Education. The rest are administered by the different government sectors concerned.
All institutions were established in the late 1960s and 1970s to train the middle-level technicians and field personnel to staff the respective developmental agencies. Apart from the three Technical Institutes run by DOE, most of the other institutions are extensions to, and often part of, the ministries/employing agencies. The courses offered in these institutes have evolved with the particular requirements of these respective agencies. The courses offered in these institutes are as follows:
1. Royal Bhutan Polytechnic (RBP)
1.1 Diploma in Civil Engineering
1.2 Diploma in Electrical Engineering
1.3 Diploma in Mechanical Engineering
1.4 Survey
1.5 Draughtsman
2. Royal Technical Institute (RTI)
2.1 Motor Mechanics
2.2 General Mechanics
2.3 Electricians
2.4 Building Construction
3. National Trade Training Institute (NTTU)
3.1 Masonry
3.2 Plumbing
4. Health School
4.1 Health Assistant
4.2 Auxiliary Nurse Midwife
4.3 Basic Health Worker
4.4 General Nurse Midwife
4.5 Assistant Nurse
4.6 Pharmacist Technician
4.7 Laboratory Technician
4.8 Dental Technician
4.9 X-ray Technician
4.10 Eye Technician
4.11 Physiotherapeutic Technician
5. Royal Veterinary Institutes
5.1 Pasture Training
5.2 Diploma in Animal Husbandry
6. Royal Commercial Institute
6.1 Stenography
6.2 Typing
6.3 Computer Programming
6.4 Middle Level Accounting
6.5 Junior Level Accounting
7. Royal Forestry Institutes
7.1 Forestry
7.2 Forest Guard
8. Agriculture Training Institute
8.1 Diploma in Agriculture
1.6 Technical Training
Technical training is currently carried out by the
Royal Bhutan Polytechnic at Deothang and the Kharbandi Technical School
near Phuntsoling. The Polytechnic runs a five-year programme for the training
of diploma-level technicians in civil and electrical engineering. The
entrance requirements for the first two years of the programme, which
constitutes a pre-diploma course, is a class VIII pass. The entry requirement
for the next three years, a diploma course, is a Class X pass. About 60
students are admitted each year. The Technical School runs a five-year
certificate programme for the training of skilled craftsmen in the electrical,
general mechanic and auto mechanic trades. The entry qualification for
candidates is a class V pass, and the admission is about 80 students per
year. In addition, training courses lasting six months to two years are
conducted under the National In-plant Training System to develop semi-skilled
workers in various trades as required by government departments and public
enterprises. Entrance requirements vary according to the trade. The minimum
entry qualification is envisaged to be a Class V pass, although at present
less qualified candidates are admitted to help meet immediate manpower
needs.
1.7 Teacher Training
There are presently some 1,390 teachers in the formal
education system. However, this figure conceals serious inadequacies in
teacher training. Only about 35 per cent of the teaching staff are fully
qualified, and as many as 30 per cent have had no training at all. About
50 per cent of the teachers are non-nationals on fixed term contracts.
There are two teacher training institutions in the country. The Teacher
Training Centre at Paro, established in 1975, has a two-year course for
pre-primary teachers. The annual intake of students at this centre is
about 25 per year, and the minimum qualification for admission is a Class
VII pass. The Training Institute at Samchi was established in 1968 for
the training of primary school teachers. Annual admission is 40-50 pupils.
The minimum qualification for admission to the Institute is a Class VIII
pass (this is now being raised to a Class X pass) and the duration of
the course is also two years. Currently, all secondary school teachers
are trained outside the country, but during the Fifth Plan period, the
Government proposes to expand the institute at Samchi into a primary and
secondary school teacher training college, the National Institute of Education.
In addition to training new primary and secondary school teachers, the
Institute will also conduct a regular programme of in-service training
for existing teachers.
Part II. Planning and Management of TVET
2.1 Problems and Challenges
With the continuous growth of industries and development
of new technologies, the demand for trained manpower is continuously increasing
in both quantity and quality. The division has in some areas failed to
fulfill the demand and this is due to the following reasons:
1. Continuous change in administrative level manpower.
2. Inadequate quantity and quality of staff both in the division as well as in the Institutes.3. Lack of vocational guidance in schools.
