ABIDJAN, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- An international forum on professions and skills kicked off Monday here in Cote d'Ivoire's economic capital to enhance technical and vocational training for learners countrywide.
"Technical education is the fertile ground where the talents of our nations sprout," said Prime Minister Robert Beugre Mambe before an audience that included over 1,000 learners from Ivorian technical and vocational high schools.
He noted that in many Western countries and leading Asian economies, technical and vocational education absorbs 40 to 60 percent of students. "For now, we have barely 6 percent," he said, emphasizing the Ivorian government's commitment to reversing this trend to transform the country's industrial and economic fabric.
By implementing training policies tailored to the labor market and investing in the education of youth, women and vulnerable groups, Cote d'Ivoire will build a strong and dynamic workforce essential for its long-term economic development, according to Koffi N'Guessan, the country's Minister of Technical Education, Vocational Training and Apprenticeship.
This vision has given rise to two key ministry programs: the Talent Academy, which focuses on restructuring initial training, and the Second Chance School, dedicated to retraining and reskilling to improve employability.
The two-day forum is expected to "reinvent" vocational training in Cote d'Ivoire by developing training standards and curricula aligned with business needs. ■
