New perspectives for skills development in Africa: Vocational training of youth in the informal sect

1
New perspectives for skills development in
AfricaVocational training of youth in the
informal sector

• November 8th, 2008

Richard Walther, AFD DSA Annuel Conference,
London, 2008 Children and Youth as the Future of
Development
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References of the presentation

• Field surveys in various African countries (incl.
  Angola, Benin, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Mali, Morocco,
  Senegal, South Africa)
• An overall report on  Training in the informal
  sector  and  Towards a Renewal of
  Apprenticeship in West Africa 
• ADEA country reports on post-primary education
  and training

Children and Youth as the Future of
Development New perspectives for skills
development in Africa vocational training in the
informal sector Richard Walther
3
The summary of the presentation

• The studies assumptions
• The African context and realities
• New trends in skills development and training
• Ways of stimulating African economies and
  reducing inequalities for young people to develop
  skills and access the world of work

Children and Youth as the Future of
Development New perspectives for skills
development in Africa vocational training in the
informal sector Richard Walther
4
The studies assumptions

• Vocational training is a driver of the informal
  sectors development
• Vocational training can help an economy to rise
  above survival and subsistence and achieve growth
  and development
• Youth cannot be the future of development without
  having access to the skills needed to enter the
  world of work.

Children and Youth as the Future of
Development New perspectives for skills
development in Africa vocational training in the
informal sector Richard Walther
5
The socio-economic context

• African economies are largely informal
• So what is the  informal sector ? The
  statistical approach to the concept
•  an informal enterprise is any production or
  service unit that does not keep full sets of
  accounts.
• There are other approaches (decent work, fiscal
  status)
• The informal sector is not a sub-economy, its
  the economy of self employed people, of micro and
  small enterprises fighting for a decent future

Children and Youth as the Future of Development
New perspectives for skills development in
Africa vocational training in the informal
sector Richard Walther
6
The socio-economic context

• The informal sector is much larger than expected
• Between 31 (South Africa) and 95 (Benin) of the
  labour market
• Between 30 (South Africa) and 50-60 (Benin,
  Cameroon and Senegal) of GDP
• Compared to 75 to between 47 and 84 informal
  workers in Latin America and 90 in India

Children and Youth as the future of
Development New perspectives for skills
development in Africa vocational training in the
informal sector Richard Walther
7
The education and training systems context

• The minor role of formal TVET
• An average of 50 of the young people aged 12 or
  13 are out of the formal school system (between
  80 in Tanzania, BF, Niger and 12 in South
  Africa, Algeria, Mauritius)
• Today TVET trains on average no more than 5 of
  young African people
• Most of the adult and youth working in the
  informal sector did not receive any formal
  initial nor continuing training

Children and Youth as the Future of
Development New perspectives for skills
development in Africa vocational training in the
informal sector Richard Walther
8
Skills development routes in the informal sector

• The sector trains the great majority of young
  people in most of African countries

Formal initial training (about 5)
Informal or non-formal training (95) On-the-job
training Self-training Traditional apprenticeship
Children and Youth as the Future of
Development New perspectives for skills
development in Africa vocational training in the
informal sector Richard Walther
9
The education and training systems context

• A challenge to face equitable access and
  outcomes
• The educational and skills needs of youth in the
  rural areas are often left aside
• There are strong gender disparities (early
  maternities, double amount of work)
• There are specific skills needs for young people
  in post-conflict countries to be tackled

Chlidren and Youth as the Future of
Development New perspectives for skills
development in Africa vocational training in the
informal sector Richard Walther
10
New trends in skills development and training

• There is a growing agreement among the countries
• to foster and recognise the training of young
  people in- and outside the formal school system
• to support skills needed to develop local economy
  and activities
• to give young people personal and entrepreneurial
  skills

Children and Youth as the Future of
Development New perspectives for skills
development in Africa vocational training in the
informal sector Richard Walther
11
New trends in skills development and training

• There is a common understanding among the
  countries
• to develop new types of skills through diverse
  training paths and mechanisms
• to build new training systems based on
  public/private partnerships and social dialogue
• to promote co-financing of a sustainable
  development of skills

Children and Youth as the Future of
Development New perspectives for skills
development in Africa vocational training in the
informal sector Richard Walther
12
Ways of stimulating African economies in reducing
inequalities of access to skills and the world of
work

• Acknowledge the informal sector as a source of
  skills development in its own right
• Set up pre-vocational skills training schemes to
  avoid social and educational waste
• Renew traditional apprenticeship or non-formal
  training paths according to the present needs
• Define the demand for skills and training in
  partnership with professional organisations
• Give young people a voice in the debate on access
  to jobs and economic activities

Children and Youth as the Future of
Development New perspectives for skills
development in Africa vocational training in the
informal sector Richard Walther
13
Ways of stimulating African economies and
reducing inequalities

• Train adults at the same time as young people
• Support efforts to make training effective by
  developing sustainable financing instruments
• Provide means to help young people to move from
  training to activity and enterprise creation
• Validate and recognise informally and non
  formally acquired skills
• In all cases, raise education and skills levels

Children and Youth as the Future of
Development New perspectives for skills
development in Africa vocational training in the
informal sector Richard Walther
14
For a skills development system giving a future
to the youth
Partner-driven Public-private partnership National
qualifications framework

• Integrated skills development system
• TVET/Diversity of initial and continuing training
  paths
• /Equality of access and outcomes

• In response to development needs
• local
• sector-wide
• rural
• global

• In response to the need for equity
• Low educated people
• Girls/women
• Rural population
• Post-conflict population

Children and Youth as the Future of
Development New perspectives for skills
development in Africa vocational training in the
informal sector Richard Walther
15
Conclusion

• Youth can be the future of developement
  only if the present education and training
  systems and pathways give them the right skills
  to come out of poverty and access jobs and
  activities raising their hopes in the future
• Thank You

Children and Youth as the Future of
Development New perspectives for skills
development in Africa vocational training in the
informal sector Richard Walther