On May 30, 2022, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Tanzania took a significant step towards regional integration by adopting the Regional TVET Qualifications Framework.
The framework, developed under the Eastern African Skills for Transformation and Regional Integration Project (EASTRIP) funded by the World Bank, aims to promote regional mobility of students and skilled workers.
Dr. Margaret Mwakima, the Principal Secretary of the State Department of Vocational and Technical Training in Kenya, emphasized the importance of the TVET sector in social-economic development, stating, “The TVET sector is very critical for social-economic development of our country. Therefore, we need a concerted effort to ensure that our youth are equipped with skills needed for industrialisation and manufacturing.”
The Permanent Secretaries of the three countries committed to mainstreaming the Regional TVET Qualifications Framework into national policies and qualifications frameworks, as well as enforcing its effective implementation.
Prof. Mike Kuria, the Deputy Executive Secretary of the Inter University Council for East Africa (IUCEA), commended the Permanent Secretaries for adopting the framework and urged them to undertake necessary reforms to ensure its implementation.