THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The only place where an ante-diluvian typewriter fits into the life of a youngster must be the Vocational Higher Secondary (VHS) schools in the state. The office secretaryship course at the VHSE still teaches the Gen Next to knock the alphabets out of its precarious keys.The Maintenance and Repairs of Domestic Appliances (MRDA), Radio and Television (MRRTV) and Automobiles (MRA) - all three coming under the Group A Engineering Technology course at VHSE - are also sadly outdated. It is as if the arrival of new domestic appliances - microwave oven or induction cooker - or the advent of new-age cars are simply not acceptable. Who cares to treat an ailing radio when even cassettes have gone out of the scene is also not known.Going by the indications, the Centre has realised that it is high time to update the syllabus in vocational education. The National Vocational Education Qualifications Framework (NVEQF) is a major step in this direction. While states such as Haryana and Punjab are piloting it this year and Karnataka also inclined to follow, Kerala is yet to start serious discussions on NVEQF and is instead toying with the idea of completely incorporating it with plus-II, which stands to kill the essence of NVEQF.The NVEQF has recognised the absence of linkages with industry as one of the main impediments in vocational training. The industries, which come under sunrise sectors - which are rapidly advancing yet require skill - have to be identified.The basic framework integrates general education and technical vocational education and training qualifications from levels 1 to 10 which has been envisaged for standard IX to doctorate. Each level requires 1,000 - 1,200 hours of education and training per year.A candidate shall have the freedom to choose either a vocational stream or general education stream to reach the graduation-level. Freedom to move from vocational to general and vice-versa would also be there.The multiple-level entry and exit system is the highlight of NVEQF. Once implemented, the NVEQF levels would become a prerequisite for employment. A job advertisement in a revised scenario would read qualified as NVEQF level 4 in food service or office administration.Mainstream schools should offer vocational courses to bring vocation education on par with general education, the framework reads. The timeframe for the implementation of NVEQF has been given as 2011-16. Outgoing VHSE Director M Abdul Rahiman said that the main intention of NVEQF was skill development and if implemented could well bring a paradigm shift in the way vocational education was perceived by the society.
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