Women's technical education and training is a priority for the government as well as many non-governmental and international stakeholders in accordance with the objectives of the National Strategy for the Empowerment of Women 2030 that calls for greater support for women's access to technical education and training. However, despite the various efforts that are being made, it is evident that there are various challenges still hindering women's full participation in the labour market. In support of government efforts to enhance vocational secondary education for women, the Population Council, a US organisation, held a conference in Cairo on 21 November to present the results of a study on young women enrolled in technical and vocational education in Egypt. The study, conducted in collaboration with the National Council for Women (NCW) and with support from UN Women and the Japanese Embassy in Cairo, aimed at providing a better understanding of the education and employment choices that young women in technical secondary education have, as well as their aspirations and opportunities, in order to maximise their access to technical education and increase their participation in the labour market. This information is essential in order to develop programmes that can empower young women to make informed decisions about their education and future lives, said Nahla Abdel-Tawab, the Population Council's country director. The study revealed that more than 700,000 female students were enrolled in Technical Secondary Education (TSE) in the academic year 2015/2016, which is almost half of the total number of female secondary students enrolled in Egyptian public schools. About half of these students obtained more than 70 per cent in the preparatory certificate, qualifying them to attend General Secondary Education (GSE) rather than TSE. However, socio-economic factors, customs, and traditions often prevent young women from attending general secondary schools, even if they have achieved high academic scores on the preparatory certificate. School proximity is an important factor, as parents may be reluctant to send their daughters to a school far from home. Several students in the survey said that they would have liked to go to nursing school but their parents would not allow them to do so because the school was located in a different governorate. The study revealed that other factors such as maintaining equity among siblings and peer influence also play a role in the choice of TSE for girls. According to the study, less than 20 per cent of employers believe that TSE graduates have the necessary soft or technical skills needed for various jobs. As for the learning conditions for students, it has been reported that vocational and technical schools may lack modern facilities and the equipment needed for the acquisition of practical skills. “They should have more machines and equipment as we are studying with machines that we do not have at school,” one secondary technical school student told the authors of the report. Abdel-Tawab added that TSE should not be seen as a lower-ranking alternative for students who are academically qualified or financially enabled to join GSE, but as a viable and promising option for those willing to join the work force. Moreover, academic guidance should be provided in all years of TSE in order to assist students in understanding what job and educational opportunities are offered by each sub-specialty. Maya Morsi, president of the National Council for Women, said that one of the main pillars for women's socio-economic empowerment was education and training. She added that the National Council for Women was advocating the creation of new TSE sub-specialties that would meet the needs of the Egyptian market as well as Egyptian young women's capabilities. This comes in the context of support from the political leadership for women through the declaration of 2017 as the Year of Egyptian Women. Government agencies and international organisations are taking active steps to improve the quality of TSE and to enhance the employability of graduates. The Ministry of Education and Technical Education has set a national strategy for upgrading 2,000 TSE schools over the next five years, according to Ahmed Al-Geyoushy, deputy minister for vocational training. The study recommends that more secondary schools for girls should be built in rural areas and safe transportation should be secured for them in addition to improving TSE curricula to augment practical and vocational elements and introduce entrepreneurship skills across the different tracks in order to assist young women in starting their own businesses. Other recommendations include expanding the scope of the dual vocational system to include commerce and agriculture schools along with building partnerships and linkages with the private sector, including computer companies, hospitals, and agribusinesses. Private business-owners should encourage young women to stay on the job by offering flexible hours, work-from-home options, transportation, and day-care benefits as well as opportunities for career advancement, the report said. The writer is media and communication consultant.
