Minister calls on universities to adopt vocational training into curricula

AMMAN — Universities should devise technical and vocational curricula to prepare graduates for the labour market, Minister of Education Walid Maani said on Thursday.

During the opening of a conference on vocational training and higher education, organised through the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), Maani reiterated that the government and various organisations are implementing the National Strategy for Human Resource Development and applying His Majesty King Abdullah's vision to develop young people’s skills and abilities. 

The government and institutions involved in the national strategy have adopted new curricula, which include teaching students how to analyse and apply theories and critiques to hone graduates’ skills, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Maani said that the ministry works to bridge the gap between postgraduates and labour market needs, adding that the ministry is keen to benefit from Germany’s experience in technical and vocational education.

He also voiced appreciation for the role of the GIZ in involving the private sector in technical and vocational training and higher education. At the same time, he stressed that the ministry will not accept any programme that does not produce qualified graduates.

"The increase in the number of people unemployed is due to different reasons, the most important of which is that the educational outcomes do not meet the market's needs," said Bernd Kuzmits, deputy head of development cooperation at the German embassy in Jordan.

The conference aims to find ways to give young people the opportunity to work during their studies, develop vocational and technical training and education, and increase the private sector’s participation in implementing training programmes, according to Petra.