The Vocationalization of Secondary Education: The Relationships between Vocational and Technology Education

Abstract

Traditionally, the vocationalization of secondary education has been seen as an effective measure for developing human resources. Although it is regarded as being applicable for both developed and developing countries, the politics of vocationalization of secondary education have determined that it has developed differently in two contexts. As argued by McLean and Kamau (1999), the policy shift in developing countries during the 1990s was consistent with the changing priorities, from pre-vocational courses to strengthening general education, formulated by the World Bank (1991). For developed countries, with well-functioning and well-resourced secondary school systems that enrol the great majority of young people, vocationalization is seen as an appropriate initiative (Lauglo, 2005).