ADDIS ABABA – Participants of the 2nd International Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Conference emphasized the central position of TVET for sound economic transformation.
Opening the conference on Monday, Ministry of Science and Higher Education, Professor Hirut Woldemariam said having a strong TVET is an assurance towards a strong economy.
“Those countries who capitalized their resources on TVET are able to overcome economic crisis. This is a good indication to Ethiopia and other countries to exert their effort on TVET.”
The nation needs an economy supported by technology and TVET should play a key role in this regard, she added.
According to her, having morally responsible youth that value TVET will help the nation to have a stable economic system that cannot be shaken by economic crisis.
“TVET is not something theoretical. It is more practical. It needs more training and skill. The problem in our country is we lack more workshops and a strong chain with industries,” she said. “Industry-TVET linkage must be strong. The industry has to take ownership of producing skilled manpower that can be used as input for the economy. However, it is not functioned the way it was planned.”
GIZ, Sustainable Training and Education Program Manager, Nicola Demme, said, the private sector, the public institutions, and others have to join hands for the success of TVET.
She also said, the more private sectors are engaged in the area the more TVETs will become demand-driven and the quality issue will get a solution.
Germany has been supporting the Ethiopian government in establishing a TVET system for the last two decades and fruitful results are witnessed.
The objective of the conference is to discuss ways of using TVET a means to transfer the economy to a better level. During the conference, stakeholders would share experience and ways of tapping TVET for the economy.
The Ethiopian Herald August 1/2019
BY LEULSEGED WORKU
