Fisheries sector and development of Maldives: can vocational and technical education help?

Abstract

Global experience confirms that ‘family business concept’ was the domain in the establishment of fisheries sector. Apprenticeship of family inheritance was only the training provision available for the fishermen earlier. While fishermen used to receive a little amount of training through family apprenticeship, light of education to become a qualified citizen for modern world was unreachable to them. Things have incredibly or marginally been changed in a few countries where public policy took necessary parameters in order to institutionalize this sector aligning with the long term developmental vision and mission of the state. However, most of the countries still follow the orthodox model since professionals working with this sector are less capable to put forward their voices in the elite podium where public policy of a country is designed and constitutionalized. Maldives is country where more than 80% of the population are directly and indirectly or by hobby are involved with the fisheries sector providing a major local contribution towards Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Despite this contribution, the sector experiences significant amount of shortfalls. The purpose of this study is to map and identify those shortfalls in order to offer an elucidation.