ADDIS ABABA – President Germany Frank-Walter Steinmeier confirmed his country’s commitment to support Ethiopia’s effort in realizing quality technical and vocational education and trainings (TVET). The President disclosed this yesterday while paying official visit to Federal Technical and Vocational Education and Training Institute.
In an exclusive interview with The Ethiopian Herald, President Frank-Walter said: “Germany has started this cooperation some years ago, and it will remain collaborative in this regard. The visit will mark the goodwill of Germany to share experiences and sustain its technical support to Ethiopia. Ethiopia is one of Germany’s development cooperation partners.
In 2017, Germany’s Development Ministry pledged a total of 215.6 million Euros to Ethiopia for period of 2018 to 2019. As to him, the development cooperation focuses on three priority areas: vocational education, agriculture and food security conservation and sustainable use of natural resources (biodiversity), among others.
Federal Technical and Vocational Education and Training Institute General Director Teshale Berecha for his part said that since recent years, Ethiopia has made enormous progress in the education sector in terms of accessing and delivering quality education. Germany is supporting Ethiopia to make its vocational trainings and higher education teaching more researchbased and practice-oriented.
Mentioning that Germany has been supporting the TVET sector for the past two decades, the General Director said that Germany is a benchmark country for Ethiopia in TVET sector, because it is one of world leading nation when it comes to technical and vocational training. “Following its growth, TVETs and industrial parks are expanding remarkably in Ethiopia.
So, we need to produce instructors who could equip trainees with hands on trainings and skilled workforces to speed up nation’s development plans. We hope, it could help increase productivity.” The cooperation has transformed the practical skill of instructors, as well to furnish workshops with standard equipments.
The Institute has been working in collaboration with the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and German Development Bank (KfW) to gain technical and financial support, he added.
The Ethiopian Herald January 30/ 2019
BY MENGISEAB TESHOME
