US 6.7 mil project kick started to establish a National Center of Excellence for TVET in Afghanistan

The Afghan Korea Vocational Training Institute (AKVTI) was established with financial support of the Republic of Korea in 2004. Over 8,000 students have graduated since its establishment. The institute provides non-formal vocational training and education, employment and job seeking for Afghan youth considering the country’s labour market demand and requirements.

Before the ribbon cutting ceremony, the Minister of Labor and Social Affairs H.E. Bashir Ahmad Tahyanj who was the first keynote speaker at the launch, appreciated UNESCO and KOICA for their cooperation and goodwill. He said, “The Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs (MoLSA) is currently facing  a shortage of accurate labor market statistics and studies”. H.E. further stated that the AKVTI would provide the youth with the necessary skills required by the labor market. He added that MoLSA is committed to transparent, determined and effective implementation of the project.

The Ambassador of the Republic of Korea (RoK) for Afghanistan, Mr. Choi Taeho, reiterated, as he has done before, that education has always been one of the top priorities of the RoK support to Afghanistan.  . He added that Afghanistan is at a critical juncture in its efforts to secure sustainable peace. To this end, the AKVTI can play a vital role in paving the way for leading the country to sustainable peace through relevant skills development and contributing to essential labor market reforms.

The UNESCO Director and Representative to Afghanistan Dr. Jordan Naidoo congratulated the Afghan government for launching this significant project. He also thanked KOICA for its generous support  and said, “UNESCO has been working for the past few years with the TVET stakeholders including MoLSA and TVET Authority. One of the key aspects is to ensure prosperous future for all Afghans is a well-functioning economy that provides jobs for all. This is particularly in full alignment with the current government priorities to strengthen the delivery of non-formal TVET for market building, state building and peace building, as outlined in the Afghanistan National Peace and Development Framework II (ANPDF II). Transforming the AKVTI into a National Center of Excellence provides a key mechanism to achieve this.”

The project will be implemented in the next five years with the technical support of UNESCO and financial support by KOICA in close collaboration with the AKVTI, MoLSA, TVET_A, private sector and other TVET stakeholders. This project will develop a suitable model for sustainable management of AKVTI and other similar vocational technical institutes. It will increase quality through the improvement of the curriculum and capacity building of managers and trainers. In addition, it will provide recommendations on an assessment and certification system for quality assurance, and strengthen the linkage of non-formal TVET with the labour market through labour market assessments and career guidance for graduates.