The role of Technical and Vocational Education and Training for human capital and socio-economic development in Bangladesh

Abstract

Bangladesh is a developing country with a high population density. This population must be transformed into human resources for further national development. The purpose of this research is to explore the essence of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) for human capital and socio-economic development in Bangladesh. The conceptual framework of this study was developed based on the review of pertinent literature, theory of human capital, and the theory of comparative advantage. A qualitative method was employed, using document analysis, participant observation, and in-depth interviews. For interviews, purposive sampling technique was applied for selecting 30 respondents who graduated from 1991 to 2014 from different disciplines of TVET. In addition, quantitative data was collected using a survey questionnaire from 90 TVET graduates to complement the findings. The key findings of the study reveal that there has been a rapid expansion of TVET institutions, and growing enrolment of students, and teachers, turning out graduates who become capable of earning incomes and bringing in remittances by joining workforces in the industry inside the country and abroad through utilizing their skills and training acquired from TVET institutions. The results also indicate that TVET programs have the potential to contribute to the development of human capital in many ways, such as skill improvement of labour force, employability, professionalism, knowledge enhancement, acquiring competences, and a high level of efficiency in fostering entrepreneurial capabilities. The majority of the respondents expressed their satisfaction with the training and knowledge acquired from TVET. This supports them in finding jobs in their respective fields, which lessens the suffering of families and individuals, and improves their socio-economic status. This study suggests that the government should come forward to promote TVET through allocating sufficient budget and encouraging public- private partnership to develop human capital in the country. The findings will guide policymakers considerably to design an appropriate policy framework to address all the issues associated with TVET for human capital and socio-economic development in Bangladesh.