World Bank supports Mozambique’s skills development programmes

The World Bank has approved a $104 million grant from the International Development Association (IDA) in support of skills development programmes for Mozambican youth.

The project will invest in Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and Higher Education (HE) subsystems to improve access and quality of educational curriculums and skills development training in response to the country’s priorities and economic sectors.  

It is targeted to help increase access to quality education and training at TVET and HE levels in priority areas relevant to future economic development, focusing on science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and climate change.

“Empowering its youth by developing higher-level skills through quality post-secondary education, while working on policies to incentivise the creation of jobs linked to modern productive systems, are among the most important challenges facing the country if it’s to reap the benefits of its demographic dividend,” noted Idah Z. Pswarayi-Riddihough, World Bank country director for Mozambique, Madagascar, Comores, Mauritius, and Seychelles.

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“Better educated youths will contribute to reduce income inequality, facilitate social mobility and help jump-start the much-needed fertility transition,” Pswarayi-Riddihough added.

The project will also support teacher training programmes, including the use of new teaching methods, and will address current shortages of specialised technical skills by strengthening high-quality skills development programs in industrial maintenance, agriculture, ICT, and construction, among other priority sectors, at selected TVET institutions.

Furthermore, the project will support continued collaboration with industries and help operationalise the National Training Fund for Professional Education, which will seek to leverage private sector financing for skills development in response to market needs, helping to maximise financing for development.