News & Event

Vocational and Technical Education at the post-basic education stage is one of the paths available to students, to prepare them for the requirements of the labor market and enable them to continue their studies at the higher education stage. It has been internationally approved with the aim of providing learners with professional skills. The study program consists of basic, optional, and specialized subjects, and is applied in the governorates of Muscat and North Al Batinah.

About the application of vocational and technical education, Dr. Atom Al Khatiri, Assistant Director of the Curriculum Development for Humanities for Foreign Languages Department, Head of the Vocational and Technical Education Implementation Team for the Business Administration and Information Technology BTEC Program, said: “The application of vocational and technical education in the post-basic education stage (grades 11 and 12) comes within the Ministry’s plan to develop school education in line with local and global trends and the requirements of higher education institutions. It helps students prepare to build a future career path based on skills, meets the needs of the labor market, and achieves the goals of Oman Vision 2040 and its aspirations to prepare generations who possess skills and capabilities in various scientific and professional fields. The application of the BTEC program from the British Pearson Foundation began in four government schools, two schools for girls and two schools for boys in the governorates of Muscat and North Al Batinah in the specializations of Business Administration and Information Technology.”

She added: “This program is based on an interactive educational approach that combines theoretical learning with practical application; to contribute to developing students' capabilities and enhancing their practical skills needed by the labor market, such as: project management, organizing business operations, and developing marketing strategies, in addition to providing them with knowledge in programming, networks, and information security, which opens up wide horizons of professional opportunities for them in the digital age. The initial evaluation results of the application showed a positive interaction between students and the local community in accepting this type of education, and its impact on their performance and academic achievement.”

on the importance of implementing vocational and technical education for students in schools, student Ali Al Amri, in the grade 11 at Hafs bin Rashid Basic Education School for Boys (9-12) in the Muscat Governorate, said: “Vocational and technical education is a great idea. It helps us acquire practical skills that will benefit us in our future work, gives us the opportunity to learn specific fields that suit our interests, and enhances our job opportunities after graduation. Therefore, I seek to develop my skills in my favorite fields, such as engineering or educational technology, and achieve financial independence by working in the field of technology.”

Lujain Al Ghafli, a grade 12 student at Halima Al Saadiya Basic Education School (grades 9-12) in North Al Batinah Governorate, said: “My school plays an important role in encouraging me to pursue vocational and technical education and providing a supportive educational environment, introducing us to the importance of this education and its future opportunities, developing our skills and exploring new fields. I hope that we will be trained intensively in English to enhance our speaking, writing, and listening skills, and to enroll us in specialized training courses in the English language to make it easier for us to deal with practical and professional subjects.”

Sultan Al Fazari, a grade 12 student at Kaab bin Barsha Basic Education School for Boys (9-12) in the North Al Batinah Governorate, said: “The implementation of vocational and technical education in the grades 11 and 12 is a successful step by the Ministry of Education, because it provides better opportunities for students with scientific inclinations to study business administration or information technology, as it is a third option alongside the scientific and applied option. I aspire to have experience in the world of technology and programming, and to continue my postgraduate studies in this field.”

Noor Al Ameri, a grade 12 student at Naseeba bint Kaab Basic Education School (10-12) in Muscat Governorate, believes “that through vocational and technical education, I will enhance my practical skills, problem solving, time management, effective communication, innovation, flexibility, adaptability, self-confidence, taking responsibility for project management, and making informed professional decisions. The vocational guidance teacher plays an important role in encouraging me to pursue the vocational and technical education path.”

Regarding the most important proposals that must be available to implement vocational and technical education, student Manar Abdullah Ali, in the twelfth grade at Halima Al Saadiya Basic Education School, in the North Al Batinah Governorate, said that to effectively implement vocational and technical education in the rest of the grades, it is necessary to organize workshops and specialized training courses during the academic year to provide students with the technical and professional skills they need in the future, organize field visits and training programs, and focus on teaching skills such as effective communication, teamwork, and problem solving, and allocate hours of study time to guide students and direct them to choose their career paths based on their interests and skills, and use advanced digital educational platforms and interactive resources that provide the opportunity for self-learning outside of school hours to enhance their educational experiences and increase their opportunities for professional development.

As for the efforts made by schools to implement vocational and technical education, student Weam Al Kalbani, in the grade 12 at Halima Al Saadiya Basic Education School (grades 9-12) in North Al Batinah Governorate, said: “My school encourages me to pursue vocational and technical education by providing a suitable stimulating classroom environment, and the continuous support provided by vocational guidance teachers with their guidance and assistance in choosing the fields that suit our abilities, and encouraging us with rewards and competitions that develop creativity and innovation. I suggest applying vocational and technical education to the rest of the school grades, or integrating it with the academic subjects gradually so that it becomes part of the curricula starting from the ninth or tenth grade, and educating them about its importance through seminars and school activities, providing modern devices and tools, and holding competitions and activities that encourage them to be creative in technical and vocational fields, and cooperating with institutions and companies that provide training opportunities that help them develop their skills in a practical way.”