text: 24. Vocational schools are a major alternative for those who fail to gain admission to secondary schools or teacher training colleges. But there are simply not enough vocational schools either, and their curricula are not as well regulated as those for secondary education. They cover just about every trade, but unfortunately, their expansion has not been systematically re­ lated to job openings or priority productive areas. There is a need for machinery which will encourage and guide public or private initiatives to provide vocational training that is relevant, useful and suited to local needs and conditions. 25. Africa is still very short of technicians of all kinds. But technical schools are expensive to set up and maintain. The apprenticeship system can be upgraded and encouraged as a viable alternative. Many government departments and large private or-. ganizations have their own training centres and programmes for upgrading their staff. These in-service or departmental training centres have more flexibility in their operations and can exer­ cise initiative more easily in curriculum changes and personnel selection than the formal institutions of education. This is a factor that must be borne in mind when educational reforms for skill training are being considered. Too often changes in the formal educatinal system seem to peter out after a few years, principally because their orientation is towards general training in a particular field and not specifically geared towards problem solving for particular job situations. 26. Apart from the formal schools, there are a number of infor­ mal avenues for providing people with literacy skills. Many programmes for teaching adult literacy have been mounted by Governments and private organizations. The potential that such programmes have for correcting the sharp dichotomies between the literate and illiterate members of the community are well known 
analysis: The text primarily focuses on the issues and challenges related to vocational training, education, and skill development in Africa. It highlights the need for relevant and useful training that is suited to local needs and conditions, and the importance of considering in-service training and apprenticeships as viable alternatives to formal education. The text also touches on the issue of literacy skills and the potential of informal programs to correct the dichotomy between the literate and illiterate members of the community.