The Ministry of Labour says labour market data plays a crucial role in the advancement of Technical Entrepreneurial Vocational and Educational Training (TEVET) skills to meet industry demands.
Chikondano Mussa, the Principal Secretary for Labour, highlighted this on Thursday 30th May 2024 in Lilongwe during the opening of the stakeholder validation workshop, convened to discuss the draft report of the Assessment of the Malawi TEVET Ecosystem. The evidence-based report was commissioned by the British Council within the context of the European Union (EU) funded Zantchito Skills for Jobs Project Technical Assistance Component.
The assessment identified among other issues, Malawi’s insufficient labour market data as a significant challenge, and Mussa emphasised that the absence of such data impacts planning and decision-making within the TEVET sector to meet labour market needs in terms of a skilled workforce. She urged both governmental entities and the private sector to collaborate in resolving this issue.
Mussa said: “The report will shape the future of TEVET by addressing key issues such as the lack of labour market data and the mismatch between supply and demand for skilled workers in all priority sectors of the economy. Its findings will guide evidence-based decision-making, ensuring the development of robust policies that are aligned with the aspirations of MW 2063 especially within the enablers of Human Capital Development, Enhanced Private Sector Performance and Mindset Change.”
Mussa urged the workshop participants who represented a wide range of Ministries, Government entities and representatives of the private sector to question the issues and recommendations in the report, stating: “This will ensure that the final version of the report accurately and realistically describes the TEVET sector, and for Malawi to benefit from the findings in order to transform the skills provision” she concluded.
In his statement, Ivo Hoefkens, Head of Cooperation at the EU Delegation in Malawi, explained that the assessment is the first of its kind in Malawi, providing in-depth analysis of the key challenges of the TEVET system and concrete recommendation to address the said challenges. He highlighted that the assessment is based on the Torino Process methodology adopted by the European Training Foundation (ETF), an EU agency concerned with TEVET development in non-EU partner countries.
Hoefkens mentioned that some of the key recommendations that came in the report included; the need for a robust Labour Market Information System (LMIS) to reduce the gap between the supply and demand for skilled workers; the importance of structuring employer engagement through the establishment of Sector Skills Councils and the improvement of resource management in financing the TEVET system.
Complementing these views, Vera Ng’oma, British Council Country Director, explained that the assessment aims to enhance the TEVET sector, particularly through policy improvements. She stressed the importance of the report in establishing a baseline to understand TEVET challenges thoroughly, enabling the identification of priority areas where the Zantchito project can provide technical support to the Ministry of Labour in addressing the challenges.
Ng’oma stated: “This approach ensures a methodical, evidence-based and participatory understanding, providing clear recommendations for moving forward. Without reliable data and analysis, it is challenging to assess the current situation and plan effectively.”
On this part, Ahmed El-Ashmawi, Team Leader of Zantchito Technical Assistance Component explained that the Assessment of the TEVET Ecosystem provided in-depth analysis of 5 building blocks; Country and TEVET overview; the Economic and Labour Market Environment; Social Environmental and Individual Demand for TEVET; Internal Efficiency and Operation of TEVET; and Governance and Financing of TEVET. The report outlined the current issues in each block and the key recommendations in addressing these issues.
El-Ashmawi highlighted that the report proposes important recommendations, including revising the TEVET programmes on offer to meet the needs of the labour market based on accurate information and data; the need to structure and institutionalise employer engagement in TEVET, the importance of conducting regular and robust tracer studies to monitor TEVET graduates and dropouts; the establishment of a framework for teachers’ continuous development and progression, the restructuring of student selection and enrolment procedures and the improvement of donor coordination in TEVET to maximise the impact
The workshop included the active participation of delegates from key stakeholders from the Ministry of Labour, TEVET Authority, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Youth, Ministry of Gender, Ministry of Tourism, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Energy, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Trade and Industry, Ministry of Mining, National Planning Commission (NPC), Employers Consultative Association of Malawi (ECAM),, Malawi Tourism Council, Malawi Confederation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (MCCCI), Malawi Engineering Institution, Centres of Vocational Excellence (CoVEs) among others.
