First Year Students at Malakal Vocational Training Center

Students at the basic workshop

First Year Students at Malakal Vocational Training Center

The student at the mvtc started their basic training at the basic training workshop on the 1st of September 2008 for a period of 6 month. The number of the students is 74 students are divided into four groups each group consist of 16 students.

Group A & B are in the Fitting workshop. In this workshop they are trained to do the basic fitting (filling, drilling and riveting). They have to do work in the bench for a period of three month.

Within this period they learn the following

1- Basic safety
In the basic safety the student are taught to follow the safety procedure during the work and to develop safety practice in their daily working with the hand tools and machinery.

2- Hand tools:
The instructor teach the students by demonstrating to them the different types of hands tools and their use. Some examples of the hand tools are files, hammer, hacksaw …etc. this training is one to three days.

3- Practical
The students are given three practical within the period as following
1- Hexagonal shape
2- Engineering shape
3- Joining shape

Reflection on data collection in the field work at MTC Juba

The Multi Service Center (MTC) in Juba is one of the operational vocational training center in southern Sudan. The center has been established on 1976. Mr. Ohide is the director of the MTC during our meeting with him in his office he tell us about the different activities in the center. The center has been reinvented by the international labour organization ILO and after that all the activities are supported by the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) beside the equipment donated.

JICA has played a big roll in creating the one year curriculum for the MTC with the collaboration Nakawa VTC in Uganda.

The MTC is running short courses training for one year in eight different trades companied into two big building, the workshop number one consist of four trades, metal sheet and fabrication, machine shop, Auto – machines, and refrigeration and air conditioning.
The workshop number 2 consist of four trades general electricity, plumping, building and construction, and carpentry.

We have been introduced by the deputy director for training programs to the head section of electricity department Mr. Taban.

After we inform Mr. Taban with our purpose for the visit, we asked him to allow us to attend the theory class.

The number of the students attended that lesson was 10 students out of 14 students. The instructor Mr. Joseph lauko was teaching the class planning of the electrical connection and materials cost estimate. During the lesson he has used many good illustrations to enable the students to understand what he was teaching them, he draw a room in the board and he show the right place to allocate the switch and the control panel.

The instructor was talking to the students the whole period of the lesson about 1 hour without giving the students a single chance to ask any question or to say what they know about the subject, during the lesson I make observation to the class and I found that three students in different corners of the class were sleeping, the two students whom I sited beside them were busy with writing another subject on their notes.

After the lesson the students went to the break and that was around 11:00 AM I used this chance to talk with the instructor about the lesson, I mentioned to him that the lesson was very will done and me personally I have understood what he was teaching in the class. Then I introduced my self to him and the purpose of our visit, and then he introduced himself to me.

I asked him Mr. Joseph how many students do you have in the electrical workshop, he said they were 20 students, 6 students leave the school for unknown reason, at the moment there are 14 students, four are absent, among the absentees 3 students are working and the other one takes his son to the hospital.

Then I asked him what was his intention for that lesson. He said he wanted the students to know how to calculate for the materials and be able to draw the plans for their work, to achieve this goal he present the lesson in the way that students can understand what is being taught to them that is why his using illustration form the surrounding to let the students imagine the real situation at the workplace.

Then he want on telling me that after he finish the O level (secondary school) he did one year course in the filed of general electricity in Nakaw VTC, Uganda.

I asked him to tell me what is the system of education that they have at the MTC, he tell me that the training period is divided into three terms, each term consist three month and half, Then in the second term the students go for industrial practice for a period of one month, according to him he feels that this period is not sufficient for the students to obtain good skills during the practice he think if the students are given three month for the industrial practice will be better.

I talk to group of students under the tree during the break, after I introduced my self to them they also tell me their names. Then I tell them that I want to learn from them they have to tell me what they have learned today. One of the students started talking this student is call Taban he told me that he learned how to setup a plan for his work, and he stated that without a proper plan I cant estimate the materials. Another one said “the instructor was over talking” then asked how do you want him to teach in the class, another one answered “he should give us a chance to express our self” then I said how. He want one saying “he should ask us if we understood the lesson or no”.

