The African Union Commission in partnership with the USAID-funded project, FHI 360’s African Union Partnership (AUP), is hosting an Inaugural Continental Technical Vocational Education Training (TVET) Expert Working Group Meeting from 21 to 23 September 2015. The experts are meeting to assist the AUC in the evaluation of the applications that were received when a call for a competition was made to uncover the 20 most promising models in TVET for the 21st century from the 5 AU regions. The selected model centres will serve as examples of best practice of TVET in Africa in order to provide examples and learning models for enhancing TVET development in Africa. An exhibition of the winning TVET centres will take place during the Specialised Technical Committee (STC) on Education and Science and Technology meeting from the 28th to the 30th of October 2015.
In his opening statement, the Acting Director of Human Resources, Science and Technology, Dr Mahama Ouedraogo said that the commission is committed to addressing the challenges in TVET sector to ensure that the TVET strategy responds to the labour market needs of the continent and beyond as envisaged in Agenda 2063. He added that to ensure a coordinated implementation of the strategy, it is important to have a team of experts to guide Member States in the formulation of national TVET policies, establishment of training coordination structures and implementation bodies that will be able to manage the TVET policy.
The ultimate goal of the Working Group is to contribute to a think-tank to help Member States and Regional Economic Communities (RECs) design and implement effective, ambitious, and innovative TVE.