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.