More to come in part 2 of this article

Development in South Sudan in my Own View

When I read the summary of the book “ The White Man's Burden: Why the West's Efforts to Aid the Rest Have Done So Much Illand So Little Goodby William Easterly” I found that what he has described is really what happening in the ground with donor’s funds. It true that the successful investment is on Health care some time.
I would like to mention one of the most successful project in according to my own view. An NGO in Malakal Upper Nile State is running two projects one of this projects is to produce a clean water. They have established filtering stations along the river Nile, three water stations have been made so far, with a good quality and pure water.
Even though it is not possible to connect each house with a water pipe, the organization established water distribution points and the water is pumped from the river to the filters and from the filters via pipes to the different points in some areas around Malakal town in order to enable local people to have the access for the clean water this project works fine and at least three areas has around 12 water points.
The second project is making privet and public toilets in different areas around the town.
Due to these efforts I notice that during the outbreak of cholera this year a few number of people have been affected compared with the two last years. For the simple reason that a reasonable number of people have the access for clean water and toilets. But what I am not sure about is the sustainability of these projects because this NGO will soon or later leave.
Is this effort recognized by the local government? Where is the role of the local government and the local people? Who is going to take care of this water stations in term of fuels supplies to run the generators to pump the water from the river to the filters? Who will clean from time to time the public toilets? Who will carry on the maintenance for the water pumps, pipes and the toilets?

I think the government may take over the projects if it has the feeling (ownership) that such projects are for them and should be own and maintains by them. Or the local communities can take care of it if they really feel these projects are for them, then, the next question is how to let the local government and the local people have or develop the ownership?
Back to the question who will carry on the maintenance? I have been asking myself this question for the simple reason that there is no plumbing or water and sanitation section at the (Malakal Vocational Training Center) MVTC. This is the challenge for the vocational centers in Southern Sudan or maybe it is an opportunity who knows.

Form the development point of view it is important that people should have the access for clean water, good health care and education. If the donors want this projects to be sustainable, they have to work hard in the capacity building of the local people and they have to a sure there are skilled people who will carry and maintains the projects during and after the contract of the project is over.
From the above mentioned examples. In my local area such projects meets the need of the local communities and help the local government by allowing them to handle some others issues. But what I think is important it is not enough just for the government to sign the deals with donors only. The role of the government should be furthermore than that.
The local authorities should be asked for the plans that grantee the sustainability of such projects after the end of the donor’s contracts and the government have to work side by side with the NGOs or donors until the project is handled to them.

The local people need to be involved in such project this may be in form of labour or any form of involvement direct or indirect. From my experience I remember one of the project that a project for cleaning the town and opening the channels for the water. This project it works before and during the rain season it was run by one of the international NGO and partnership with youth local NGOs, in which the local people were involved to work by themselves to clean the town. This project was called food for work i.e. you work and at the end of the day you are given food items and it works fine many people were involved in this activity.
Conclusion
The government should be involved direct or indirect in the development projects that are funned by the donors, this will enable the government to contribute with the ideas on how they want this projects to be implanted and it will let the government follow up the projects in regular bases. When the project is over the government will be ready to take over the projects.

Local industries, companies and people should be trained and engaged the such projects, this will enable them to contribute effectively in the implementation of the projects and it will raise their leaving in creating job opportunities.

Daniel Ruben Oct 2008

Education and Skills

Roads

Clean Water and Health Care

Our visit to Tynset 13 /10/2008

After we had a nice breakfast at 8:17 we started our joinery to Nord-Osterdal.vgs site we have been received by Mr. Peter a teacher of English language in the school, he binges with an introduction about the school and his experience in integrating the general subjects into vocational subjects, he said that the first thing for him is to let his students understand the importance of the language and when the students understood that, this will let them be interested in the general subjects, he went on mentioning that during the practical lesson he integrates the English word in the explanation of lessons.

