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African countries and regional bodies are committed to improving skills anticipation systems to ensure better alignment between skills supply and skills demand.
A 2015 African Union (AU) inventory of labour market information systems (LMIS) across Africa found that 26 of the 38 AU Member States surveyed either had already conducted a labour force survey or were in the process of doing so. (African Union 2015, Country LMIS Inventory, discussed in African Union/USAID 2016)
Many AU Member States regard the establishment of a functional and relevant LMIS as a key priority for addressing skills gaps as part of Agenda 2063, Africa’s blueprint and master plan for transforming Africa into a global powerhouse. (NEPAD 2022)
The AU Commission’s Skills Initiative for Africa (SIFA) has partnered with the International Labour Organization (ILO) to build the capacity of AU Member States to systematically anticipate current and future labour market skills needs as an integral part of national LMIS. (AUDA-NEPAD 2022)
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While many African countries collect data on skills needs, few do so regularly, and the data is seldom analysed or disseminated, limiting its usefulness for TVET planning.
Challenge
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While many African countries collect data on skills needs, few do so regularly, and the data is seldom analysed or disseminated, limiting its usefulness for TVET planning.
Few African countries have the human, technical and financial capacity to regularly gather labour market information. Botswana's first Labour Force and Manpower Survey took place in 2005, and its next was not scheduled until 2015, while Kenya's first one took place in 1999, with its next scheduled for 2016. (African Union/USAID, 2016)
A study of 41 Sub-Saharan African countries showed that only eight (Botswana, Ethiopia, Kenya, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe) had conducted a labour force survey since 1990, while only two (Namibia and South Africa) had engaged in more than two waves of data collection. (Brookings 2020)
High levels of informality in Africa render traditional approaches to labour market information gathering inadequate. Furthermore, not all African countries collect data on their informal economy. (African Union/USAID 2016)
Most African countries suffer from a shortage of qualified and trained labour statisticians and economists able to analyse labour market data to assess its policy implications. (African Union/USAID 2016)
In many African countries, labour market data - which is primarily collected by statistical departments - is not shared with ministries in charge of operations, such as the Ministry of Education or Labour. (African Union/USAID 2016)
“Africa as a whole, and Southern Africa particularly, has a huge potential (natural and mineral resources). But our institutions are still lacking of knowledge, frameworks, legislation and strategies to forecast in medium and long term what are the real needs in terms of competencies.”
- Survey respondent, BILT scoping study of current TVET trends in Africa carried out in 2021
UNESCO-UNEVOC International Centre
for Technical and Vocational Education and Training
UN Campus, Platz der Vereinten Nationen 1
53113 Bonn, Germany
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Close partnerships with the private sector can provide TVET stakeholders with robust labour market intelligence on a regular basis.
Opportunity
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Close partnerships with the private sector can provide TVET stakeholders with robust labour market intelligence on a regular basis.
A number of African countries have created sector skills councils to engage the private sector alongside other key stakeholders, including TVET educators, in the development of TVET policies and programmes to improve the alignment between the skills being supplied and labour market needs. Some countries, such as Botswana, have included informal sector representatives on their sectoral committees in recognition of the important role that the informal sector plays in their economy. (BILT scoping study of current TVET trends in Africa carried out in 2021)
Initiatives such as the Skills Initiative for Africa (SIFA) aim to increase private sector engagement in TVET, as well as in the broader skills development ecosystem. (AUC and AUDA-NEPAD 2021)
To improve TVET’s alignment with labour market needs, the private sector should be involved in not only labour demand forecasting, but also the setting of occupational standards, TVET policy formulation, the development of national TVET strategies, curricula development, the development of TVET quality indicators, on-the-job training, the implementation and assessment of TVET programmes, and the management of TVET schools.
The intention of each sector skills councils is to provide a platform for employers to feed their training needs into the education and training system, and to support initiatives to address these training needs.
UNESCO-UNEVOC International Centre
for Technical and Vocational Education and Training
UN Campus, Platz der Vereinten Nationen 1
53113 Bonn, Germany
Contact
Data privacy statement | Contacts | © UNESCO-UNEVOC
The BILT project is implemented by
with support of
and sponsored by
UNESCO-UNEVOC International Centre
for Technical and Vocational Education and Training
UN Campus, Platz der Vereinten Nationen 1
53113 Bonn, Germany
Contact
Data privacy statement | Contacts | © UNESCO-UNEVOC
