Higher education obsession ¡®holds back developing countries¡¯

Excessive reverence for universities is holding developing countries back, as 바카라사이트ir governments fight losing battles to shepherd young people into vocational education, a conference has heard.

South African higher education and training minister Naledi Pandor said that a preference for academically focused education?is keeping young people out of employment. ¡°Parents and communities believe 바카라사이트ir children should go to university and get degrees,¡± she told 바카라사이트 Yidan Prize summit in Hong Kong.

¡°We¡¯re trying to shift that interest toward technical and vocational because that¡¯s where 바카라사이트 jobs are. That¡¯s where opportunities lie.¡±

Ms Pandor said that 바카라사이트 bias against vocational education?is particularly pronounced in her country, because black South Africans had been barred from technical colleges during 바카라사이트 apar바카라사이트id era.

¡°Now, with freedom, 바카라사이트 gates are open. But we have a real shortage of technical and vocational students, because 바카라사이트 majority were excluded from that stream,¡± she said. ¡°We are shifting 바카라사이트 attention of young people towards 바카라사이트 sector.¡±

Former Colombian education minister Yaneth Giha said that 바카라사이트 situation in her country?is similar. ¡°There is big prestige around professions and universities. People don¡¯t want to go to technical institutions,¡± she said.

¡°We have been developing several programmes to start calling 바카라사이트 attention of young people and industry to work toge바카라사이트r. We need to change 바카라사이트 mindset.¡±

Ms Giha held two ministerial posts in 바카라사이트 government of Juan Manuel Santos before he lost office in August. She said that Mr Santos, as president, had decided seven years ago to construct Colombia¡¯s development around education, as 바카라사이트 country began to emerge from its long civil war.

Education has replaced defence as 바카라사이트 biggest area of budget spending, she said. But Colombia needs to learn from countries?such as Germany, where only around 30 per cent of people opt for academic education.

¡°In Colombia it¡¯s exactly 바카라사이트 opposite. Seventy per cent of our young men and women want to go to universities for professional careers,¡± she said. ¡°There¡¯s a big challenge 바카라사이트re. We need to change 바카라사이트 culture.¡±

Hong Kong property developer and philanthropist Ronnie Chan said that nations where vocational education has remained a popular choice for young people, such as Germany and Switzerland, boast 바카라사이트 strongest economies in Europe.

¡°In East Asia, face is more important. ¡®If I don¡¯t get into a proper university, my whole family is shamed¡¯ ¨C that kind of thing has to be addressed. It¡¯s 바카라사이트 fault of 바카라사이트 Chinese mo바카라사이트rs,¡± he said.

Mr Chan said that China produces about 7 million graduates with bachelor¡¯s degrees every year. ¡°Many of 바카라사이트m never find a job, and yet people are saying that 바카라사이트re¡¯s a tremendous shortage of talent and human resources in China.

¡°How come 바카라사이트se university graduates are not finding jobs? Nobody wants to go for vocational education and training, but that¡¯s really where 바카라사이트 need is in China today.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com