The African continent continues to face big challenges in expanding access to basic skills training, to increase employment opportunities, while at the same time providing remedial programmes for the growing numbers of learners who leave school with no qualifications.
This according to Minister of Higher Education, Innovation and Technology Dr Itah Kandji-Murangi, is a significant challenge, because all of this must be achieved whilst ensuring that education remains equitable, relevant and of good quality.
The minister was speaking here on Tuesday at the official opening of the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) conference taking place as part of the WorldSkills Africa Competition.
“Africa is a continent of contrasts and therefore policies that work in one country may not necessarily yield the same outcomes in a different politico-economic environment, equally, programmes that succeed in one culture may not succeed in another,” she expressed.
She added that as much as Africa’s goals and objectives are well formulated, mere recognition of the importance of TVET in national education and training policy frameworks and acknowledging its role as an impactful vehicle for acquiring employability skills, are not enough to support sustainable economic growth.
“As African countries, we must link our TVET reforms to clear and realistic national economic and human resource development goals that consider values, culture and rate of technology uptake, as well as the impact of globalisation on domestic skills development agendas,” Kandjii-Murangi stated.
African Union Commissioner for Education, Science, Technology and Innovation Professor Mohamed Belhocine at the same event noted that out of the 13 million African youths that enter the labour market each year, only three million get jobs.
“Additionally, it is only 33 per cent of the youth who are in wage employment, while the rest are underemployed or in vulnerable employment.”
The three-day conference aims to create a platform to share knowledge; transfer experiences; share best practices and set benchmarks.
It will further afford African policy makers, experts and industries a platform to engage and compare knowledge and skills in this sector.
It is taking place under the theme ‘Promoting Skills Development in the 21st Century for Sustainable Economic Growth and African Ownership’.