Overview of Recent Education and Workforce Training Initiatives in Mongolia

SahaMeyanathan (Ph.d)

BCMChair Training and Education sub-committee

Pre-employment TVET

• Presently the supply driven system—which is a product of the old system-- still produces poor quality graduates who do not meet the skill needs of the private sector.

• The TVET system needs better links to private sector to rectify the skill mismatches, and reformed, to make the system is more flexible and efficient.

Pre-employment TVET

• A wide range of courses--about 117 courses-- are offered at TVET schools. However the market demands that TVET students also be better equipped with IT skills, English, critical thinking, problem solving and behavioral skills.These range from knitting, sewing, clothes designing, construction technology, road construction, food manufacturing, hair dressing, hotel and restaurant management, shoe making etc. in 45 VET Colleges.

• The private sector has also ventured into this area and offers computer software and hardware, electronics, computer graphics courses.

Pre-employment TVET

• Surveys (World Bank) have indicated that majority of firms reported that the quality of public vocational education as low or very low, and graduates have poor technical skills and trained on outdated equipment.

• Schools have poor facilities, use outdated teaching methods, lack skills standards and conduct very dispersed courses. The TVET system is fragmented and poorly coordinated. TVET remains a terminal track for students, and a rigid system-- without flexible pathways to higher education.

Pre-employment TVET

• Recent payment of stipends to TVET students (and no tuition fees) has seen an increase in student numbers. The government budget line item on for this sector has also increased to over 40 billion Tg. The number of students in TVET schools was 37,000 in 2008, 45,000 in 2009.

• The Minister of Education Culture and Sciencebelievesthat he expects this number to increase to about 90,000 by 2012. Many centers are running on two shifts. While this measure provides more opportunities for learning, the capacity for such services is constrained, and curriculum is still outdated.

Pre-employment TVET

• Globally—there is convergence of both systems—theoretical and practical; general and vocational, and reform of both systems are needed. More flexible TVE systems are needed with scope for upward progression with emphasis on core competencies.

• Enterprises in EU now spend money on Continuous Vocational Training

Post employment TVET

• Second chance learning options (life-long learning) could be improved and linked to formal systems through part time and weekends courses.

• This is now a “work in progress”--assistance needed. BCM involved.

TVET Reform Initiatives being undertaken

• MCA, ADB, GiZ, SDC, and Japan: Here more recently, the major role has been taken up by the MCA: – Funding for school, classrooms also. They’re giving training

for at least 1200 teachers. MCA has done a commercial agreement with OT & Wagner Asia, there will be 770 instructors involved in the project.

• MCA, collaboration with OT and Wagner Asia, with over 770 instructors in project, industry leading.. OT in lead

• OT’s training budget over next 5 years 150 million USD

TVET Systems Reforms

• The new TVET Law of 2009 and its implementation will be part of the ongoing work of the MCA, including the functioning and operations of the new TVET Agency.

• The National Council on TVET has both public and private participation and would work on certification issues– -- certification that would be recognized across government and the

private sector. BCM is part of TVET Council

• The TVET Agency is formed to implement adopted sector policies. Four subcommittees of the National Council on TVET created (mining, construction, food, health). The mining sub-committee set-up together with the Ministry of Minerals and Energy to focus on the skill needs of these sectors.

• Training Levy operational: concerns over functioning of fund: BCM’spaper

Higher Education

Higher Education: the next Frontier

• The ADBis engaging on higher education reformsand torestructure over 152 institutions (100 of which are private) to improve quality, standards, better management and governance, and upgrading teaching staff qualifications—Big issue salaries, financing; PPP models

• State Owned Universities: Physical relocation plans underway

Higher Education

• Longer term training needs for engineersat Universities especially at the Mongolian University of Science and Technology—MUST.This will be a major undertaking. What types of partnerships with industry-- especially with mining companies-- can be undertaken based on best practices from elsewhere? OT again taking leadership, PPP

Higher Education

• MUST is the key institution here-- which has the mandate for science and technology studies.

• Their schools of mining engineering, mechanical engineering, materials science, civil engineering can certainly be upgraded through twinning arrangements with universities around the world..

• from countries such as Canada, Australia, USA, Germany etc, and also with international mining companies which could sponsor programs as found elsewhere, OT leading, also scholarships

BCM

• .. to work very closely on these initiatives with BCMmembers and also TVET Agency; impacts visible

• ..and also in higher education reforms (esp.. in science and technology fields) greater partnership models with BCM needed..

• BCM WG: believes that Mongolia’s resource is every human resource; should be developed to avoid the “resource curse”

• Partnerships in upgrading systems to embed benefits of resource driven growth

• Thank you…