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[Closed] Support to Knowledge and Lifelong Learning Skills (SKILLS) Programme
Summary
The Government of Nepal (GoN), Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MoEST) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) had entered into an agreement on 22 June 2018 to give continuity to The Support to Knowledge and Life-Long Learning Skills (SKILLS) Programme. The Programme is currently implementing ‘The Enhancing Returnee Migrant Workers Skills (RMWs) for Employment’ project which aims to deliver skills training, certification and equipment support/post-training career counselling to 1500 RMWs in Lumbini and Madhesh Provinces. The project is implemented by the Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MoEST) with the support of British Council managed Dakchyata Project and funding by European Union in Nepal. This project focuses on productive employment opportunities in the labour market, particularly for the women, historically disadvantaged, poor and marginalized groups through skills training in three key economic sectors: i) agriculture ii) construction, and iii) tourism.
Background
SKILLS Programs has provided technical support to the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MoEST) to carry out various activities in its two previous phases for the sake of overall development of Technical Vocational Education & Training (TVET) Sub-sector of Nepal. These activities include nationwide TVET policy dialogue among various stakeholders; development and operationalization of National TVET MIS; Skill Mapping exercise in Sudurpaschim Province among others. The assistance extended to the Government of Nepal, Ministry of Education, Science and Technology culminated in the formulation of the National Education Policy in November 2019. The inter-ministerial policy coordination committee and technical committee supported by SKILLS has already laid the foundation for National TVET MIS and National TVET Fund (SWAp). Both of these important federal level mechanisms intended to avoid duplication of the TVET programs and resources, especially considering that the federal government has set an ambitious target to earmark 70 percent of its education budget to TVET.
Major Achievements
- Delivered skills training, national skills testing, and post-training support to a total of 1,612 Returnee Migrant Workers (64 women and 8 persons with disabilities) in 11 occupations (Community Agriculture Assistant, Community Livestock Assistant, Barista, Nepali Cuisine Cook, Waiter, Aluminium Fabricator, Building Electrician, House Painter, Mason, Plumber, and Welder) in Madhesh Province and Lumbini Province.
- Conducted Rapid Market Appraisal (RMA) in major markets and business centers of the industrial corridors of Madhesh and Lumbini Provinces. These surveys proved to be key in understanding migrants’ skills profiles and were instrumental in the identification of skills gaps and future needs of RMWs. Based on the findings of the surveys, 6 new curricula (Community Livestock Assistant, Community Agriculture Assistant, Building Electrician, Plumbing, Barista, and Nepali Cuisine Cook) and a Short-Term Training Quality Assurance Guidelines were developed by CTEVT with the assistance of UNDP SKILLS and implemented with support from both Public and Private training providers.
- National TVET-MIS (Management Information System) was formally institutionalized and handed over to the Ministry of Education, Science & Technology (MoEST). This system has now succeeded in synchronizing TVET-related data and information of five federal line ministries.
- Collected data of 11,015 Returnee Migrant Workers (RMWs) of three provinces (Madhesh, Karnali and Sudurpaschim Provinces in 2020/21.
- 80 young returnee migrants of two local levels each in Kailali and Kanchanpur districts of Sudurpaschim Province were given skills training in agriculture & livestock related occupations.
- Accomplished skill mapping survey in Sudurpaschim Province which helped identify gaps between the demand and supply of human resources in the province.
Project Outcome
The project outcome are as follows: (A)Integrated TVET Policy that can help bring about good governance in the entire TVET sector, (b) Establishment of TVET Fund through Sector Wide Approach (SWAp), (c) Technical education and vocational training linked with higher education, (d) Strengthened TVET-MIS, monitoring and evaluation system, (e) Reintegration of Returnee Migrant Workers (RMWs) in their own communities through skills training, certification and post-training support.
Gender & Social Inclusion Component
The project has been actively working to increase access and give priority to poor, disadvantaged, indigenous, marginalized, people with disabilities, dalits, sexual/gender minorities to Technical and Vocational Educations (TVET) opportunities across the country.
Keeping in view the necessity of promoting gender and social inclusion in TVET, the project has focused on productive employment opportunities in the labour market, particularly for women, historically disadvantaged, poor, and marginalized groups through skills training in key economic sectors: i) agriculture ii) construction and iii) tourism.
Among the 1612 RMWs trained by the project in 2022, 64 were women, 1548 men and 4 were persons with disability, while the ethnic composition of the trainees was as follows: 36.7 percent were Janajati, 30.5 percent Brahmins/ Chhetri, 21.1 percent Madheshi, 9.6 percent Dalit, and 2.6 percent were from Muslim community.
Women rarely opt for skills-oriented courses like plumbing and electricians as they are traditionally thought of as male occupations, but it is even rarer to find women trainers for various skill-related occupations. Of the total 332 lead trainers and co-trainers who imparted skills training to more than 1600 returnee migrant trainees in various occupations in Lumbini and Madhesh Provinces, 11 lead trainers and 8 co-trainers were women.
Related Materials
Project details:
| Project Status | Closed |
| Project Period | July 2018-2023 |
| Project ID | 00130488 |
| Focus Area | Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), Returnee Migrant Workers (RMWs), poverty alleviation |
| Collaborating Partners | Ministry of Education, Science & Technology (MoEST); National Youth Council (NYC); Council for Technical Education and Vocational Training (CTEVT); National Skill Testing Board (NSTB); European Union in Nepal (EU in Nepal), British Council Nepal; Ministry of Education, Science, Youth & Sports (Lumbini Province) |
| Budget | NPR 117,623,000 |
| Contact | CO Focal Point Ms. Kalpana Sarkar Portfolio Manager United Nation Development Program (UNDP) Nepal UN House, Pulchowk, Lalitpur Phone:+ 977 14290000 Email: kalpana.sarkar@undp.org |
Project Focal Point Dr. Mukunda Mani Khanal National Programme Manager Support to Knowledge and Lifelong Learning Skills (SKILLS) Poverty and Inclusion Unit Tara House, Sanepa, Lalitpur, Nepal. +977-1-5528018 Email: mukundamkhanal@hotmail.com |