In Last 10 years, ILO supports to strengthen, expand and deepen the skills system reform agenda of the government of Bangladesh. Bangladesh government has a strong commitment to making the country’s skills system market-driven and inclusive.
With support from ILO Bangladesh and ILO Afghanistan- Bangladesh Technical Education Board (BTEB) successfully conducted the 20 days long training and assessment for the TVET practitioners of Afghanistan.

The training was started on 26 November and ends on 14 December 2019. The training ended up by giving the certificate to the trainees, among six-four become trainers and assessors, and the other two are assessors.The role of a CBT trainer/assessor is complex, requiring judgment, decision making and an ability to work autonomously and without close supervision much of the time. The training is generally at least equivalent to that of a skilled worker (NTVQF L4) or highly skilled worker (NTVQF L5) regardless of whether they are conducting technical training or assessment at levels 1, 2 or 3).

The training objective was to provide the opportunity for selected Afghan TVET Trainers to obtain knowledge and skills, and first-hand experience, on how TVET trainers in Bangladesh develop, deliver and assess competency-based curricula, training, and conduct assessment.
Mr. Munshi Shahabuddin, Secretary of Technical and Madrasah Education Division (TMED) inaugurated the 21 days long training. He Said, “I appreciate Bangladesh Technical Education Board to give their hands in this initiative. BTEB is successfully developing competency-based curricula, assessing the trainers and trainees and certified them.”

Mr. Abdul Rahim Oraz, