Young Crafters programme aims to train students in traditional crafts
The Ministry of Education, represented by the Directorate-General of Curriculum Development, in cooperation with the Scientific College of Design, is implementing the ‘Young Crafters’ programme.
The programme began last week and aims to train 30 students from Muscat Governorate for preserving the traditional Omani crafts by employing modern technology to produce various designs.
The Young Crafters programme is a vocational training project with the aim of providing students with technical skills that contribute to raising a generation proud of its cultural heritage as wells as contribute to the local and global market.
The programme aims to increase interest in crafts and traditional industries, and enable students to train their colleagues in the handicrafts.
The training includes a number of skills, such as metal shaping, pottery, ceramics, artistic works, graphic design, and photography.
The workshops are presented by professors specialised in the field of metals, pottery, artistic works, and graphic design from the Scientific College of Design.
Ahmed Al-Sabhani, a senior educational researcher at the Department of Citizenship, said: “The programme was organised in the form of interactive workshops, where students learn under the supervision of experienced trainers from the Scientific College of Design. On this basis, the programme was divided into two parts.
“The first part focuses on training students in learning the skill of graphic design using well-known programmes, namely Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator, in addition to learning the skill of advertising photography.The students were divided into two groups and alternated between the two workshops for two weeks.”
“The second part focuses on training each student in one of the following skills: Artistic works, metal shaping, ceramics making, and pottery and the students were divided into three groups according to the their inclinations and choices, with a focus on the numbers,” he added.
The Young Crafters programme aims to develop the cultural legacies of Omani crafts, enhance belonging and pride in national identity among school students, and keep pace with the directions of Oman Vision 2040, whose priorities include supporting citizens in various industries, and developing students’ skills to employ modern technology in craft industries, opening students’ horizons and expanding their awareness of entrepreneurship.