10/09/2026
Are we actively discussing vocational orientation as we discuss CBE, STEM and TVET? What do PISA 2025 report outcomes expose?
Many people think of TVET and occupational training when they hear vocational orientation.
However, what is vocational orientation? It is the process of connecting learning experiences in basic education to practical skills, real-world issues, local jobs and the world of work.
Bigger question: When should it start?
From my own experience, it should start at the earliest possible time. If not from kindergarten, then certainly at Grade 1.
It is not about asking a child at the foundational level to choose a career. It is about helping learners discover how they can connect what they learn to what people do, make, solve, create and apply in the real world.
And what has the PISA report exposed?
PISA does not test memorization from learners. It tests the application of what they have learnt to the real world. It tests the interpretation of data, development of a solution, scientific explanation and collaboration.
When learning outcomes whether intentional or not rely heavily of rote, PISA scores are low. And not because the learners to not understand the concept, but because the level of conceptual understanding and application is low.
And this is where STEM matters the most.
STEM should not be viewed just as a pathway, but as an experience of work.
When a learner connects agriculture to food production, soil quality and processing to work, then there is a clear progression:
Concept → Hands-on Activity → Scientific Thinking → Work Skills → Real Local Jobs
As a result, a clear path is created.
STEM-related learning activities develop core competencies that enhance conceptual understanding.
Vocational orientation connects the learning experiences to doing and working.
TVET develops the acquired competencies to occupational capabilities.
So, can assessment performance alone translate to the right pathway selection?
Are learners ready to choose a pathway from their experiences during their educational journey?
If a learner encounters practical and hands-on experiences that demand problem-solving, testing, observing, recording and real-world application early enough, then they can make informed pathway choices. Their choices will be based on experience and not assessment results or perception alone.
For this reason, I believe TVET should not start at TVET institutions only. It should start at foundational level, with vocational orientation as the bridge.
Therefore, let’s deliberately advocate for vocational orientation from the foundational level where every lesson is presented as an experience of work. Teachers linking concepts to work, parents linking learning to community work and policy enabling vocational orientation-driven learning as early as possible.
Vocational Orientation = CBE → Doing and Working → TVET
