The lack of preparedness of school leavers for the world of work is a long-standing and controversial issue. In countries such as Ghana and Tanzania, where the school system has expanded dramatically post-independence, many young people have faced difficulties finding jobs suited to their skills.
Employers have often complained about the mismatch between academic curricula and the skills required in the workplace. The problem is worse in developing countries like Ghana and Tanzania, where public sector jobs are no longer widely available. School leavers often find that they are forced to take up jobs in the informal sector, which their formal, academic education has hardly prepared them for.
A report from SACOST in Ghana investigates the link between academic curricula and the workplace in Ghana and Tanzania. The authors note that though there have been attempts to reform the educational systems in both countries, these have not addressed the gap between school and work, especially with formal employment so scarce.
The authors conducted interviews with pupils, parents, teachers, teacher trainers, administrators and employers. Key findings include:
- Schools place much more emphasis on preparing students for the next stage of education than for employment, focusing on formal knowledge, examinations and ideologies of national development.
- Pre-technical and pre-vocational skills in Ghana and life skills in Tanzania have been introduced into schools, but students have not found them interesting or relevant.
- Though about half the students in Ghana and two thirds in Tanzania work part-time, most feel it does not affect academic performance, and may even help in some subjects.
- Careers guidance and counselling is not offered systematically and is directed at the formal sector despite limited job availability.
- In Ghana, the biggest factor influencing students’ knowledge of careers is school, followed by their parents; in Tanzania, students find talking to people their own age is more valuable than talking to their parents.
- Parents and employers want pupils to have some experience of the world of work before leaving school in order to acquire practical skills, positive attitudes and some knowledge of workplace principles.
To address the gap between school and the workplace, the authors recommend:
- some form of regular work experience, perhaps with assessment
- careers guidance and counselling with a focus on the informal sector, preferably from employers
- employers get involved in the design of curricula
- promotion of student-led activities such as working in groups
- improvement of pre-vocational and pre-technical courses to make them more interesting to students
- teacher training to address the workplace needs of students.
The subjects that students find most helpful towards getting a job are also those they enjoy the most. Academic curricula should be designed and taught with as much relevance to student’s lives as possible – including their futures.
Source(s):
‘Bridging the Gap: Linking School and the World of Work’, SACOST,
University of Education: Winneba, by Peter J. Towse, Jophus Anamuah-Mensah,
Paul S.D. Mushi and David W. Kent, 2005
Funded by:
The Department for International Development, UK
id21 Research Highlight: 24 May 2006
Further Information:
Peter Towse
Airedale Farm
Bradford Road
Keighley BD20 5NP
UK
Tel:
+44 (0)1274 561413
Contact the contributor: peter_towse@yahoo.co.uk
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