Then we went to cafeteria to have a cub of tea while we were chatting the headmaster come by, he had greeted us. From there we went to visit several workshops

Technical and Industrial production
We get the first year students are in the class room near to the workshop and the teacher was explaining to the students about the electronics, the work shop is consists several lathe machines, milling machines, grinding machines and drilling machines etc. there was an example of integrating the general subjects into vocational subjects,
The practical of fabricated racing car, is a first year student’s project. This project involves many practical and skills that to say welding, turning, milling, drilling and riveting.

This type of practical give the student’s ideas of how they can think, plan and implement the work by themselves and also it let them understand that what they are doing is real.





Student’s project





Building and Construction:

All the students they are in their field work in the industries and working place, but we found a practical of a build house which was done by the first year students. We are informed that the student has to pay the materials and do the house then they can sale it to cover the cost.
By doing so the students are able to think in a business manner and be an entrepreneurial.
Project Presentation in a Class Room

This presentation was prepared by a group of four students, in which they divided the roles between them. To me this presentation was well done. The students by dividing the roles between them it show that they have in mind the image of organization structure notice.
Each organization or company has administration, staff in various departments. And if we have a look in the structure of the students group we get they have selected one to be the head of the team, acting as supervisor and one as design technician and the other one as a safety officer and the last one as quality control officer.
These students by doing so they are relay reflecting what is happing in the workplace even though they haven’t been there. They are developing the skills that will help them to carry out the work in the field at the same moment they are building the communication between themselves by doing so they can solve any problems between them without the interfere of the instructor.
They were very confidence of themselves and what they are doing, this practice

give them the opportunity to develop trust among them by give each one in the group to present what he knows.
Computer section:
The teacher has explained to us that they are integrating the general subject in this section; he goes on by giving an example of English subject by asking the students to write their CV in English during the computer session.

After launch we visited working places where by students doing their apprenticeship training. The important thing here the students are able to connect what they have learned in the school in the real life.

An approach to the VTCs people in Southern Sudan as participants in curriculum development

Malakal Vocational Training Centre (MVTC) is like any other educational institution in Sudan receives a ready made curriculum, and this curriculum which, in most cases designed by people who don’t belong to their communities. My experience is that this curriculum seldom meets the needs of the local communities. If we take a look at the present curriculum it was designed by International Labour Organization (ILO). Since 1980s it has not been reviewed or updated to modern technology or to meet the demands of the local community and the industrial sector. This indicates that there is a need for a curriculum which can meet people’s demands.The MVTC administration and staff requested the government to design a curriculum according to the local needs, with a condition that the instructors have to be apart of the curriculum committee. I remember one instructor during a general meeting at the MVTC saying “if the government of Southern Sudan (GoSS) wants to design a new curriculum, we should have representatives from the VTC to reflect our ideas and demand of the local community to be included in the curriculum”. Many instructors supported the idea.

The MVTC and the Curriculum

The above experience shows that the MVTC is longing for a curriculum that represents their ideas and meets the demands of the people and local industries. At the MVTC we have been talking about curriculum in different occasions but the idea has not seen the light. This therefore shows that people of the MVTC are ready to participate fully in this process, and as a facilitator I can use this demand as a common ground for my approach. Participatory research is a bottom-up approach which empowers communities to realize their need, set the priorities and allows them to approach the local authorities and let the government work in accordance with their demands. By introducing this approach at the VTC level it will empower and allow them to identify their needs and demands.Doing so the TVET project will not only avoid experience happened in the past introducing a curriculum that may not meet the needs and demands of the communities, but it will also give an opportunity to people to decide for themselves what they want and how they want it to look like.

The Role of the Researcher As a researcher

my work is to facilitate to the MVTC people in order to allow them to participate in the process of curriculum development for TVET, this approach might contribute to increase their awareness of the value of the curriculum being theirs. Doing so, it will enable them own the curriculum and TVET programs, because it is from them and for them, furthermore, this process will give the instructors new experiences which they may not get from any other source. Such an approach might create new opportunities for them to develop their own curriculum at the VTCs level.