4. Inadequate data on manpower needs.
5. Insufficient authority to act as a co-ordinating agency between the institutes and the user organizations.
6. Inadequate training facilities in the Institutes due to budget constraints.
7. Public impression of technical/trademark as demanding.
2.2 Implementation of Plans
As a result of the partial failure of the Technical
Vocational Education Programme, the Government has recently asked the
Department of Education to carefully review the situation.
The division now plans to take the following measures to ensure the fulfillment of its mandate:
1. Establish a national policy making body for technical and vocational education.
2. Establish a national testing and certification body.
3. Equip the TVE Division and the Institutes with required trained personnel.
4. Create an awareness among the general public through media and counselling.
5. Organize meetings between the users and the institutes from time to time.
6. Replace the Institutes training equipment with up-to-date models as fast as possible.
2.3 Involvement of International Assistance
The Federal Republic of Germany has kindly expressed
its intention of helping the Royal Government with expertise, equipment
and expansion of the building facilities at the Royal Technical Institute.
If everything goes as planned, the project through G.T.Z., should be implemented
very soon.
Recently, the Asian Development Bank has indicated the possibilities of assisting the Royal Government for further improvement of the Royal Bhutan Polytechnic. Furthermore the United Nations Development Programme is very active in promoting Vocational Training activities throughout the country. The organization intends to provide more assistance in expanding the TVE Division, with both expertise and equipment, wherever possible.
Technical assistance from the British Government for improving the vocational training system is also being provided. The aid is given through ODA in the form of expertise, equipment and training faculties for the national staff in the United Kingdom.
In 1994 UNESCO, in co-operation with UNDP, conducted an Education Sector Study which analyzed the present situation of the country in education, including technical and vocational education. The study also identified areas of concern and the possibilities of involvement and co-operation of international aid and assistance in education.
2.4 Partnership with CPSC
The active support given by the Colombo Plan Staff
College during the last few years has played a very significant role in
updating the planners, curriculum developers, instructors, etc. with new
concepts and knowledge. However, it has been noticed that certain workshops/seminars
were not very relevant to the present situation.
The in-country course facilities could not be fully utilized, except for the recent workshop on “Instructional Materials Development and Evaluation.” This workshop benefited the lecturers/instructors from the two institutes.
It is very difficult for CPSC to conduct workshop/seminars according to the requirements of the individual member countries. Still it will be very helpful for Technical Vocational Education if the Staff College could consider the topics in the programme for the next two years.
The Vocational Training Division now wishes to fully utilize the in-country course facilities offered by CPSC. Therefore, a workshop on “Management of Resources” at lecturer/instructors’ level may kindly be given maximum consideration for Bhutan.
Present Situation with Respect to the Three Basic Levels of Planning in Bhutan
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Levels of Planning |
Development |
Ministry/RCSC** |
Planning Commission |
Institute |
Remarks |
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1. Strategic Planning |
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· Human Resources |
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* |
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The planning processes identified under the strategic level show some examples of the planning executed at the material level where His Majesty the King chairs and steers the proceedings. |
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· Budget & Expenses |
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· Status |
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* |
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· Regional Development |
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* |
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2. Tactical/Long-Term Planning |
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· Human Resources |
* |
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The tactical/long-term planning is executed at the ministerial and departmental level where again His Majesty chairs the processes of planning and mid-term review meetings. |
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· Budget and Expenses |
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· Building |
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· Courses |
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· Status |
* |
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3. Operational Planning |
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· Budget and Expenses |
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The operational planning is done at the institutional level and submitted to the Directorate, which reviews and amends wherever necessary, in consultation with the National Budget and Accounts and the Ministry, before it is ultimately approved. |
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· Buildings |
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· Enrolments |
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· Materials/Equipment |
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· Curriculum |
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· Staff Development |
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· Maintenance |
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*Royal Civil Service Commission.
