Rural out-of-school youth in Madagascar given tools for the future
© UNESCO
UNESCO is targeting out-of-school youth in Madagascar with a mixture of foundation, vocational and entrepreneurial skills to start farming and other non-farm activities in their local communities.
Madagascar has 2.5 million young people out-of-school, large rural areas, and an economy that does not create enough jobs to absorb the 300,000 new entrants onto the labour market each yeat.
As part of UNESCO’s Capacity Development for Education 2030 (CapED) programme and in partnership with FORMAPROD, the Madagascar programme of Ministry for Agriculture and Cattle Breeding, the project targeted 4 regions (Atsinanana, Analanjirofo, Amoron‘i Mania and Menabe) among the poorest in the country, with low economic activities and high youth unemployment.
It aimed to equip 5000 rural out-of-school young women and men (15-22) with foundation (in Malagasy), vocational and entrepreneurial skills along with identifying regional and local employment opportunities; upgrading training centres towards greater networking and empowering the targeted youth to start their own farm and non-farm businesses and activities.
Entering the job market in a sustainable way
Minister of Employment and Technical Education and Vocational Training (ETEVT)of Madagascar, Mrs Lydia Toto Raharimalala said: “Today is the begining of a new life for you; tomorrow you will be the best outputs within your own communities“ during a graduation ceremony for Rural and Out-of-School Youth.
“CapED transforms the training centres’ plans in order to respond better to skills needs of rural out-of-school youth in link with the local economy. It also creates a link between the community and the training centres. In doing so, the motto ‘Train for better transition to business creation’ becomes real. ”
Mrs Sahondra Ranaivoson, Director General of the Ministry of ETEVT in Madagascar recently attended the UNESCO-Cedefop Global Skills Conference at UNESCO Headquarters, Paris, where she took part in a panel on Skills and inequality.
She said: “We train young people who are out of school to ensure they have professions and qualifications and can integrate themselves into society and participate in the economic development of the country.
“Some want to return to school and we can train them to the necessary level and others who don’t want to are given the competencies to go out in to the world of work. Tsiavanga, laureate from his year and youth representative for Menabe in Western Madagascar said: “I am very proud of the training I underwent. I look at myself differently now. I have more confidence in myself and I feel more assured about my future.”
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