世界银行-促进赞比亚青年技能发展：TEVET和技能发展前景回顾（英）-92页_3mb

Report Summary: Skills Development and TEVET in Zambia

Executive Summary

Zambia faces significant opportunities and challenges in leveraging its youth population. The country is ranked among the youngest globally, but high levels of youth economic disengagement and insufficient job creation threaten its development. This report analyzes the Technical Education, Vocational, and Entrepreneurship Training (TEVET) system as a key mechanism to address these issues. It finds that while TEVET aims to supply skilled labor to support economic development, several constraints—such as lack of funding, poor infrastructure, outdated curricula, and limited industry linkages—hinder its effectiveness.

Key Findings

Youth Economic Engagement

• Alarming Disengagement: About 90% of Zambia’s 6.4 million youth (aged 15+) are economically disengaged or partially engaged.
• Profound Labor Market Challenges: High youth unemployment (19.9%) and widespread informality (73%) exacerbate inequality and limit productivity.
• Returns to Education: There are substantial returns to higher education, with skilled workers earning considerably more than those without foundational skills.

Constraints in the TEVET System

• Underfunding: TEVET receives a minimal share of the education budget, limiting its capacity to upgrade infrastructure and train staff.
• Inadequate Quality and Relevance: Most institutions grade as "Grade 3" (lowest quality), and curricula often do not align with labor market demands.
• Accessibility Issues: Training programs are concentrated in urban areas, limiting access for rural youth.
• Insufficient Industry Linkages: Weak employer participation in training initiatives and limited work-based learning reduce the practical applicability of skills.

Economic Structure and Skills Demand

• Priority Sectors: Growth is needed in retail, community services, manufacturing, and agriculture.
• Skills Gaps: Technician and digital skills are in high demand across mining, manufacturing, and service industries.

Recommendations

Short-Term Measures

• Improve funding allocation: Enhance governance of the Skills Development Fund (SDF) to increase transparency and oversight.
• Strengthen Quality Assurance: Provide capacity-building for TEVET institutions and regulators to align with labor market intelligence.
• Fundamental skills remediation: Prioritize foundational literacy, numeracy, and digital skills across all youth segments.

Medium to Long-Term Strategy

• Enhance inter-ministerial coordination: Establish an apex body to integrate efforts from multiple ministries involved in skills development.
• Promote digital integration: Leverage EdTech, blended learning, and global best practices to address the quality and scalability of training.
• Develop robust labor market information systems: Improve skills anticipation through better data collection and industry engagement.

Contextual Background

• Zambia’s economy depends heavily on copper, but diversification into manufacturing and services is critical.
• Foundational skills deficits, especially in foundational literacy and numeracy, impede engagement with formal education and meaningful skills training.

This systematic review underscores the urgency for interventions designed to harness Zambia’s demographic dividend through targeted skills initiatives, improved youth engagement, and robust TEVET reform.