Here's how it works:
1. Forecasting Future Manpower Needs: This involves projecting future occupational needs based on economic forecasts, technological advancements, and anticipated societal changes. This might involve analyzing projected economic growth, identifying emerging industries, and estimating the number of workers needed in various occupations.
2. Determining Educational Requirements: Once the future manpower needs are projected, the next step is to determine the educational qualifications needed for each occupation. This involves analyzing the skill sets and knowledge required for each job and matching those requirements to specific educational programs and levels (e.g., primary, secondary, vocational, tertiary).
3. Estimating Student Enrollment Needs: Based on the educational requirements and the number of individuals needing those qualifications, the approach calculates the required number of students at each educational level. This involves considering factors like student attrition rates and the duration of each educational program.
4. Developing Educational Programs and Facilities: The final step involves using the enrollment projections to plan the expansion or development of educational institutions, curriculum design, teacher training, and resource allocation to meet the projected demand.
Limitations of the Manpower Requirement Approach:
Despite its apparent logic, the manpower requirement approach has several limitations:
* Oversimplification: It often simplifies a complex relationship between education, employment, and economic development. It doesn't always accurately account for factors like individual preferences, entrepreneurial activity, and the dynamic nature of the job market.
* Difficulty in Forecasting: Accurately forecasting future manpower needs is challenging, especially in rapidly changing economic environments. Technological advancements and unforeseen economic shifts can render projections inaccurate.
* Ignoring Social and Equity Issues: The approach can be criticized for its focus solely on meeting manpower needs, without adequately addressing issues of social equity, access to education for disadvantaged groups, or the development of a well-rounded individual beyond specific job skills.
* Rigid Approach: It may lead to a rigid educational system that is slow to adapt to changing societal needs and individual aspirations.
In summary, while the manpower requirement approach provides a useful framework for educational planning, it should not be used in isolation. It should be complemented by other approaches that consider broader social, economic, and individual factors to ensure a more holistic and equitable educational system. More modern approaches often combine manpower requirements with analyses of individual aspirations and social needs.