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Thematic Coordinators : George Afeti

Ayele Adubra

Sub-Theme 2Lifelong technical and vocational skills development

for sustainable socio-economic growth in Africa

• Critical role of TVET in skills acquisition and economic development reaffirmed at 2008 Biennale in Maputo

• OECD, AfDB, UNESCO, ILO, etc. have identified TVET as key response to the challenge of training a skilled and globally competitive workforce

• TVET one of the key pillars of AU Plan of Action for the 2nd Decade of Education

• AU and RECs have adopted policy frameworks for promoting TVET• Many countries now have policies and strategies to strengthen their

TVET delivery systems.• Key issue: How can TVET help reduce unemployment and drive

socioeconomic growth?

Introduction

The reality in figures

In Africa,• Out of a total 200 Million young people, 95 Million are illiterate

or unskilled and either unemployed or in very low-paid jobs• Every year, between 7-10 million new job seekers arrive in the

labor market• In some countries, young people take up to five years after

graduation before finding a job• Informal sector (which includes micro and small enterprises)

accounts for 80% of total employment• TVET is four times more expensive to deliver than General

Education at the same level

• Paradigm shift recommended in Maputo• TVET is associated with formal school system• Non formal, informal training sectors only marginally

linked to formal sector• TVSD acknowledges diversity of provision and training

pathways• TVSD non-discriminatory with regard to age, status, type

of learning environment• TVSD recognizes skills acquired from different learning and

work situations.

From TVET to TVSD - 1

From TVET to TVSD - 2

• Hence TVSD is holistic and inclusive• TVSD also addresses issues relating to transition from

school/training to work and on-the-job skills acquisition• TVSD takes into account life long learning imperatives:

up-skilling, re-skilling, multi-skilling• Which are key to workforce development and upgrading

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Main challenges and issues in TVSD - 1

• Policy and Governance: effective management and coherence of training provision; multi-stakeholder partnerships; innovative and sustainable financing

• Quality and quality assurance: well-trained managers and instructors; training equipment and tools including ICT; competent master crafts persons

• Relevance and employability: smooth transition from school to work (curriculum reforms; labor market information systems, tracer studies, entrepreneurship skills...)

Main challenges and issues in TVSD - 2• Assessment and certification: validation of skills acquired from different

learning environments (national qualifications frameworks, recognition of

prior learning, involvement of industry and employers in assessment)

• Skills development in the non-formal and informal sectors: reform of

traditional apprenticeship and skills provision in the agric sector

• Access and attractiveness: inclusion and greater participation of

vulnerable groups; gender equity; and better image of TVSD

• Total number of submissions: 30

• Contributions from countries: 16

• Contribution from Agencies/NGOs/CSOs: 12

• Regional Economic Communities (RECs): 2

Typology of contributions received for the Triennale

• Policy and Governance of TVSD systems: coordinated and integrated approach to skills development

• Multi-stakeholder partnerships: PPP in TVSD management and delivery

• Access, participation and equity: girls, post-conflict, informal sector

• Quality, relevance and employability: Trainers, ICT, LMIS, economic growth sectors, training in the agricultural sector, research in TVSD

• Assessment, validation and certification: NQF (development, relevance to LLL); RPL

• Regional cooperation (SADC, ECOWAS)

Issues covered in the contributions

Main findings from analytical work - 1

• Many African countries are at various stages of formulating or implementing TVSD policy reforms

• Increasing awareness of need for an integrated TVSD system: formal, non formal, coordinated governance, multi-stakeholder partnerships

• Better collaboration among donor agencies, NGOs, and governments in training policy formulation and implementation

• Privately owned institutions dominate in the provision of TVSD in terms of numbers and enrolments

• General tendency towards adoption of competency based training (CBT) methodology in the curriculum

Main findings from analytical work - 2

• Attempts at integrating ICT into TVSD delivery• Not much resources devoted to training of trainers,

master crafts persons, and professional development of trainers and system managers

• Inadequate infrastructure (training equipment) and provision of training materials

• Inadequate internal quality assurance mechanisms• Rural areas underserved in the provision of TVSD• Low enrolments in TVSD compared to general education• Reform of traditional apprenticeship in some countries

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Main findings from analytical work - 3

• Female participation in male dominated occupations still low• Increasing awareness of need to match training to labor

market requirements• Development of NQF top of TVSD agenda in many countries to

support LLL and workforce upgrading• Not much evidence of innovative and sustainable financing

models of TVSD• Promising initiatives with regard to inter-country and regional

cooperation in TVSD: resource mobilization, expertise and experience sharing .....

• Availability of skills not enough for economic growth: Investment in modern production systems equally important

• Acquisition of skills does not necessarily lead to employment: National economic, trade and industrialization policies do impact on employment

• TVSD policy reforms must be rooted in national economic and human resource development strategies: private sector growth; women empowerment, ...?

• Policies and strategies are required to modernize informal sector for greater productivity

Outstanding policy issues & key messages - 1

Outstanding policy issues & key messages - 2

• Promote provision of skills for rural development and use of technology in the agric. sector (agro- processing, irrigation, farm mechanization,....)

• Strengthen high level TVSD to support modern production systems and economic transformation: Promote postsecondary polytechnic-type education and training!

• Good basic education and basic core skills equally important for TVSD: TVSD for all!

• Systematic country-level TVSD research necessary to support policy, strategy and action

Thank You

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