Awassa to host annual TVET meeting

The Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) system in Ethiopia is currently being reformed to develop a skilled workforce and enhance the country’s competitiveness. This will contribute to Ethiopia’s social development, improve the lives of individuals and substantially reduce poverty.

On the 12^th of January, 2007, a big step in this process was taken when the National TVET Strategy, implemented by the Engineering Capacity Building Program (ecbp) and the Ministry of Education (MoE), was approved by the Council of Ministers in Ethiopia. 

TVET is now in a new phase of implementation which shows the development of the ongoing reform and gives a major boost to achieving the planned goals. This topic will be widely discussed during the annual TVET consultative meeting in a three-day program which will be held in Awassa from the 22^nd to the 24^th of February, 2007. In this meeting, TVET representatives from Tigray, Afar, Amhara, Oromia, Gambella, Somali regions, Benshangul-Gumuz, Harari, Dire Dawa and Addis Ababa will come together to present and talk about the most important matters in the TVET agenda.

The Millennium Skill Competition will also be officially presented at this event. Following the success of the recent Ethio Skills’99 held last November, and as part of the new millennium activities, the next skills competition will take place in 2007. This event is part of TVET’s mission to encourage the reform, promoting skills among trainees and enhancing their capabilities to reach a higher degree of proficiency. Hence, achieving better prepared skilled workers will contribute to the development of industries as well as the economy.

“The Government of Ethiopia is presently undertaking a reform of the TVET sector to make training institutions, trainers and enterprises fit for the challenge of the world of work”, asserted Ato Wondwossen Kiflu, State Minister, Ministry of Education, who will be the facilitator of the event. A closing statement will be given at 12pm on the 24th of February, 2007, by Dr. Sintaheyu, ending the consultative meeting in Awassa.