News

STEP Project in Malawi ends but the skills development work continues

On 30 July 2021, UNESCO, the Malawi Government Ministry of Labour and European Union Delegation to Malawi will hold a conference to mark the end of the Skills and Technical Education (STEP). The project implementation period has been 5 years and four months. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, 25 participants who will be physically present in Lilongwe at Ufulu Gardens Hotel will attend the conference. Some 55 participants will join virtually from within Malawi, the Southern Africa region and beyond. The stakeholders in Malawi include TVET policy makers, institutions, industry, current and former students and TVET teachers. Other participants will be TVET policy makers and practitioners in the Southern Africa region countries and beyond. 

The project started in April 2016 and it will end on 31 July 2021. UNESCO handled 9 million euros for three objectives for activities in the Technical and Vocational Education sector. The objectives are to promote equitable and gender-balanced access to TVET; improve the quality and relevance of TVET curricula, and strengthen the governance and management of TVET regulatory bodies and training institutions

The purpose of the conference is four-fold. It will be used to share the STEP outcomes, success stories, challenges and how they were overcome; showcase skills acquired by STEP beneficiaries; draw together elements and best practices on TVET Monitoring and Evaluation; and formulate recommendations to follow through the strengthening of the TVET sector in the region. Other countries will have an opportunity to learn lessons on transforming the TVET sector for skills development that is a critical ingredient for sustainable development.