The document discusses TVET (technical and vocational education and training) in higher education in Nepal. It explores both the opportunities and challenges of integrating TVET. The author analyzes narratives from four TVET scholars regarding their experiences developing skills, knowledge, and competencies. While some scholars were initially unfamiliar with TVET, their stories show how it helped strengthen their abilities and potential career shifts. However, challenges remain in developing the right blend of technical and soft skills to meet the needs of students and the job market.

1. TVET in Higher Education in Nepal:
Opportunities and Challenges
Niroj Dahal
(https://nirojdahal.weebly.com/)
Paper
Present by
(https://nirojdahal.weebly.com/)
(niroj@nou.edu.np)
Nepal Open University, Faculty of Social Sciences
and Education
at
(Thursday, Sep. 12, 2019)

2. Agenda
• Education System of Nepal
• Introduction
• Research Methodology
• My Reflection and Conclusions
– Opportunities and challenges
– Conclusions
– Implications
• References
9/30/2019 2niroj@nou.edu.np

3. Position of Nepal in World Map
9/30/2019 niroj@nou.edu.np 3

4. Nepal, officially the Federal
Democratic Republic, is a
landlocked country in South
Asia. It is located mainly in
the Himalayas but also
includes parts of the Indo-
Gangetic Plain. It is 48th
largest country by population
and 93rd largest country by
Capital: Kathmandu
Prime Minister: Khadga Prasad Oli
Population: 28.98 million (World Bank,
2016)
President: Bidhya Devi Bhandari
Nepal
9/30/2019 niroj@nou.edu.np 4
and 93rd largest country by
area.

5. Education System in Nepal
before 2018
9/30/2019 niroj@nou.edu.np 5

6. Continue…
9/30/2019 niroj@nou.edu.np 6
Source (MoE, 2001)

7. Education System in Nepal
after 2018
9/30/2019 niroj@nou.edu.np 7

8. Background
• Education sector of Nepal is struggling for not generating quality human
resources with knowledge, skills and competencies.
• Lack of contextual policies, priority of policymakers and curricula of the
country.
• Higher education of Nepal has been facing several criticisms in relation to
not developing the skilled manpower demands by country.
• Government of Nepal has already introduced the TVET in secondary
education (9-12)
• Explores some of the critical issues associated with challenges as well as
opportunities in TVET in Nepalese higher education.
9/30/2019 8niroj@nou.edu.np

9. Problem
• Not qualified human resources with knowledge, skills and competencies.
• Shortage of vocational skilled personnel in the country
• TVET system in Nepal has a very high demand from school education to
higher education to produce the required and quality skillful human
resources
• There are varieties of opportunities of TVET in Nepal but key learning
from one of the universities TVET scholars
9/30/2019 9niroj@nou.edu.np

10. Purpose of the Study
• To explore the TVET scholars’ of master level
experiences on skills, knowledge and
competencies in relation to their professional
and personal life.and personal life.
9/30/2019 10niroj@nou.edu.np
Research Question
How do TVET scholar of master level narrate their
experiences of skills, knowledge and competencies in
relation to TVET field?

11. Theoretical Referents
Constructivism (Vico, 1710; Van Glasersfeld, 1989, Kersley, 1999; Larochelle, 2010)
• TVET scholars keenly build up their skills, knowledge and competencies
rather than merely gripping ideas spoken to them (Larochelle, 2010)
Social Constructivism. Higher cognitive processes develop from social
interaction (Vygotsky ,1978)
Transformative Learning. It provides higher educators with a framework
that helps students to understand the relevance of, and develop strategies for,
ideas such as self-directed, experiential, practical, and applied learning
(Mezirow, 2000).
9/30/2019 11niroj@nou.edu.np

12. Methodology
• Qualitative Approach
– Interpretivism is concerned primarily with generating context-based
understanding of TVET scholars’ thoughts, beliefs, values and
associated social actions (Taylor, Settelmaier & Luitel, 2012)
– Experiences of TVET scholar of master level (Clandinin & Connelly, 2013)
• Narrative Inquiry as Research Methodology
– Study of experience as told through stories by TVET scholar of master
level
– Narrative: Meaning the story being told (Riessman, 2008)
– Inquiry: Representing a systematic examination or analysis using
narrative and how they make meaning out of their experiences.
• Research Site
– Kathmandu Valley, Nepal
9/30/2019 12niroj@nou.edu.np

