In line with its theme of “Building Partnerships for the Promotion of TVET for Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Youth Employment in Africa,” the 2019 CAPA international conference is loaded with activities. The conference, which is taking place in Kigali Rwanda is aimed at publicising the importance of Vocational Education and Training (TVET) training, across the continent. According to the Kenya Association of Technical Training Institutions (KATTI), National Chairperson and Chief Principal, Nairobi Technical Training Institute Mrs. Glory Mutungi, there is need to recognize TVET graduates in every country on the continent.
“As KATTI we share the same vision with Commonwealth Association of Technical Universities and Polytechnics in Africa (CAPA), and this is to make the world understand the role of TVET in development agendas in Africa,” she said. She explained that TVET is more of competence –based hence is key in realizing industrial growth in the continent.
In the Nairobi Technical Training Institute, for instance, the institution has partnered with Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH (GIZ) as well as motor vehicle industry players in a bid to equip its students with quality skills under the automotive mechatronics course. According to Mrs. Mutungi the role of CAPA is to push for the harmonization of qualifications in African countries as a key in reducing the skills deficit.
“The role of the conference is therefore to incorporate other countries in Africa in bringing to the limelight the various youth innovations as well as provide a platform for them to learn from each other and get recognised by industry players,” she said. Mutungi adds that KATTI and CAPA share a similar goals; and this is to enhance collaborations between industry and institutions and production of qualified trainees into the industry as well as equip trainers to impart knowledge to trainees.
During the conference various stakeholders will underscore their roles in improving the state of the TVET in the continent, in this enterprise will play the primary role in setting skills standards. The government plays a primary role in directly managing the delivery of core social services such as health education, social welfare and access programs. As governments downsize, they may look for multiple suppliers and providers of services in areas in which partnership participation is possible.
As part of fulfilling its mandate, CAPA through its Executive Board and partners will bring together the student leadership in TVET from its over 200 member institutions in Africa, through the second African Forum for Youth in TVET. These youth leaders shall get a platform to exchange ideas on how TVET skills could be innovatively deployed to create wealth and employment and solve other contemporary challenges facing young people in the continent.
Africa has the youngest population in the world with over 75 percent being below the age of 35. According to the World Bank, each year an additional five million turn 15; while over half-a-million join the job-seeking group. However, much of the economies are not generating employment or even entrepreneurship opportunities to cater for these numbers of youth let alone the adult population. On the other hand, the economic growth in much of Africa in the last two decades has raised a young population’s expectations of good jobs without greatly expanding the capacity to deliver them. These are the conditions that make social protest and political instability likely. The implications and consequences are widespread. These include the desperate e orts to migrate witnessed within and beyond the continent.
“The Kigali August 2019 forum o ers a voice to the youth themselves on how their concerns can be best addressed by policy makers and TVET institutional managers. Participants are expected to majorly come from the well-integrated mix of CAPA member institutions ranging from TVET colleges, technical training institutes, colleges of technology, polytechnics and universities of technology,” Statement from CAPA Secretariat
Data shows that in developing countries,of the young people who are in the labour force, more than 150 million live in extreme poverty, the result of low- skills. They often lack good quality primary education that would open the door to TVET and better jobs. The conference will also see the release of new fi gures on the situation of youth unemployment in CAPA’s 2012th edition of the Global Employment Trends for Youth.
