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TVET Development in Sri Lanka

T.A.PiyasiriVice Chancellor

University of Vocational Technologywww.univotec.ac.lk

UNESCO – UNEVOC Seminar, Sydney 2014

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Key indicators of Sri Lanka

• 2013 Mid year Population 20,483 million• Population growth rate 0.8 %• Labour force 8.802 million• Unemployment rate 4.4 %• GDP (2013) 7.3 (Agriculture 4.7 Industry 9.9 Service 6.4 )• 2013 new school admissions 342,000• TVET Enrolments Public 116,000

Private 56,000

Source: Central Bank Annual Report 2013

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Sri Lanka’s development Policy Framework

Sri Lanka to become hub in Asia in Five strategic spheres• Naval• Aviation• Commerce• Energy• Knowledge

Government gives the highest priority for development of its human resources.

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Government Mission for Skills Development

• Create a society where there is no person without employable skills by 2020

• Bring down the rate of unemployment from 4% to 2.5% by 2016

• Meet the full requirement of skills for domestic industries, particularly;

Construction – Tourism – ICT – Light Engineering

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Objectives of Skills Development Plan

• Improve supportive policies, systems and structures of TVET

• Improve quality of skills development programmes• Improve the relevance of skills development training

system• Increase the participation rate in TVET by expanding

access• Improve recognition of vocational education and

training.

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Enablers to investment in TVET

• Commitment of the government and medium term investment plan – US $ 1 billion 2014-20

• Sustainable economic growth in the post-conflict period – Increased opportunities in foreign employment

• Availability of systems and structures – NVQ Framework

• Commencement of Technology Stream at Secondary Education

• Flexibility for private investment

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Barriers to investment in TVET

• Lack of demand side labour market analysis and information

• Lack of awareness amongst the population about career opportunities within established and emerging sectors

• Lack of adequate number of TVET teachers• Limited government support for private training

providers

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Evidence-based Research

In the recent years, the World Bank conducted several research on TVET• Skills demand in Sri Lanka• Cost of Financing of TVET• Private provision of TVET• Assessment of Work Force Development - SABER Analysis

Tertiary and Vocational Education Commission has the TVET Research Cell that coordinates and promotes research for quality and efficiency improvement. Currently a major research on Labour Market Demand is undertaken.

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SABER – WfD Benchmarking Results

1 – Latent 2 – Emerging 3 – Established 4 - Advanced

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Thank you