Today (Monday), Help in cooperation with Herat Department of Labor and Social Affairs/DoLSA and OSAA conducted the first TVET Round -Table in Women Cooperative – Herat city. The main purpose of TVET Round-Table was to introduce Herat as Technical Vocational Educational Training / TVET capital and make sustainable structures beyond external funding. Several high-ranking officials including Mr. Afghan- DoLSA Director, Mr. Khadim- Head of Industrial Union, Mr. Yari – Deputy of Craftsmen Union, Mr. Shaheer – Head of Herat Council of Experts, Alfred Horn – Help’s Regional Director in Afghanistan and Iran and representatives of DoLSA, Industrial Union, Craftsmen Union, Help, UNHCR, DRC, NRC, DACAAR, CRDSA, Afghan-Iran VTC and CSOs attended the meeting.
At first, Mr. Afghan- DoLSA Director, thanked all TVET stakeholders for participation in the meeting. He discussed importance of TVET and its key role in socio-economic development of Afghanistan. Additionally, He insisted on promotion of TVET and said, “There is an urgent need for skilled laborers in Herat which can only be addressed through TVET courses.” He added, “There was not any coordination among TVET stakeholders due to lack of such round-table meetings in the past.”
Help’s Regional Director, Alfred Horn said, “Herat has all potentials to become the capital of TVET and learning in Afghanistan. Considering the current status of Afghanistan, this country needs TVET more than any other era. Therefore, it must be a top national priority of the government.” He stressed that government shall take action; make structures beyond external funding and should not just look into what I/NGOs are implementing in cooperation with private sector.
He added, “If donors stop funding, VTCs will stop functioning. This is the time that government, private sector and other stakeholders should develop a structure by which the VTCs are run by the support of local stakeholders; internationals only provide consultancy and technical support.”
Consequently, Mr. Khadem said, “12 years ago, Industrial Town in Herat had 80-90% foreign skilled-laborers. Fortunately, now almost all the laborers are Afghans. However, we are still in need of foreign practitioners who are skillful in Machinery and Industrial Electricity.” Likewise, Mr. Yari, Deputy of Craftsmen Union said that there are 85 vocational unions in Herat; 50 services and 35 manufacturing. He also said that Herat Craftsmen Union is ready to cooperate with TVET graduates.
Head of Herat Council of Experts, Mr. Shaheer said, “Population growth is 4% in Afghanistan meaning that the population doubles in 25 years. Thus, what can better option for employment than TVET.” He added that Afghan should not wait for security because most of these insecurity incidents result from poor-economy and unemployment.
At the end, Mr. Tawab Hossaini, OSAA’s Employment Service Center/ESC Manager wrapped up the meeting, introduced the ESC activities and concluded the meeting. It has been decided to hold the next round of TVET Round-Table in Herat’s Council of Expert to go through and complement the council’s research on Herat economic growth in 3 sectors: industry, services and agriculture.
Source: Help Media And Culture Department