The Dilemma of the TVET Teacher in Developing Countries in the 21st Century

Abstract

Technology is a very dynamic commodity and keeping up with the ever changing trends in various technologies is an issue of great concern for many technologists in the 21^st century. Technology changes every 18 months and hence the practitioners need to keep up with the pace in order to remain relevant. The Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) sector is often most affected since it trains technologists for the industrial sector in most developed and developing economies. The TVET instructor always finds himself in a dilemma since skills get obsolete quickly yet he has to continue delivering content in area of specialty. As the industrial sectors demands change, so should the skills of the TVET instructor change to match the ever changing trends of the industry. In most developing countries, there are no set out mechanisms of re-skilling the TVET instructor to keep him updated with the latest technologies in the private sector. This paper reviews literature on the dilemma of the TVET instructor in the 21^st century and make recommendations for implementation in developing countries.