2004年-世界发展银行全球_Skills_Development_in_Mozambique___Issues_and_Options_122页_8mb

Summary of Mozambique Skills Development: Issues and Options

Core Content

This document, Report No. 29492-MZ, is a Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) prepared by the World Bank in 2004 to support the Government of Mozambique (GoM) in identifying reforms and investments to improve the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) system. It is part of the World Bank's Country Assistance Strategy (CAS) for 2004–08, which outlines a USD20 million credit agreement for an integrated TVET reform program.

The report aims to strengthen the analytical base for TVET and guide the preparation of this reform program by identifying key issues and strategic options to enhance access, quality, relevance, and financial sustainability of TVET in Mozambique.

Main Issues and Options

1. Labor Market Context

• Informal sector dominance: Approximately 95% of the labor force is in the informal sector, with only 520,000 in the formal sector (public and private).
• Sector employment distribution:
  • Trade/commerce: ~25% of formal sector jobs.
  • Government services: ~40% of formal sector jobs.
  • Agriculture: Dominates the informal sector.
• Education level and employment:
  • Only 7.5% of the population has secondary or tertiary education.
  • Graduates from technical schools earn more on average than those from the general education system.
• Skills gap: Up to two-thirds of the formal sector workforce is qualified or semi-qualified, indicating a significant need for training.
• Training shortages: There is a lack of relevant training for the informal sector and smaller companies, and a shortage of trained personnel in the private sector.

2. TVET System Overview

• Fragmentation: TVET is fragmented across different sub-systems (formal, non-formal, informal), leading to duplication and inefficient use of resources.
• Access and equity:
  • Very low access to TVET, especially in rural areas.
  • Girls are underrepresented (≤25% of TVE students).
  • Access is highly unequal, with urban youth and those from the southern region having more opportunities.
• Quality and relevance:
  • Quality of training is generally low due to under-qualified teachers, outdated curricula, and lack of teaching aids.
  • Graduates lack practical and management skills despite being easily absorbed into the labor market.
• Financing challenges:
  • Public unit spending on TVE is among the lowest in Africa.
  • All TVET sub-systems suffer from under-resourcing.
  • No comprehensive data exists on unit costs across qualification levels and occupational specializations.

3. Government Policies and Strategies

• ESSPI (1999–2003): Emphasizes the importance of gainful skills beyond formal technical education.
• ESSPII (2005–2009): Prioritizes public-private partnerships and international development support for expanding access to secondary education, including TVE.
• Estrategia do Ensino Tecnico-Professiona (2002–2011): Aims to improve access and equity, and redefines the role of DINET as a regulator rather than a provider.
• National Employment and Vocational Training Program (INEFP): Calls for a tripartite national training board, a competency-based training system, and a payroll levy to support TVET.

4. Considerations and Options for Future Development

• Access and equity:
  • The GoM should focus on strategic skills needs rather than trying to provide all training.
  • Options include increasing supply at lower qualification levels to meet informal sector needs, expanding higher-level training for industrial development, and supporting private training initiatives.
• Quality and relevance:
  • Immediate in-service training for technical teachers and long-term pre-service training schemes are needed.
  • A Competency-Based Training (CBT) system is proposed to improve labor market responsiveness and system efficiency.
  • A National Vocational Qualifications Framework (NQF) is recommended to facilitate integration and permeability between training sub-systems.
• Financial sustainability:
  • The GoM cannot provide sufficient funding, so alternative and sustainable financing sources must be explored.
  • A payroll levy and private sector investment are suggested.
• Institutional reform and governance:
  • A centralized system hinders responsiveness and efficiency.
  • Decentralization of management and the establishment of a National TVET Working Committee are proposed to improve coordination and governance.
  • Institutional anchoring and roles of government versus non-government actors are important considerations.

Key Recommendations

• System reform and institution building:
  • Develop a National Vocational Qualifications Framework.
  • Strengthen institutional coordination and governance.
  • Implement a tripartite national training board.
• Short-term initiatives for quality improvement:
  • Provide in-service training for technical teachers.
  • Improve availability of teaching and learning materials.
  • Refurbish and rehabilitate public training institutions.
• Selected investments in public training institutions:
  • Focus on infrastructure development and modernization.
• Stimulation of non-public training provision:
  • Encourage private training schools and employer-based training programs.

Conclusion

The report highlights the need for a demand-oriented TVET system that is integrated, relevant, and financially sustainable. It emphasizes that TVET alone cannot solve unemployment and productivity issues, but it can support economic growth once the investment climate is favorable. The GoM must redefine its role in the TVET system, coordinate with other stakeholders, and invest in both formal and non-formal training to meet the diverse skills needs of the labor market.