Tunis — How to leverage middle-level technical education and vocational training systems in Africa to foster economic growth on the continent within the context of a rapidly evolving global economy is the core of a training workshop scheduled to take place from 28-30 November in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, under the aegis of the African Development Bank (AfDB) Group, the international organization of French-speaking countries and governments (OIF) and the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU).
The workshop which will be held on the theme, "Stimulating Economic Growth in Africa: Catering to Intermediate-Level Skills Gap. The role of technical and vocational training", will bring together about 60 participants and representatives of 15 development institutions working in the domain. These include decision-makers and administrators of national technical and vocational training systems (directors of ministries and/or agencies), teachers and researchers, representatives of private sector employers' associations and trade unions, non-governmental organizations and TVET financing structures as well as experts, economists and consultants of bilateral and multilateral development agencies.
The gathering will provide an avenue for taking stock of technical education and vocational training policies and practices in Africa, sharing African and international experiences, and identifying best African practices in the sub-sector.
The workshop will revolve around plenary sessions and breakout working sub-groups focusing on:
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* The TVET Situation in Africa with regards to relevance of training programs, relation between programs and employment, qualification of teachers, quality of equipment and infrastructure and low-financing. The workshop will also look at the changing labor market needs including information on the labor market, needs related to globalization and current economic activities.
* A Review of Best Practices will consider policy framework and institutional changes, supply and financing policies as well as governance policies.
* Elements of the TVET Strategy will feature discussions on TVET priority areas such as quality and employability of trainees, training of teachers and managers; TVET financing; better access to TVET, including the promotion of girls' participation; strengthening public-private partnership (innovation, technology transfer, etc.); TVET contribution to economic growth; and creating TVET regional network (expert mobility, brain drain reduction).
Opening statements will be made by the AfDB's Vice President for Sector Operations, Zeinab El Bakri, Burkina Faso Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Joseph Paré, the representative of the OIF Secretary General, as well as the President of the WAEMU Commission, Soumaïla Cisse.
The workshop is a follow-up to discussions between the AfDB and the OIF held 2-3 May 2007 in Tunis, which underscored the convergence of their strategies and cooperation in the area of technical education and vocational training, among others.
