Unlike formal education, vocational education is based on practical skills learning, it doesn’t have set systems like formal education, and its learning period is from 6 months and can last through a year or 3. The learning process is quite flexible and takes to mind the pace of the learner.
Vocational education is practiced often time as an alternative to formal education. Let’s take Zara’s story as an example.
In Durimi town, the main source of livelihood was the sales of woven baskets by the town’s women, the men were mostly hunters who used every catch to provide meals for the family and as such could not make income from it.
Zara was the first of three children, and at 18, she was already a very good weaver who created unique designs that were unusual yet beautiful. Since her birth, her town had been cut off from the outside world and the only connection they had were the merchants that came to purchase the mats and baskets.
Until late last year when a group of volunteers visited their town to pioneer the first formal school in the area.
This was a welcome development, but for persons like Zara who were too old to start basic school, they offered them the opportunity to learn vocational skills. Skills that would give them an avenue to be part of the bigger world picture.
The vocational skills introduced to them were. Woodwork and automotive training for the men and the women, tailoring, and soap making. The training was not limited to only these courses, as they also learned basic English and financial knowledge.
By the end of the year, Zara and most of her peers had become well versed in their skills and had gotten basic knowledge that would give them a place in the fast-paced changing world.
Not being able to have a formal education, does not mean all hope is lost, vocational education is a wise alternative to make sure every person is allowed to be more in life.