Assessment of vocational education and training in meeting the needs of the hospitality industry in Juba county, South Sudan

Abstract

For over two decades or so, South Sudan has expe1ienced civil wars which have led to the destruction of various hospitality establishments such as hotels, museums and vocational institutions; primarily creating shortage mage and lack of adequately trained manpower to handle the needs of the hospitality industry. Besides the infrastructural damage, vocational education and training has been neglected resulting into production of graduates with questionable service delivery abilities in the hospitality industry. This necessitated this study which was done under the title "Assessment of Vocational Education and Training (VET) in meeting the Needs of the Hospitality industrially in Juba County, South Sudan. The purpose of the study was to examine the extent to which Vocational Education and Training meets the needs of the Hospitality indust,y of South Sudan. The study objectives were: To examine the type of training in hospitality institutions, to analyze the challenges facing the VET in meeting the needs of the hospitality industry and to explore the various measures that can be put in place to boost VET in the development of the hospitality industry. The study focused on hospitality training institutions and the related work places in Juba County but limited to the study objects. This was a qualitative study employing a descriptive design. The major data collection tools were questionnaires, interview schedules, observation checklists and documentary analyses. Target population was all key players in VET training and employment; the sample included 12 VET students, 8 Instructors, 4 Administrators, 10 workers 1 government and 1 NGO representative making a sample size of 36 respondents. Purposive, snowball and simple random sampling techniques were used. Data analysis involved putting together themes according to responses from the interview notes and transcriptions, questionnaires, counts and proportions from observation checklists and documents explored. The findings revealed that hospitality training institutions lacked adequate facilities to train and equip learners with knowledge, skills, attitudes and values needed in hotels. The discrepancies identified were inadequacy in the training cmTicula, insufficient and inappropriate tools/equipment, inadequate qualified instrnctors and materials in the training institutions, weak linkages between the training institutions and the hotels, and low government involvement. Due to low competence levels, the learners did not seem to own their learning. In addition, it was established that learners unde11ook industrial training only at the end of their training period denying them continuous hands-on expe1ience. Moreover the industrial training in the work places had a short period of 2-3months. Assessments and evaluation of learners in training institutions was through examinations with no consideration of learners' progression in practical activities assigned to them at school-time and their ability to demonstrate their knowledge in the work places. Basing on the above findings, the researcher's recommendations are that there is need to put emphasis on practical training and the necessity to retrain the instructors continuously. It is necessary to strengthen linkages between training institutions and the hospitality industry; along with regular review of hospitality curriculum to suit the changing labour market needs in the hospitality industry.