By Joe Ombuor in Abidjan
African Governments must adopt policies that promote demand-driven and employer-oriented systems.
Education Minister Sam Ongeri said no country could advance in the modern world without sound Technical and Vocational Skills Development (TVSD).
The minister’s remarks were contained in a speech read on his behalf yesterday by Education PS James ole Kiyiapi at the ongoing conference of the Inter-Country Quality Node (ICQN) on technical and vocational skills development in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire.
He called on policy makers to develop strategies that would mobilise private sector resourcing to fill the demand gap, adding that demand-oriented partnerships were critical in reforming technical and vocational skills development. "TVSD systems ought to be rooted in comprehensive education systems that must pursue integrated interventions between the labour market and private sector involvement," he advised.
The minister said knowledge, skills and attitude were integral components of competency-based education fundamentals in today’s world, realities that technical and vocational skills development approach to learning encompassed.
"Qualification must reflect and match competence and learning outcomes that cope with the skilled dispersed market," he stressed.
Self-reliance
Prof Ongeri, who is the Co-Chair of the Association for the Development of Education in Africa, said Africa was undergoing a renaissance, hence the need for partnership and collaboration in producing skilled manpower exemplified by ICQN.
Prof Kiyiapi said technical, industrial, vocational and entrepreneural training (TVET) was covered under various Government ministries and State Corporations.
"TVET has enabled community management institutes provide post-secondary school technical training for individual self reliance," he said.
