Vocational Education in America: Lessons for Zimbabwe.

Overview & Synopsis

Those shaping the vocational-technical education program in Zimbabwe can learn much from the factors that influenced vocational education in the United States; the problems U.S. vocational education encountered; and the structure and content of American vocational and technical education. Accordingly, Zimbabwe's vocational leaders must encourage serious education; establish a vocational association to sponsor conferences and publish a journal; form an advisory committee of people with diverse backgrounds to advise the government, labor, and ministries of education; require teacher education program recruits to have several years' experience in their vocational field; and make passing one's examinations a condition of tenure for teachers. The cooperative education program (called"twinning" in Zimbabwe) should be expanded. Students at technical colleges should remain in residence for 2 years (instead of 1) before serving as a practice teacher during their third year. The private sector must become involved in planning and implementing vocational education. Teachers' colleges should build nursery schools that can be run as part of the home economics teacher education program, as is the one at Great Oaks Joint Vocational School in Cincinnati, Ohio. Greater emphasis should be given the recommendations of the head and staff of vocational education institutions. (CML)