Measuring Lecturers, Trainers, and Students’ Perception towards the Quality of Teaching and Learning at the Department of Manufacturing Engineering Technology, College of Technological Studies, Kuwait

The significance of technical and vocational education in improving students’ expertise, competencies, and dispositions is widely acknowledged by prominent academic scholars, observers, and reputable academic institutions. Developing countries like Kuwait see technical and vocational education as the best way to tackle the shortage of locally qualified and semi-skilled workers who can effectively handle, maintain, and adjust foreign technology to meet local requirements. However, the success or failure of technical and vocational education in reaching its goals hinges entirely on the quality of instruction and learning that would equip students with the required information, abilities, and outlooks demanded by relevant industries. In addition to preparing students for the workforce, technical and vocational education also aims to lessen the dependence on expatriates, as in the case of Kuwait. This research seeks to identify and examine the perceptions of lecturers, trainers, and students at the Department of Manufacturing Engineering Technology, DMET regarding the quality of teaching and learning, in addition to examining whether lecturers and trainers consider the fundamental skills required by industry in their classes and workshops. The study also measures the degree of industrial involvement in formulating vocational and technical curricula, upgrading workshops, and participating in the teaching and learning process at the DMET. The research consisted of a review of relevant literature and the design, testing, and implementation of a questionnaire for selected lecturers, trainers, and students at the DMET. The research concluded that lecturers and trainers cannot work within a “black box,” but rather must forge a strong collaboration with local industry in order to produce graduates with the required knowledge, skills, and attitudes most needed by related industries. Otherwise, industries in Kuwait will continue to rely heavily on expatriates for the foreseeable future. Received: 22 September 2025 / Accepted: 17 December 2025 / Published: January 2026

Economic shortage · Perception · Vocational education · Higher Education and Employability · Teacher Education and Assessments · Vocational Education and Training