The “Career Pathways Program in Secondary Education,” an important initiative aimed at aligning educational outcomes with labor market needs, is currently facing major obstacles. Informed sources indicate that the program has effectively stalled due to significant challenges in implementation. A key issue has been the reluctance of some educational institutions to collaborate, as they want full control over the practical or field education components.
This conflict has resulted in ongoing disputes between these institutions and the Ministry of Education. As a result, statistics reveal that over 146,461 students in public schools and more than 68,000 in private institutions—totaling over 200,000 Grade 12 graduates in the past five years—have missed out on vital professional skills training, which hinders their employment prospects in the labor market. The project’s manager has expressed frustration and regret about the current state of the initiative, which has been hindered by indecision and lack of progress.
Over the years, multiple ministers have taken charge of the program, often switching between creating committees to evaluate it and ultimately scrapping it without achieving meaningful advancements. Despite numerous attempts to amend the project, there has been little progress due to a lack of agreement among educational institutions regarding implementation strategies. Experts warn that the program may remain dormant unless the Ministry of Education reevaluates its partnerships with these institutions. Nonetheless, there is a persistent call from professionals in education for the urgent implementation of career pathways in secondary education.
