Thailand / Lessons learned from Germany’s dual system

IN RECENT YEARS, Thai young people have grown less and less interested in studying at vocational schools. This is despite it being an educational model tailored to support students’ training for occupational competency in various business sectors.

Vocational education is a training programme that imparts vocational ability and academic knowledge as well as developing students for skilled occupational activities.

The Office of Vocational Education Commission (OVEC) has been making great efforts to promote the study of vocational schools and to persuade young people to apply for vocational education instead of studying in high school.

Also, OVEC has issued a 15-year Vocational Education Policy (2012-2026) and specified missions, goals and strategies to try to nourish and foster the Thai vocational education system. This aims to boost the number of young people attending vocational schools and train them to be competent and qualified employees, in both core and functional competency. OVEC plans to work collaboratively with the industrial and commercial sectors, and both local and international agencies.

In May 2013, OVEC signed an agreement with the German government in order to share the best practices from Germany’s vocational education system. It is well known that this vocational system has had great success and gained worldwide acclaim.

A memorandum of understanding on German-Thai Dual Excellence Education has been drawn up between the Thai Ministry of Education and Germany’s Federal Foreign Office. The German government and German-Thai Chamber of Commerce will help OVEC set up a ‘Dual Training Curriculum’ for Thai vocational schools with collaboration from German industrial sectors.

Chosen excerpts by Job Market Monitor. Read the whole story at 

via Lessons learned from Germany’s dual system – The Nation.