The Present Strengths and Weaknesses of the Planning Processes Prevailing in Bhutan
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Main Issues |
Strengths |
Weaknesses |
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A. Strategic Planning |
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· Human
Resources |
· Sets
a dear framework for long- term/tactical & operational planning. |
· Lack
of validity and reliability in the forecast |
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B. Technical/Long-Term Planning |
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· Human
Resources |
· Sets
a framework for operational planning. |
· Lack
of co-ordination. |
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C. Operational Planning |
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· Budget
and Expenses |
· Independence
in the planning exercise. |
· Lack
of senior experienced and faculty members. |
The following strategies are proposed for the improvement of the planning process:
Establishment of an Advisory Board
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A. Objectives: |
The main objective for establishing a high level advisory board is to constantly review and guide the technical and vocational training institutes in the achievement of the long-term goals. |
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B. Functions: |
The Board shall; |
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1. Determine aims and policies for technical and vocational education. |
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2. Analyze the needs (industry and training) and evaluate relevance. |
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3. Advise ministry, departments and training institutes. |
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4. Standardize the training levels. |
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C. Strategy: |
1. The chairperson must be a deputy minister and must be given an absolute mandate. |
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2. The mandate should be approved at the highest level so that a national recognition is created. |
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3. The board should consist of very senior experts from the public/private enterprises. It must be a very dynamic body. |
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4. The reviewed proposition should be the clear directive of planning and development in the respective area. |
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5. The meetings of the board should be convened at least twice a year. |
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6. The follow-up on the implementation of the proposition must be taken seriously. |
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D. Expected Outcome: |
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1. Co-operation between industry and training institutes will be strengthened. |
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2. Co-ordination between ministry/department and institutes will be clear. |
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3. Less bureaucratic procedures. |
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4. A co-ordinated planning process will evolve. |
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5. Image and status of institutions will improve. |
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6. Morale of staff and students will be boosted. |
Proposed Members of the Board:
1. Deputy Minister for Social Service (Chairperson)
2. Chairperson of Bhutan Chamber of Commerce & Industry
3. Major industry representatives
4. Director of Trade and Industry
5. Royal Civil Service Commission
6. Planning Commission
7. Finance Ministry
8. Director Department of Education
9. Officer-in-Charge, TVED
10. Heads of the institutes
Government Structure (partial)
Note: That only the divisions of TVET Concerns have been illustrated. Several other divisions pertaining to general education have not been mentioned.
Figure
Part III. Training Modes and System
3.1 Current State of Technical Education and Training in Bhutan
Technical education provision is centred in two institutes:
i) The Royal Bhutan Polytechnic, Deothang
ii) The Royal Technical Institute, Kharobandi
The courses offered are at Diploma level and Craft Certificate level, respectively. The interest in technical education has increased considerably over the past few years. Both Institutes now receive a large number of applications for the limited number of first year places. The courses at both Institutes have suffered from a tendency in the past to make them “academic rather than practical” courses. The second major difficulty is that of a serious shortage of well-qualified teaching staff. The word “qualified” is used particularly with reference to good industrial experience. Many graduates from both of the Institutes have been “lost” to technical work because of poor initial gradings on entry to a Department, and relatively “slow” promotion gradings on entry to a Department. Both of the Institutes suffer from largely outdated equipments in workshops, laboratories and classrooms.
The curriculum for the programmes offered has been reviewed on a number of occasions with a major effort being made to match the curriculum against the needs of the industries.
The staff of the Institutes are well aware of the criticisms made by many investigating missions into technical education (ILO, GTZ and ADB).
A brief summary of the two Institutes’ programmes follows:
1. The Royal Bhutan Polytechnic Located at Deothang (Eastern Bhutan)
Type of courses offered:
a) Diploma in Electrical Engineering
Diploma in Civil Engineering
Diploma in Mechanical Engineering (started August 1989).
