The Situation
The existence of special educational needs (SEN) schools may date back to the early 1900s, but Pakistan today still lacks facilities that provide disabled people, particularly the intellectually challenged with practical training & knowledge that would enable them to survive in the real world independently.
Is All of This Necessary?
In one word
Does Vocational Education Training work for disabled people?
YES!
​• 76% said that all students would benefit from vocational education.
​​• 90% agreed or strongly agreed that vocational education prepared students for good-paying jobs.
​​• 98% said that internships or apprenticeships in different career fields were appropriate for high school juniors and seniors.
​​• 90% said that real work-based problems or career-related projects were a good way to teach subjects like math and English.
​​• Only 4% agreed that vocational education led to low-skill jobs.
​​• 92% agreed or strongly agreed that vocational education can lead students to go to college.
A survey of Washington DC residents by Washington State Workforce Training and Education Board in 1997 revealed: Almost 9 of 10 respondents agreed that high schools should provide some kind of career preparation to every student before graduation; 3 of 4 said that career education should start before high school; and a whopping 96 percent favoured education for every student that provided a strong academic foundation, hands-on learning experience, and an opportunity to practice what he or she has learned in a work-based setting. In a smaller nationwide survey ("What Do People Think of Us?" 1997), respondents split exactly 50-50 on the big question of whether or not vocational education was for high school students who didn't plan to go to college. However, respondents had overwhelmingly positive reactions to smaller, individual questions about vocational education:
There’s no denying it
These survey results present a curious contradiction. Many people, but not all, have a negative overall image of vocational education, probably based at least in part on mistaken assumptions about how today's labour market actually works. Yet the great majority of people have a very positive reaction to the elements that are the very foundation of vocational education: a focus on career preparation; knowledge and skills that are relevant for the job market; the possibility of challenging careers, good-paying jobs, and college. Such favourable attitudes toward the foundation elements of vocational education represent a new trend for the new millennium, especially in this part of the world.