There are concerted national and international efforts to strengthen civil society and build local governance in order to enhance, develop and increase the efficacy, responsiveness and inclusivity of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutes in Palestine. Hence, the Ministry of Labour (MoL) has established Local Employment and TVET councils (LET) in all areas of the West Bank in Palestine. The MoL has stated that the main goal of the LET councils is to support TVET and employment through…
Students Professionalism in Secondary Vocational Schools in Palestine: Strengths and Shortcomings of WBL Practices
Traditional and informal WBL have long been known in Palestinian local societies and traditions as part of TVET education’s oldest learning in work practices. Under direct teacher supervision and coordination, secondary vocational school (SVS) students have been sent to conduct their practical training for a certain period before graduation with a local individual private sector. In the past fifteen years, the increasing number of TVET students, schools, and majors has caused challenges for traditional and informal WBL. Accordingly, new WBL practices and cooperation with the private sector have increased. This paper examines the old and the new practices of WBL.
Towards E-learning in TVET: Designing and developing an E-Competence Framework (E-CF) for TVET teachers in Palestine
This paper explores the Palestinian government’s new plan and mechanism for integrating e-learning in TVET, particularly by equipping TVET teachers with e-learning competencies. It also examines and analyzes TVET teachers’ current practices, attitudes and success stories in implementing e-learning since the COVID-19 pandemic. In doing so, this study defines (1) the e-learning knowledge, skills and competencies that TVET teachers already have and have been using since schools shut down because of COVID-19, as well as (2) the e-learning knowledge, skills and competencies that TVET teachers must still acquire to deliver quality e-learning programs. Furthermore, based on data obtained through interviews with 60 TVET teachers from 10 secondary vocational schools in Palestine, this paper proposes an E-Competence Framework (E-CF) and outlines eight key skills, competencies and attitudes that TVET teachers in Palestine require to deliver quality e-learning programs.
Curricula Approaches and Competence Development for Secondary Vocational Education Schools in Palestine
This paper explores curricula approaches and competence development for secondary vocational education schools in Palestine. For successful implementation of new curricula approaches that use Competency-Based Approach (CBA), this paper argues that the government must first define the goal of the secondary vocational education to determine whether it is education based or employment oriented and then decide the curricula approach of how to develop the necessary competence. If the goal and the objectives of secondary vocational education is educational, adopting and implementing the new curriculum that applies CBA will not be without issues such as teachers’ ignorance of whether the new curriculum is for development of semiskilled employees or craftsmen. Applying CBA may result in neglecting the traditional curriculum that provides students with academic and the social science