Level of entry: Class X
Length of course: Three years
No. of students: 176
b) Certificate courses in:
i) Survey
ii) Draftsmanship
Level of entry: Class VIII
Length of course: Two years
No. of students: 27
2. The Royal Technical Institute - Kharbandi Located at Phuntsholing (South West Bhutan)
Type of course offered:
a) Craftsman Certificate in Electrical Engineering
Craftsman Certificate in Mechanical Engineering
Craftsman Certificate in Automobile Engineering
Craftsman Certificate in Building Construction
Level of entry: Grade VI minimum, preferably
to Grade VIII
Length of course: 3/4 years
No. of students: Approximately 320
3.2 The Technical and Vocational Education Division
3.2.1 Rural Skills Development
(Graylephug, formerly the Village Skills Training Programme)
The aim of this training programme has been to provide basic skills to persons not achieving “normal” education standards. The trained persons are then intended to return to “rural” places and improve the general standards of living for the local population.
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Length of the training programme: 3 to 5 months |
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Trades offered: |
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Plumbing |
Masonry |
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Electrical Mining |
Carpentry |
The scheme has suffered from a lack of “real sense of purpose” generated by the lack of co-ordination and administration from the central offices.
The teaching staff have tried valiantly to improve the efficiency of the training centre but support was often lacking from the central office.
The syllabuses need an immediate review. The teaching staff also need an updating programme on Instruction Techniques. Raw materials for the workshops are also needed.
3.2.2 National In-plant Training Scheme
The aim of this training scheme is to provide short-term
specialized training within the individual Department or industry.
The TVED co-ordinate the training, while the department or industry conducts the training. TVED certificate the graduates.
A large number of training programmes have been conducted successfully but over the past few years, the scheme has slowed down because many departments are introducing their own training schemes which supersede the NITS.
The current proposal is to hand over this training programme to the administration of RCSC and individual Ministries.
3.2.3 Limited Skills Training Centre
Plans are now being finalized to set-up a training centre at Chukha. The aim of its training programmes is to provide 12 months skills training to persons who have completed Class VI (not necessarily passing Class VI). The plan is to start with four trades:
· Masonry
· Carpentry
· Electrical Wiring
· Plumbing
It is proposed the programme will follow a Foundation Model of Training which includes a three-month period of on-the-job-training. Discussions are still in progress to finalize the plans and to select an implementing agency.
To summarize:
1. There is a vital need to prepare a National plan for technical education and training.2. A detailed analysis of jobs, occupations, and manpower requirements is essential so that technical education and training can be designed to meet those needs. Following this, a database must be established to rationalize the numbers being trained in all sections of the Government.
3. The Central Office (TVED) needs to be strengthened to make a worthy contribution to the national service of technical education and training.
3.2.4 Needs of the Country to Develop and Improve Technician Education
The three institutions referred to above are the sole
institutes in the country which train and generate technical personnel
for both the Government and the Private sectors. Of the three the oldest
is the RTI, established in the 1960s. The RBP was established in early
1970s and NTTI was established only in 1990. Over the last five years
or so, these technical institutions have become the focus of increasing
concern as they have failed to keep in pace with the country’s requirements
for skilled and technical personnel. For example, compared to the estimated
demand for 1,795 civil, electrical, electronics and mechanical engineering
personnel between 1990 and 1994, outputs from RBP, the only polytechnic
awarding diplomas in the country, will be about 500 technicians at current
capacity, only 40 per cent of total requirements. The acute shortage of
technical staff, as compared to administrators and other categories of
staff, has been a constant worry and concern to the government. Thus not
less than 10 studies were conducted over the last decade to determine
ways and means of improving the Technical Education System in the country
in general and, specifically, the training imparted at RBP, the RTI and
the trade school. Virtually all those studies have identified the same
basic problem areas as follows:
· A lack of co-ordination.
· A need to re-organize the TVED of the Department of Education.
· A need for national standards and certification.
· Accurate data on manpower and training requirements.
· Revise/update curriculum at all training institutes.
· Repair, update and add to the institutes buildings and equipment.
· Update the qualifications of instructors, especially with regard to instructional techniques.
3.2.5 New Developments
There are at present two projects to help put technical
education on firmer footing.
