Promising Practices in TVET

UNESCO, together with other international organizations, has an important role to play in identifying and disseminating the knowledge and evidence necessary to formulate and implement relevant and effective TVET policies.

Following requests by Member States, UNESCO-UNEVOC has initiated efforts to identify and gather evidence of promising TVET practices for global dialogue and use. This database presents a set of initiatives from around the world that have been identified and selected by a team of experts as being particularly ‘promising’ for TVET in their context.

TEVET Graduate Empowerment Toolkit Scheme, Zambia

Programme Overview

Implementing Organization: The Government of Zambia, The Indian Government

Funding: The Government of Zambia

Context and Background

Zambia has been affected by economic recession during which unemployment increased following the failure of companies and the privatization of government services. This economic crisis has compounded the already prevailing high unemployment resulting from the stagnation of the formal sector, as well as population growth which had outstripped the amenities offered by government. Almost 50% of Zambia’s population are young people and 80% of them are not employed (Central Statistics Office, 2009). This prevailing unemployment context had a negative impact on the country’s prospects for wealth creation, not only at the present time but also in the foreseeable future. It was in this regard that the government decided that young people attending training institutions should first be equipped with entrepreneurship skills and secondly that they should benefit from support services enabling them to envisage productive ventures.

Description and Aims of the Programme

It is in light of the above that the Technical Education, Vocational and Entrepreneurship Training (TEVET) Graduate Empowerment Toolkit Scheme was implemented in 2008 in technical and vocational education and training colleges to curb unemployment by empowering and motivating TEVET graduates to start small businesses. The TEVET Graduate Toolkit Scheme was officially launched in November 2007. Based on the lessons learnt, before the toolkits were distributed the Department of Vocational Education and Training conducted workshops at which TEVET graduates were taught various skills, such as business planning, financial mobilization, entrepreneurship and business management. This was done to ensure that graduates were prepared to start and run their enterprises once they were given the toolkits. The issue of forming partnerships in enterprises was recommended as one way of ensuring that graduates combined their different skills in providing services to those that needed the services. The issue of obtaining start-up capital for businesses was also addressed. After the workshops, graduates were given some time to write their business plans and to form companies, after which they became eligible to apply for the toolkits.

Implementation: Approaches and Methodologies

The implementation of the TEVET Graduate Toolkit Scheme followed a number of steps. These included: procurement of toolkits; induction meetings on the scheme; registration of companies; distribution of toolkits; business development mentoring; and monitoring of the scheme.

Funding

A total of K360,000,000 (US$77,000) was allocated from the Central Treasury for monitoring the TEVET Graduate Scheme in 2009 (GRZ, 2009). This amount was used for monitoring trips to eleven training institutions. The money was released in monthly allocations (the total being divided by twelve). Each institution also provided a member of staff to be responsible for the Toolkit Scheme.

Participants

Stakeholders of the TEVET Graduate Toolkit Scheme include financiers, the government, training institutions, business support service providers and graduates. From 2005 to 2007, a total of 100 graduates were selected to receive toolkits under the TEVET Graduate Toolkit Scheme. Preference was given to graduates who formed themselves into co-operatives and those who were female. Others groups that were given preference were those with physical disabilities and those who have also shown innovative approaches during the course of their studies. Eleven institutions were involved in the scheme and they all established support by providing working spaces for the graduate enterprises, while institutional co-ordinators were designated for the scheme. The co-ordinators provided a mentoring role to the graduates in running a business.

Learning and Training

TEVET Graduate Toolkit Scheme induction meetings were held in December 2007 and January 2008 in Lusaka Province. The purpose of the meetings was to equip graduates with knowledge and skills in entrepreneurship and the writing of business plans, how to mobilize financial resources, the registration of companies, tax obligations and to make them aware of the TEVET Graduate Scheme that would enable them to start and operate a business. Graduates were taught various ways of acquiring start-up capital for their enterprises. To assist graduates in accessing funds, some training on writing business plans was provided. The next stage was to provide guidance on the process of forming and registering companies. Different types of companies were described together with the advantages and disadvantages of each. After the workshops, graduates were given some time to write their business plans and to form companies, after which they became eligible to apply for the toolkits. Some talks on entrepreneurship, business start-up, business failure and business success were also arranged. Administrators in training institutions were also trained on how to manage the TEVET Graduate Toolkit Scheme. This included providing working space for graduates before they found their own premises, providing security for the toolkits and having a co-ordinator for the scheme in each institution.

Monitoring and Evaluation

Since January 2009, monitoring the TEVET Graduate Toolkit Scheme was carried out by the Department of Vocational Education and Training in the Ministry of Science, Technology and Vocational Training (MSTVT). The purpose of the monitoring visits was to observe how the scheme was being implemented in the various beneficiary institutions. The monitoring visits helped to establish the challenges faced and successes being experienced in the TEVET Graduate Toolkit Scheme. In the implementation of the TEVET Graduate Toolkit Scheme a number of lessons have been learned. These include: (a) the need for stakeholder involvement in the scheme; (b) being clear about the roles of various players; (c) the managing of change; and (d) the importance of monitoring the process and evaluating the outcomes.

Impact

The effectiveness of the TEVET Graduate Toolkit Scheme can be assessed by the number of institutional and graduate companies established. A total of twelve institutional companies and nineteen graduate companies have been established as a result of the implementation of the scheme. The Graduate Toolkit Scheme has generated considerable interest in entrepreneurship among TEVET graduates and training institutions.

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Contact

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References

Central Statistics Office. 2009. Living conditions monitoring survey. Lusaka: Central Statistics Office.

Government of the Republic of Zambia—GRZ. 2009. Estimates of revenue and expenditure. Lusaka: GRZ.

Konayuma, G.S. 2010. Best Practice on TVET Graduate Empowerment Toolkit Scheme. TVET Best Practice Clearinghouse; 3. http://www.unevoc.unesco.org/go.php?q=TEVET%20Graduate%20Empowerment%20Toolkit%20Scheme