13. Methodology
– Research Participants
• Purposefully selected four TVET scholar of master level from different parts of Nepal working
in Kathmandu Valley.
• Nature and Source of Data
– Generate a narrative from TVET scholar of master level experiences
• Analysis and Interpretation
• Entry and Re-entry (Mitchell, 2011; Dahal, 2017)
– “Entry and exit” to present the narratives of TVET scholar of master level
– “Re-entry and exit” for the meaning-making of the narratives
9/30/2019 niroj@nou.edu.np 13

14. Sarita's Story
Narratives…
N.B.: The stories are the product of several rounds of interviews and telephone conversations
9/30/2019 14niroj@nou.edu.np
Entry
Sarita's Story
Ganesh’s Story
Aasha's Story
Amin’s Story
Exit

15. Re-
Sarita's Skills on
TVET
Ganesh’s
Competencies on
Exit
Meaning Making of the Narratives
9/30/2019 niroj@nou.edu.np 15
Re-
entry
Competencies on
TVET
Aasha's aligned to
TVET
Amin’s possible shift
to TVET
Exit

16. Amin’s Possible Shift to TVET
• To produce new skills, knowledge and competencies, Amin is to some
extent, motivated right after his +2 graduation
• Amin completed his first skills training from CTEVT
• Amin is habitual with the notion of skills to be strengthen
• Amin knew the varieties of skills but do not have mastery on particular
• TVET is one of the assets to run happy and prosperous life
9/30/2019 niroj@nou.edu.np 16

17. Opportunities of TVET
• To provide job-ready graduates with applied
knowledge and skills for job market.
• To prove new opportunities for learning and for up
skilling in work-based settings.skilling in work-based settings.
• To be inclusive by bridging gaps between informal,
non-formal and formal learning and providing
educational pathways (UNESCO, 2015).
• Strengthening skills which are required for
executing
9/30/2019 17niroj@nou.edu.np

18. Challenges of TVET
• Skills challenges
– How can learners obtain the right skills for the future?
– How can learners obtain the right skills for now?
• Skills and knowledge challenges• Skills and knowledge challenges
– Foundational skills-to build on into the future (21st
century skills)
– Just-in-case technical skills and knowledge-to make
graduates work-ready
– Just-in-time technical skills and knowledge-for adaption
and flexibility
9/30/2019 niroj@nou.edu.np 18

19. Responding to Research Question
• Awareness about TVET
• Strengthening skills, knowledge and competencies to
all the master graduates in TVET sectorall the master graduates in TVET sector
• Balanced incorporation skills, knowledge and
competencies for all the university graduates
• Planned and emergent policies and practices
9/30/2019 niroj@nou.edu.np 19

20. Conclusions
• Eye-opening to TVET sectors
• All of the TVET scholars seems to be unknown about the TVET at the beginning of
their career
• Initiative of introducing TVET in all universities of Nepal should continue for• Initiative of introducing TVET in all universities of Nepal should continue for
quality human resources with knowledge, skills, and competencies for employment,
income and job quality.
• In the stories of Sarita and Ganesh, it can be clearly seen that they were focus on
skills, knowledge and compenties , whereas in stories of Aasha and Amin, they
were aligned to TVET for possible shift in their career
9/30/2019 20niroj@nou.edu.np

21. Implications
• Not extremely implacable for all
• Can offer some insights to the readers, novice TVET graduates,
novice trainers
• TVET graduates would be highly benefited
• Policymakers and curriculum designers to make provisions of the TVET in
higher education
9/30/2019 niroj@nou.edu.np 21

