The history of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in Ethiopia had not been out of the normal academic education. Ethiopia has long merged both the academic and skill sector which results in leaving learners in the limbo as they have no a clear chance to decide their fate due to the fact that there are ambiguity to choose their soul interest.
Before decades the government reshuffled the education system making discrepancy between the academic and technical education. Then after, there have been glittering successes registered in the sector.
Considerable numbers of students have graduated from technical and vocational schools and began to serve their country at various capacities. Recently, due to mobility and influx of people in the East Africa region, Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania ink an accord to work together on TVET.
The three East African Countries signed agreement to contribute in the harmonization of TEVT educations systems at continental level beyond East Africa within the ambit of African Continental Qualifications Framework.
The participating countries come together and agree to work towards the mutually recognized qualifications to achieve the intended results and meet the ultimate project development objectives on skill development.
During the opening session of high level work shop to adopt the East African Qualification Framework for Technical and Vocational Education and Training, Deputy Executive Secretary Inter University Council for East Africa, Prof. Mike Kuria said that the agreement ensures mobility of TVET learners and professionals and make mutual recognition of qualifications a reality.
He also conveyed his message to take the opportunity to wish all of East Africa a fruitful deliberation and looking forward to the final adoption of the East African Qualifications Framework for TVET.
“When we began this process to harmonise TVET qualifications for Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania at a meeting in Nairobi, Kenya in March 2020, it appeared to be a long and difficult journey. I remember that moment; it was during this time that the first COVID-19 case was discovered in Kenya. I would like to thank all members of the Technical Working Group and the consultant, Cadena International Development Projects, for the efforts you have put in ensuring that we have the Draft Framework,” the professor remarked.
The national technical committee of the three countries have applauded the World Bank for its financial support, through the EASTRIP Project, to make this process a success.
They also would like to thank the EASTRIP Team together with their colleagues at Inter University Council of East Africa (IUCEA) for the tireless effort to ensure that the integration reach this far.
“As we enter the final discussions and possibly the adoption of the East African Qualifications Framework for TVET, I would like to remind you that the most difficult work is beginning now,” he said.
Assegid Getachew, Representative of Federal Government of Ethiopia and a State Minister of Labour and Skills, on his part said that it requires stronger institutional collaboration and coordination amongst all parties concerned at all levels. “I would like to add my utmost assurance that the Ministry is fully prioritizing and supporting the implementation of EASTRIP,” The State Minister said.
This project will have quite a lot of benefits, including exploiting economies of scale to lower costs of training for individual countries on specialized and industry certified training programs; facilitating mobility of technology and skilled labor; promoting peer learning among countries and institutions and sharing good policies and practices, along with targeting employment toward regional economic corridors such as the Northern and Central Corridor Initiatives and other mega infrastructure projects in the region.
Following the meeting of Ministers of the three countries with the EASTRIP family during the Mid Term Review of the project earlier this year, national coordinators and members have taken on the assignment of expediting implementation and solving bottle necks. I would like to thank the World Bank in their continued support thus far in the restructuring processes we are undergoing within EASTRIP.
I would also like to caution that although we have reached a great milestone in the EASTRIP project, the real and hard work begins now. The implementation of validated Frameworks, Approved Guidelines and the Construction of the Center of Excellences; including the construction of the Education Quality Assurance Agency will prove the success of the project .
It requires stronger institutional collaboration and coordination amongst all parties concerned at all levels. I would like to add my utmost assurance that the Ministry is fully prioritizing and supporting the implementation of EASTRIP.
Dr. Margaret W. Mwakima Principal Secretary State Department for Vocational and Technical Training on her part said the East Africa Skills for Transformation and Regional Integration Project (EASTRIP) is a multilateral project whose short-term impact is being felt across Sub-Saharan Africa, but its long-term impact is global.
The development of training programmes and commencement of infrastructural development in each country has achieved the skills for transformation component of the EASTRIP project. However, the regional integration intervention remains a challenge as was underscored during the project midterm review held from November 2021 through to February 2022 in the three participating Countries.
It is important that the three participating countries come together and agree to work towards the mutually recognized qualifications. This will achieve the intended results and meet the ultimate project development objectives; the strategies for regional staff and students exchange and enrolment, discussions with our Institutions to be candid, innovative and focused on good practises. The institutions should inform the conference of mitigation measures on the challenges they have experienced.
A number of discussions, involving a several key stakeholders in the TVET sector, have since taken place to come up with the current draft East African Qualifications Framework for TVET. On a number of occasions, the other EAC Partner States that included Burundi, Rwanda, South Sudan and Uganda were also invited to participate in the discussions, from which their inputs enriched the process of harmonisation under EASTRIP. All this was done amidst challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.
That the policy makers ensure the wheels of policy making do not grind so slowly as to make the great ideas obsolete before they are implemented. I am glad to note that this is a high-level workshop involving top policy makers from the ministries responsible for education and implementing TVET agencies.
“I would like to urge you to undertake the necessary steps and initiate policy reforms, where necessary, to ensure successful implementation of the East African Qualifications Framework for TVET,” Dr. Margaret.
That those of us in institutions of higher learning and regional bodies such as IUCEA remember this document can be used as a reference and QA instrument of which use does not have to move at the same pace as policy TVET Qualifications Framework making. I believe no agency will censor us for going beyond recommended minimums.
The East Africa Skills for Transformation and Regional Integration Project (EASTRIP) is a multilateral project whose short-term impact is being felt across Sub-Saharan Africa, but its long-term impact is global.
The development of training programmes and commencement of infrastructural development in each country has achieved the skills for transformation component of the EASTRIP project. However, the regional integration interventions remains a challenge as was underscored during the project midterm review held from November 2021 through to February 2022 in the three participating Countries.
Federal Technical and Vocational Education and Training Institute (FTVETI) were established in 2011 by The Council of Ministers Proclamation 245/2011 to produce highly professional and technically efficient TVET teachers and leaders. The driving force for establishing FTVETI, among other things, was that there were no institution to train competent and sufficient technical and vocational teachers and leaders based on the outcome based system and occupational standards.
At the time of its inception, the institute ran degree programs in 5 occupational sectors namely: automotive, construction, electronics/electrical, information and communication technology and manufacturing technology, and two years later railways and surveying technology departments were opened. Those programs embraced ten specializations, namely, Automotive, Building, Road, Water, ICT, Electrical and Control, Electronics and Communications, Manufacturing, Rolling Stock and Surveying.
BY LAKACHEW ATINAFU
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD FRIDAY 27 MAY 2022