Participatory Action Research as people’s Research

Participatory action research differs from both basic and applied social science research in terms of people’s involvement in the research process, integration of action with research, and the practice – based nature of the knowledge. It differs from other forms of action – oriented research because of the central and systematic participatory role that local non-experts play. In contrast to other forms of action – oriented research, in which outside parties have an important role in determining what problems to address, often taking charge of the research process and implementing action, in participatory action research people who share problems in common decide what problem to tackle and directly get involved in research and social change activities (Park, 1999). According to my understanding, the MVTC Staff and Students should consider being involved in the research process by identifying their problems and let them make decisions about which problems to be handled first. As a facilitator I will encourage them to come up with the problem and to find the solutions.

Instructors as a participants in TVET

For example the Instructors at the MVTC, Students and local people as participants in Vocational Teacher Education at Upper Nile University, have expectations. If Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) doesn’t meet their expectations, the TVET programme might disappoint them and consequently become meaningless. Almost 50% of the staff of the MVTC has more than 15 to 20 year experience in vocational education. By utilizing this experience in a participatory approach, it will help in enabling exchange of experiences among them. I should enable them to realize their strength, capacities and skills to do this work. My role is to facilitate for the (MVTC) Admin, Instructors, Students and the local community to come up with a curriculum that will fits their needs. As a facilitator I have to make it clear that I am here to listen to what they are saying and what they are saying is the most important toward curriculum development. It is important to create an environment for case analysis with the instructors in each section separately in order to allow the instructors to come out with a set of priorities in the curriculum and to use this information during their conversation as a foundation for the curriculum development plans by doing so it will help each section at the MVTC to realize their capacities, skills and abilities to come up with a curriculum that will suits their needs. The above method is important, also during my field work I may find some more effective ways meaning I have to adapt and adjust my methodology according to the circumstance, especially when visiting the local industries, local government and the local community. In this process I will be meeting two to four instructors and Students in each department. As a facilitator I have to introduce the reason of being with them, and I should allow them to make brief introduction to each other, In this process I will work side by side with the instructors and Students in each department enabling them to come up with a written document to present their proposal for the curriculum how it will be look like. I will be using the entire available research tool i.e. questioners, interviews, photos and video. As a part of my research plan I will observe the daily activities of each section and visit some workshops in the town.

Daniel Ruben 07-10-2008

Development from within and TEVT project in Southern Sudan

Varuns has mentioned one example from his experience in India and he that “one of the organization has a plan for water supply to one of the villages, when they asked the villagers what they need they have realized that they don’t want water but shelters, because that was what is important to them”.

He has mentioned also to know what the local community wants and the need to go down to them and approach them not in your way (workshops, Seminars, meetings in five star hotel, etc) but rather to go down to the villages to meet the local community under the trees or any place that is comfortable to them. By doing so they will have the freedom to speak out. And they will feel the self esteem, ownerships etc.

In southern Sudan there is larger number of people without jobs, orphans, widows ….etc. I am asking my self what they need from VTCs available in their areas. Do they want financial assistance, shelter, education or what exactly? Why I am asking such questions is that Upper Nile State is one of the biggest state in south and there is a big number of people but a few are coming to the VTC for training while we expect more to come. They are not engaging in the training may be because they do not know how to write and read or may be it is so far from some of them or may be what we are offering is not what they need.

I am asking my self if the VTCs are satisfying the needs of the local community and what types of the courses to be offered for these people.

There are many cars in Malakal now days. One ex-army comes to us in MVTC asking if we cold offer him driving courses. Then I asked him why he needed a driving course specifically and not auto mechanic training. He said that he had been dismissed from the army due to the peace agreement between South and North and he has a family to support with basic needs and this course will help him to find a job easily.

And they are many examples and experience that show that there is a need for us to consider community needs while planning for the Vocational education programs.
The question now is how TVET meets community needs and what the needs of the local community in the south in general are.

Conclusion:
I think there is a need to let the community in the south has the ownership for TVET.
The step forward is to facilitate to the community in the south to know what TVET is. And let them to identify what is to be consider while we are planning.

To get answers to this question there I need to carry out a research that can include the local communities in South, Industries, and local government, youth and women associations.