Address by Irina Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO International Congress on TVET Transforming TVET: Building Skills for Work and Life

Transcription

1 Address by Irina Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO International Congress on TVET Transforming TVET: Building Skills for Work and Life Shanghai May 2012 Her Excellency Ms Liu Yandong, State Councillor, His Excellency Mr Yuan Guiren, Minister of Education, His Excellency, Mr Wan Gang, Minister of Science and Technology, Excellencies, Ministers, The Honourable Mr Han Zhen, Mayor of Shanghai Jianhong Dong, Ladies and Gentlemen, It is an honour to participate in the opening of the 3rd International Congress on Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) on the theme of Transforming TVET Building Skills for Work and Life. I wish to thank the Government of the People s Republic of China for their leadership. I thank also the Chinese National Commission to UNESCO and the authorities of the Shanghai region for their commitment and hard work. It is fitting for this Congress to be organised in China. This country is generating deep change across all phases of education and training, including work-based and institution-based TVET, as part of a wide human resources development strategy. TVET has been at the heart of education in this country since the system was launched in DG/2012/075 Original: English

2 This International Congress today is the fruit of partnership. I wish to express my gratitude to all partners who joined forces with UNESCO the International Labour Organization, the European Training Foundation, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, the World Health Organization, the African Development Bank, as well as such private sector partners as Microsoft, and many more. We need such wide alliances to tackle global challenges. Change is racing across the world. Societies are demanding new opportunities to rise out of poverty, to overcome economic and social vulnerabilities and inequality. Millions of young women and men are calling out for better skills to participate in their societies and economies. Employers in all sectors are looking for employees who are adaptable and continually learning. Technical and vocational education and training lies at the heart of all of this. TVET is about opportunities. It is about making the most of the capacities of every woman and man. It is also about rights, about the dignity of every person and their potential for selfrealisation. The stakes are especially high for young people. Their integration into the world of work raises challenges for all societies. The global economic crisis is exacerbating the situation. DG/2012/075 - Page 2

3 In these circumstances, we have gathered to address a single, fundamental question how can we transform TVET, to make the most of its potential to stimulate innovation and bolster vibrant societies? This question is relevant for all countries, at all levels of development. Every society must answer the question in ways that are meaningful to its needs. TVET cannot remain on the margins of national policy. Tinkering is not enough. Transforming TVET requires transformed national skills strategies. It calls for high-quality, lifelong, and innovative TVET. We must provide labour markets with what they want. We must provide societies with what they need. And we must help individuals reach their aspirations. We are making progress. The importance of TVET is recognized by all Governments. Developing and developed countries are seeking new ways to develop skills, to reduce poverty, to sharpen productivity, to advance social prosperity. However, still too few people benefit today from TVET learning of any kind. TVET remains marginal in many national policies. UNESCO s position is clear. TVET is essential for national development it is vital for human development. This is the message of this 3rd International Congress. DG/2012/075 - Page 3

4 TVET can make a difference to individuals, economies and societies if we move beyond the limits of current approaches, if we embed TVET into a strong wider context, if we sharpen the impact of education and training for all members of society. We need a 21st century TVET. A TVET for knowledge societies. We have seen success in countries, where Governments have married political will and strong policy contexts for strategies adapted to local needs and including all relevant partners. A good example of the partnerships needed for TVET is the Shanghai Highland of Talent initiative that has supported bottom-up city-wide skills development. We have seen progress where qualifications systems are reformed and teacher training improved. We have seen positive steps, when countries have made TVET attractive, when they have strengthened work-place learning and introduced flexible pathways between all education levels, developing career guidance and counselling. There has been strong movement forward, when Governments have targeted TVET to combat disadvantage and discrimination, to overcome barriers to entry and progression in the world of work, especially for girls and women. The Jovenes programme in Latin America showcases the power of such policies. Strong TVET needs strong policy contexts. It needs comprehensive and inclusive national skills strategies. A transformed TVET must go beyond job-specific skills to equip youth and adults with the knowledge, tools and attitudes for work and life. A transformed TVET cannot just be for some it must happen in multiple settings and be accessible to all women and men. DG/2012/075 - Page 4

5 Transforming TVET is necessary for smart growth.it is essential for green growth. It is the path to build new patterns of sustainable development. This calls national ownership of TVET strategies, underpinned by broad partnerships with all stakeholders. This will support women and men in learning throughout life. It will back their aspirations for employment and self-realisation. It will respond to the wants of economies while answering the needs of societies and individuals, today and in the future. Ladies and Gentlemen, Technical and vocational education and training is a UNESCO priority. The Organization is guided by a TVET Strategy ( ) that has three lines of action. First, to provide upstream policy advice and capacity development. Second, to clarify skills development and improve monitoring. Third, to inform the global TVET debate. We take these goals forward at the national level. We are supporting TVET reforms in Malawi, in Cote d Ivoire, in Benin, in Afghanistan and other countries. Our Capacity-Building for Education for All programme provides a multi-donor framework to this work. We act also at the regional level. DG/2012/075 - Page 5

6 UNESCO helped prepare, for instance, a regional TVET strategy for the Southern African Development Community Secretariat, endorsed by the region s Education Ministers last September. At the international level, UNESCO is making the case for TVET and supporting international dialogue. UNESCO creates global platforms, such as the previous two Congresses, to allow States to share ideas and learn from the experience around the globe. The UNESCO International Centre for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (UNEVOC), based in Bonn, Germany, is producing essential knowledge through its TVET Series and the International Handbook of Education for the Changing World of Work. The UNEVOC provides the hub to a global network, including 289 UNEVOC Centres in 167 States. This year, UNESCO s benchmark Education for All Global Monitoring Report focuses on youth, skills and the world of work. Partnership is essential for success. In this respect, the Interagency Group on Technical and Vocational Education and Training is especially important -- to improve communication and coordination among key international organizations on skills development. The Interagency Group has been mobilised under the G20 Development Working Groupto work on skills indicators and to help low-income countries develop skillsfor-employment strategies. It is now working also on skills development for green economies and societies. Ladies and Gentlemen, TVET needs a new impulse today. DG/2012/075 - Page 6

7 It needs the voices of policy-makers, social partners, and civil society from all countries, along with the expertise of regional and international organisations. We need a new vision of education and training that is relevant for the labour market, that responds to individual and social needs, that contributes to peace and sustainable development. This is important today, as we pack our bags for the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development in Rio next month. It is essential as we define the importance of skills in the post-2015 agenda not only for education, but for human development across the board. This agenda is in the making now. We know that its key word is sustainability. Now is the time to ensure that quality education and skills are recognized and endorsed by the international community as goals with a direct impact on human well being and economic growth. The messages from this Congress must be loud and clear. TVET is essential to sustainable development. It is vital for inclusive and just societies. It holds keys to unlocking the future we want for all. Thank you. DG/2012/075 - Page 7