VOCATIONAL-EDUCATION AND DEVELOPMENT - KEY ISSUES, WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO THE ARAB-WORLD

Despite the considerable capacity of most Arab governments to invest i n education for development, relatively little has been achieved in th e vocational and technical sector. Yet, as is well known, it is the pr oduction of good quality technicians that is crucial to sustainable in dustrial development at a national level. In this paper we attempt an analysis of the situation - to identify key issues that need to be add ressed if progress is to be made. Two broad problems underlie the cont emporary crisis: aspects of Arabic culture that tend to constrain wide r involvement in vocational and technical employment, and the low stat us of technical education in the Western model of education bequeathed to these nations by the legacy of colonialism. Some recommendations a re made to assist the resolution of the problem. (C) 1997 Elsevier Sci ence Ltd.