Initial situation / Problem
The education sector is of central importance for the Ethiopian government's Growth and Transformation Plan II. It is important to advance the country's economic development and create prospects for the rapidly growing population. In the last two decades, the funds have been invested in extensive structural measures that have led to the construction of universities and vocational schools throughout the country. Ethiopia now has 39 universities, compared with only two in the early 1990s. Between 2011 and 2015, the number of vocational schools almost doubled to more than 900.
The expansion of the education system opens the door to young people, but is also a challenging undertaking: To date, teachers have often not been sufficiently qualified, quality standards are inadequate or non-existent, and the courses have no practical relevance. As a result, graduates of vocational schools and universities often do not meet the requirements of Ethiopia's burgeoning economy. The Federal Agency for Vocational Education and Training, the regional vocational education and training agencies, higher education relevance and quality, the Education Strategy Centre and the Ministry of Education are responsible for designing educational reforms that promote quality and labour market relevance. It is of fundamental importance that they work in a coordinated and effective manner.
Project objectives
The aim of the project is to improve the quality of vocational and academic education and training in Ethiopia. Furthermore, the qualification services of the vocational training system should meet the requirements of the labour market and the actors of the higher education system should be in a position to ensure qualitative higher education. sequa has explicitly set itself the goal of reconciling national vocational training policy with the interests of the organised private sector and bridging the gap between the public and private sectors in Ethiopia.
The approach
The project works on both institutional and personnel levels and consists of two components, one focused on vocational education and training and the other on higher education. sequa was commissioned by the GIZ to implement outputs 2 and 4 of the components listed below.
Vocational training
1. Introduction of cooperative vocational training:
Ethiopia's long-term goal is to establish a cooperative vocational training system and to closely involve companies in the training process. About 70 percent of the course content is to be taught in companies and 30 percent in vocational schools. The project helps the partner to create the legal framework required for this agreement. In addition, selected vocational schools will be supported in involving companies more closely in their training measures.
2. Improvement of training profiles and assessment procedures:
The training profiles and assessment procedures will be revised in order to adapt them to the labour requirements of the economy. Practical relevance is the buzzword and forms the basis for high-quality vocational training that meets the needs of companies.
3. Capacity building of vocational training institutions:
The project supports high-quality training of teaching staff at vocational schools, for example at the national vocational training teacher training institution.
4. Capacity building in micro and small enterprises:
Part of the task of the vocational schools in Ethiopia is to promote the business activities of micro and small enterprises. The project helps the vocational schools to do this demand-oriented. This contributes to the market success of micro and very small enterprises and creates employment opportunities.
Impact:
The project has helped to improve pupils' career prospects by developing and revising professional standards and assessment tools in cooperation with the Ethiopian industry. Furthermore, sector expansion services have been strengthened and vocational training institutions have been supported in their role as providers of practical training for micro and small enterprises.
