CHALLENGES EMERGED WHILE PROVIDING VOCATIONAL SKILL TRAINING AND JOB OPPORTUNITIES FOR PERSONS WITH VISUAL IMPAIRMENT (PWVI) IN IBB, YEMEN

This study was conducted to find out the challenges emerged in providing vocational skill training and job opportunities for persons with visual impairment (PWVI) in Ibb, Yemen. It employed a survey design. 45 stakeholders were selected purposively as a sample for this current study, working in Alayn rehabilitation center of PWVI and Ibb University. Data were collected using a questionnaire prepared by the researchers consists of 29 items. A split-half reliability and experts validation was conducted. A quantitative analysis has done using Chi-Square Test. Findings showed that Chi-Square values were significant in most of the questionnaire items. Hence, the major challenges were AT access, lack of funds, absence of proper vocational guidance, weakness of PWVI in Life skills including O&M, absence of opportunities to prove self on job, absence of cooperation among organizations & agencies, transportation problems, the consequences of current civil war, absence of early intervention programs, gap among theory, practice, training and employment condition as well as the discrimination against PWVI. The main reasons are: vocational rehabilitation programs of PWVI are newly started in Yemen without any research base planning associated with absence of vocational education in pre-service and in-service teacher education programs in Yemen. Simultaneously, the strong correlation among these factors -items- associated with the war makes them significantly effective.