Abstract
Although education is identified as a key determinant of economic development and poverty eradication, this relationship is only possible when educationists are able to provide a comprehensive picture of the educational process in working life. In this paper it is argued that if systems of education and training are to cater to both the formal and the informal labour markets, then they need to take into account the traditions and values of the system of vocational learning in working life, cater to the requirements of local development and be based on an understanding of the kinds of competencies people in the informal economy want, need and utilise, the socio-economic and cultural contexts within which they work, and how they cope and sustain their livelihood strategies.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Adam, S. 1995. Competence Utilisation and Transfer in Informal Sector Production and Services Trades in Ibadan/Nigeria. Bremen: Bremer Afrika-Studien Bd. 16.
Boehm, U. (ed.). 1997a. Kompetenz and Berufliche Bildung im informellen Sektor (Competency and Vocational Training in the Informal Sector). Baden: Nomos.
Boehm, U. 1997b. Diversified System Development in Vocational Training Aid: Curricular Consequences. Education. 55/56. A Biannual Collection of Recent German Contributions to the Field of Educational Research. Tübingen: Institute for Scientific Co-operation.
Breman, J. 1996. Footloose Labour: Working in India's Informal Economy. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Burckhardt, G. 1997. The Acquisition of Competencies by Women in the Urban Informal Sector in Rwanda. Education 55/56. Op. cit.
Colclough, C. 1997. Aid to Basic Education in Africa: Opportunities and Constraints. NORAD: Oslo.
Coleman, J. 1988. Social Capital in the Creation of Human Capital. American Journal of Sociology 94 (Suppl.): S95–120.
Có rvalan, O. V. 1997. Introduction. “Comments on the Reader on Education and Training for the Informal Sector”. Education 55/56. Op. cit.
Có rvalan, O. V. 1988. Trends in Technical-Vocational and Secondary Education in Latin America. International Journal of Educational Development 8: 73–98.
Crane, R. I. 1965. Technical Training and Economic Development in India before World War. In: C. A. Anderson and M. J. Bowman, eds., Education and Economic Development (142–166). Chicago: Aldine.
Dréze, J and Sen, A. 1989. Hunger and Public Action. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
Ducci, M. A. 1998. Training for Employability. In: Adult Learning and the Changing World of Work. Report of the Theme V of the Fifth International Conference on Adult Education. UNESCO Institute for Education, Hamburg in Co-operation with UNESCO's International Project on Technical and Vocational Education (UNEVOC) Berlin.
Fluitman, F. (ed.). 1989. Training for Work in the Informal Sector. Geneva: International Labour Office.
Foster, P. J. 1965. The Vocational School Fallacy in Development Planning. In: C. A. Anderson and M. J. Bowman, eds., Education and Economic Development (142–166), Chicago: Aldine.
Godfrey, M. 1997. Vocational Education and Training: Pressures for Reform. In: 618 International Training Centre of the ILO, Vocational Training and Lifelong Learning of Women. Turin: International Training Centre of the ILO.
Gupta, A. K. 1997. The Honey Bee Network: Linking Knowledge-rich Grassroots Innovations. Development 40(4): 36–40.
ILO. 1998. World Employment Report 1998– 1999 – Employability in the Global Economy: How Training Matters. Geneva: International Labour Office.
Jimenez, E, Kugler, B. and Horn, R. 1989. The National In-Service Training Systems in Latin America: An Ordered Probit Selection Model of Colombia's Servicio de Apprendizaje (SENA). Journal of Human Resources 22: 228–247.
Karcher, W. 1997. On the Significance of General Competence s in the Urban Informal Sector and Conditions for their Acquisition. Education 55/56. Op. cit.
Lawrence, J. 1998. Adult Education and Jobs, or Sustainable Livelihoods? In: Adult Learning and the Changing World of Work. Report of the Theme V of the Fifth International Conference on Adult Education. UNESCO Institute for Education, Hamburg in co-operation with UNESCO's International Project on Technical and Vocational Education (UNEVOC) Berlin.
Lenhart, V. 1997. Vocational Training for the Informal Sector: A Typology. Education 55/56. Op. cit.
Lohmar-Kuhnle, C. 1992. Occupation-oriented Training and Education for Target Groups from the Informal Sector. Bonn: Federal Ministry for Economic Co-operation.
Nathan, Christine. 1999. Vocational Learning for the Informal Sector. In: M. Singh, ed., Poverty Alleviation, Work and Adult Learning. Report of the UIE Roundtable held during the 2nd International Coangress on Vocational Education and Training, Seoul, Korea, 26– 30 April 1999. UNESCO Institute for Education, Hamburg.
National Council for Educational Research and Training (NCERT). 1990. Vocationalisation of Education: Achievements in the Seventh Five-Year Plan (1–419). Delhi: NCERT.
Northern Policy Research Review and Advisory Network on Education and Training (NORRAG). 1996. Issues and Implication from Sector Papers and Discussions on TVET and Skills development: Researcher and Agency Perspectives. NORRAG News (20): 35–47.
Sethuraman, S. V. 1976. Jakarta: Urban Development and Employment. Geneva: ILO.
Singh, M. 1996. Ñberlebenssicherung und Kompetenzerwerb im städtischen informellen Sektor in Indien: Untersucht am Beispiel von Kleinproduzenten in Neu-Delhi. Frankfurt/Main: IKO-Verlag für Interkulturelle Kommunikation.
Singh, M. 1997. Processes of Education and Training in the Context of Local – Selfhelp Organisations in the Informal Sector. Education 55/56. Op. cit.
Singh, M. 1998. School Enterprises: Combining Vocational Learning with Production. Berlin: UNEVOC B International Project on Technical and Vocational Education.
Specht, G. 1997. Economic Success Factors for Micro-Enterprises in the Informal Sector: Consequences for Management Training. Education 55/56. A Binannual Collection of Recent German Contributions to the Field of Educational Research.
UNDP. 1997. Human development Report 1997. New York: Oxford University Press, Table 1.
Watson, K. 1994. Technical and Vocational Education in Developing Countries: 619 Western Paradigms and Comparative Methodology. Comparative Education 30(2): 85–97.
World Bank. 1991. Vocational and Technical Education and Training: A World Bank Policy Paper. Washington DC: World Bank.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Singh, M. Combining Work and Learning in the Informal Economy: Implications for Education, Training and Skills Development. International Review of Education 46, 599–620 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1026570726324
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1026570726324