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NN38, February 2007

Technical and Vocational Skills Development

EXPANDING ACCESS TO VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND SKILLS DEVELOPMENT IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA (SSA)

By David Levesque, DFID, London

Keywords
Post-primary education and training, DFID, TVET expansion, 10 year plans in SSA

Summary
Evidence shows that success in getting more children into primary school leads to increased demand for post-primary education and training. This article provides a quick outline of the comprehensive sector wide education plans for 2015 for seventeen countries in SSA.

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In Abuja, on 21-22nd May 2006, 22 African countries committed themselves to preparing comprehensive and costed ten year plans to meet the Millennium Development Goals for education. Ten year plans provide an opportunity to address the key issues that currently undermine progress and to think creatively about how key constraints would be addressed if long term financing were available. The plans are made on the basis of commitments made by the G8 at Gleneagles in 2005 and other pledges by the international community to increase development assistance. The UK has pledged £8.5 billion for education over the next ten years. Commitment to this long-term planning process was reaffirmed at the IMF/World Bank annual meetings in Singapore in September 2006.

Most of these plans embrace a wider programme than basic education. Evidence shows that success in getting more children into primary school leads to increased demand for secondary education. More attention is being given to diversified approaches to education which includes vocational and skills development. Seventeen countries in SSA have presented draft comprehensive sector-wide education plans for 2015. Country examples of the expansion of vocational education and skills include:

Ethiopia: Increase in admissions to technical and vocational education from 94,592 (2005) to 312,826 (2010) and 624,095 by 2015. New standards and programmes for technical and vocational education.
Gambia: 50% increase in the number of technical and vocational education institutions. Revised standards and programmes for technical and vocational education.
Ghana: 50% increase in the number of technical and vocational education institutions.
Kenya: improving technical and vocational training, tertiary education and adult literacy.
Malawi: Optimising private sector participation in basic education and in technical and vocational training.
Mauritania: an offer of opportunities for skills training adapted to labour market needs.
Mozambique: increasing participation in secondary and technical and vocational education.
Namibia: Doubling of enrolments in technical and vocational education by 2011.
Rwanda: 50% increase in the number of technical and vocational education institutions.
Senegal: Second priority is vocational and technical education in order to have a qualified and skilled labour force.
Tanzania: 30,000 full time and 35,000 part time and distance learning students in technical and higher education, by 2008.
Uganda: New technical/vocational qualifications framework.
Sierra Leone: more private investment in education at all levels and more direct links between education and employment.

DFID has in 2006 outlined its approach to post-primary education in a briefing paper, entitled The importance of secondary, vocational and higher education to development available from www.dfid.gov.uk/pubs/files/post-primary.pdf

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