Unlocking Graduates’ Employability: The Case of Technical High School Graduates of the Diamaré Division, Far North Region, Cameroon

Sylvanus W. NGU^1, and Patience P. Teneng²

¹Postgraduate school of Human and Social Sciences, The University of Maroua, Maroua, Cameroon

²Department of Curriculum and Evaluation, Faculty of Education, University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroon

Cite this paper:
Sylvanus W. NGU and Patience P. Teneng. Unlocking Graduates’ Employability: The Case of Technical High School Graduates of the Diamaré Division, Far North Region, Cameroon. American Journal of Educational Research. 2020; 8(9):705-717. doi: 10.12691/education-8-9-13

Abstract

The 21^st century job market has become very competitive and exigent, as it commands relevant and quality skills as the main prerequisite for graduates to obtain gainful job positions. It therefore becomes imperative for formal education and training institutions to rethink and reshape their skill development plans, strategies, and actions, in order to squarely respond to the challenging needs imposed by this permanently evolving labor market. This means that graduates smooth transition and being maintained in a gainful job position in today’s labor market could be hampered if they are not in possession of the right skills. Using Government Technical High school (GTHS) graduates undergoing further training at the National Employment Fund(NEF), this paper investigated the extent to which Technical, Vocational Education and Training(TVET) Inputs in GTHS Maroua and SALAK influence graduate employability in the Diamaré division. TVET inputs were understood in terms of educational policy implementation, curriculum, infrastructures, and partnership. The methodology consisted of a mixed design, data was collected through likert scale questionnaires, and semi-structured interviews. The multi-regression was used to determine the degree of association between variables. The results revealed that, at an alpha level of 0,05, all four TVET inputs are statistically significant predictors of graduate employability in the Diamaré. This means that technical high school graduates will continue to swell unemployment and underemployment figures if TVET inputs in these schools are not revitalized. Suggestions called for the adaptation of policy definitions and curriculum to local realities, enforce policy implementation, increase finances to obtain quality basic and workshop infrastructures, and to engage in systematic volunteerism, and an equilateral partnership between government- training schools-business world.

Keywords:
TVET graduate employability policy implementation curriculum infrastructure partnership

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