22. References
Bryman, A. (2012). Social research methods (4th ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Mezirow’s, J. (2000). Learning as transformation: critical perspectives on a theory in progress. Jossey-Bass. https://www.dss.gov.au/our-responsibilities/housing-support/publications-
articles/homelessness-youth/on-par-using-participatory-action-research-to-improve-early-intervention?
Bandura, A. (1977). Social learning theory. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Banister, P., Bunn, G., Burman, E., Daniels, J., Goodley, D., Lawthom, R., Parker, I., Sixsmith, J., & Tindall, C. (2011). Qualitative Methods in Psychology. London: Sage.
Bergold, J., & Thomas, S. (2012). Participatory Research Methods: A Methodological Approach in Motion [110 paragraphs]. Forum Qualitative Sozialforschung / Forum: Qualitative Social
Research, 13 (1).
Birks, M. & Mills, J. E. (2011). Grounded Theory: A Practical Guide. Retrieved from : https://www.researchgate.net/publication/232273243
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77-101. ISSN 1478-0887 Available on http://eprints.uwe.ac.uk/11735
Catchen, R. (2014). Musings from a year of STE[a]M…How it looks walking down the path. The STEAM Journal,1(2). doi: 10.5642/steam.20140102.20
Dahal, N. (2017). Understanding and uses of questioning by mathematics teacher: An narrative inquiry (Unpublished M Phil dissertation). Kathmandu University, School of Education.
Daszko, D., & Scheinberg, J. (2005). Survival is Optional: Only Leaders With New Knowledge Can Lead the Transformation. Retrieved from http://www.mdaszko.com/ArticlesNewsletters.html
Dewey, J. (1938/1997). Experience and education. Macmillan.Dewey, J. (1938/1997). Experience and education. Macmillan.
Eldon, M., & Levin, M. (1991). Cogenerative learning: Bringing participation into action research. In W. F. Whyte (Ed.), Participative action research (pp. 127–142). Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
Gibbs, G. R. (2007). Thematic Coding and Categorizing, Analyzing Qualitative Data. SAGE Publications Ltd., London
Hall, B. (1975). Participatory research: An approach for change. Convergence: An International Journal of Adult Education, 8(2), 24-31.
Hardiman, M., Magsamen, S., McKhann, G., & Eilber, J. (2009). Neuroeducation: Learning, arts, and the brain. New York, NY: Dana Press.
Kemmis, S. (2005). Knowing practice: Searching for saliences. Paper presented at the “Participant Knowledge and Knowing Practice” conference, Umeå, Sweden.
Kindon, S., Pain, R., & Kesby, M. (2007). Participatory action research approaches and methods: connecting people, participation and place. Routledge.
Mezirow, J. (1990). Fostering critical reflection in adulthood: A guide to transformative and emancipatory learning. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers
Naithram, R. (2014). How music education powers the STEAM movement. Nea Today. Retrieved from http://neatoday.org/2014/07/16/how-music-education-powers-the-steammovement/
O'Brien, R. (2001). An Overview of the Methodological Approach of Action Research. Retrieved November 2, 2006 from http://www.web.ca/~robrien/ papers/ arfinal.html.
Radziwill, N. M., Benton, M. C., & Moellers, C. (2015). From STEM to STEAM: Reframing what it means to learn. The STEAM Journal,2(1). Retrieved from
http://scholarship.claremont.edu/steam/vol2/iss1/3/
Richard, L., & Biffle, T. (2016). Introduction to STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics). Thomas College
Scott, J. (1998). Seeing Like a State: How Certain Schemes to Improve the Human Condition Have Failed (New Haven: Yale University Press: 0300070160).
Streubert, H., & Carpenter, D. (2001). Qualitative Research in Nursing: Advancing the Humanistic Perspective (2nd ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Taylor, P. C. (2015). Why is a STEAM curriculum perspective crucial to the 21st century? Retrieved from https://research.acer.edu.au/cgi/viewco
United Nations. (2015). STEAM Education for Global Citizenship to Achieve the SDGs. Retrieved from http://www.un.org/webcast/pdfs/180205am-steam.pdf
Winter, R. (1987). Action-Research and the Nature of Social Inquiry: Professional Innovation and Educational Work. Aldcdershot, England: Gower Publishing Company.
9/30/2019 22niroj@nou.edu.np

23. Q/A Session?
~5 Minute
9/30/2019 23niroj@nou.edu.np

24. Game Over!
9/30/2019 niroj@nou.edu.np 24