1. UNDP/ADB project for Royal Bhutan Polytechnic.
2. FRG project for the Royal Technical Institute and the National Trade Training Institute.
These projects address some of the problems enumerated earlier. In particular, the proposed projects aim to improve the quality and effectiveness of technical and vocational education offered in the institutes, as well as to increase the number of outputs, strengthen the institutional capacities of the Technical and Vocational Education Division (TVED), and provide support for technical teacher training, curriculum upgrading and instructional materials development, as well as planned maintenance of equipment and physical facilities.
The policy of the Royal Government of Bhutan with respect to technical education in the country is therefore to consolidate on the existing institutions rather than build new ones. Since the country’s pool of expertise on Technical Education is limited, much of its planning and detailed strategies have been worked out using international aid agencies and consultancies. In a similar light, much of the training required by the country’s technical instructors and administrators has been acquired by sending people to foreign institutions as well as through their contact with visiting experts and consultants. In this the role played by the Colombo Plan Staff College for Technician Education has been invaluable. Bhutan hopes to take further advantage of this institute in the future, too.
Part IV. Women Technicians in Industrial Development
4.1 Women’s Participation at Various Levels
As women constitute almost half of the total population
of the country, the Government realizes the implications of this fact
and is therefore encouraging women to participate more actively in the
development processes of the country. With the acute shortage of manpower,
especially in the technical field, women have to contribute in order to
meet these shortages.
The Government is committed to free and universal primary education with functional literacy as the main objective of basic education. However, primary education is not compulsory and if rural families have a choice between educating a son or daughter, the former’s education is preferred for a number of domestic reasons. While the education system does not discriminate against girls attending school, socio-cultural factors such as early marriage, teenage pregnancy and the imperatives of domestic and subsistence labour prohibit rural girls from attending school as much as boys. As a result, there is a clear bias in favor of boys when examining current enrolment figures by gender. Enrolment levels for girls are about half those for boys from pre-primary to Class VI. From Classes VII and VIII, they drop to less than 50 per cent and in Class IX and X to roughly 26 per cent and 16 per cent respectively. At the higher and professional levels, women’s participation is comparatively quite low for the same reasons.
It is unfortunate that we have no female craftsmen except for the handloom weavers, nor any technicians, as this is considered to be a man’s profession from the traditional point of view. Since our economy is dominated by agriculture, most Bhutanese are farmers. Therefore, most of our people feel that a woman is expected to run the household. Consequently, education for girls is not encouraged, particularly at the higher or professional levels. However, it is encouraging to note that more women are taking up professional studies or completing their masters degrees to qualify themselves for holding better positions in the service. With time, Bhutanese women will participate as actively as men in the development process of the country.
As mentioned earlier, women’s participation in the technical field is very low. There are two female engineers and 14 crafts-women in the country. This number increases in health slightly with four women doctors and 155 nurses and midwives. This may be due to the fact that more Bhutanese women are becoming aware of the health hygiene aspect, which would also help them in their family household. The substantial contribution by these female graduates has resulted in the impressive acceptance by the populace and has been very encouraging for the decision-makers. It is hoped that in future decision-makers will involve more females in National Development Projects.
Though there is a great demand for women in fields where their competence is traditionally recognized (as teachers, nurses, doctors, nutritionists, secretaries, etc.) and thus less pressure for them to enter non-traditional fields, there are more women interested in courses in craftsmanship and technical studies including areas in applied science such as agriculture, animal husbandry, veterinary, etc. Earlier, females were not admitted into institutes offering these courses but the Department of Education is now admitting girls into Polytechnics and other vocational institutions. Though the number of females interested in these areas is still small, the Government hopes that in future, with the increase in facilities, female participation will increase.
In conclusion, the Royal Government of Bhutan shares the concerns and goal of the National Women’s Association of Bhutan and strongly urges the education of girls and women. Time and again it has been mentioned that there is no limit to women’s upward mobility and, in fact, if capable, women could well reach higher positions quicker than their male contemporaries. Government officials also recognize that women, with at least basic education and literacy, could function better in their traditional roles as mothers, agriculturalists and homemakers in present day Bhutan.
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