Student transition to upper secondary vocational and technical education (VTE) in Lebanon: from stigma to success

Abstract

Vocational and technical education (VTE) has traditionally been stigmatised in Arab societies owing to the lowly image of manual work and the perception of VTE as a last resort for weak school students. This paper focuses on the transition to upper secondary VTE from the regular Lebanese school system and on students’ aspirations once they have done so. While regular school students’ career aspirations largely reflected the conventional academic orientation of the school system and few contemplated moving into the VTE realm even if they failed, students who had made the transition expressed well‐informed positive views regarding VTE, mostly concerning its direct linkages with career formation and the employment market. Despite the recognised ‘job ticket’ value of the Baccalauréat Technique, most envisaged pursuing a higher VTE qualification, and the aspirations of those intending to complete the Licence Technique were comparable to those of terminating Year 12 students in the regular academic system who were contemplating university. The paper ends by addressing specific problem areas in Lebanese upper secondary VTE.

Keywords:

• vocational education
• student transition
• careers guidance
• Lebanon
• Baccalaureat Technique

Acknowledgements

We are grateful to the following institutions and people for their helpfulness:

Abdel Hadi Debs Vocational and Technical Training Centre: Mr Adel Damaj (Director); Direction Générale de l’Enseignement Technique et Professionel: Mr Nabil Naccache, (Director, Institut Technique Industriel Supérieure, Dekouane), Mr Raymond BouSleiman (Director, École des Arts et Métiers, Dekouane), Mr Zakaria Rabaa (Bir Hassan), Mr Ahmad Akram Awaida (Tripoli); Hassan Kassir Technical Institute: Mrs Mira Khalil; Institut Technique Amilieh: Mrs Jamila Taki; Sidon Evangelical School for Girls and Boys: Mrs Nahet Susan; St Mary’s Orthodox College, Hamra; Badghan Public School and Majdel Baana Public Secondary School, Aley: Mr Ali Sarieddine, Director (Majdel Baana); and the admissions office staff of the American University of Beirut, Lebanese American University, Université Libanaise, Université Saint‐Joseph, and University of Balamand.

The principal author would also like to acknowledge with gratitude the American University of Beirut, which granted him research leave under a Hewlett Award in order to carry out this work.