PRIVATE-PUBLIC SECTOR PARTNERSHIP: A SYNERGY FOR DEVELOPING HOME ECONOMICS CLOTHING AND TEXTILE EDUCATION SKILLS

Abstract

Private-public sector partnership is needed to develop Home Economics clothing and textile education skills.  Clothing and textile require different equipment for proper skill acquisition.  The public sector cannot provide the required equipment alone hence the need for synergy between public and private sector.  Private sector have helped in so many ways to support the public sector by providing infrastructure to schools and communities, and giving other services like staff training and re-training. Modern skills can be acquired in schools in clothing and textile if private sector supports the public sector to provide similar equipment found in textile industry. A lot of job opportunities are created in textile industry. When students are taught clothing and textile in schools, they can fit in to such jobs. This will promote workplace experience for students. It was noted that the barrier to proper education in clothing and textile among others are; lack of facilities/modern equipment, students indifferent attitude. It was also noted that Private/public sector synergy should cut across different but mutually inclusive groups of stake holders like international and non-governmental organizations to assist the public sector. It was concluded that private and public sector partnership/synergy is the way to go as certain facilities cannot be provided by the government, but can be made available by the private sector.  It was also recommended among others that teachers of clothing and textile should acquaint themselves with modern trends in fashion and use of modern equipment, as these can help to promote clothing and textile education skills acquisition.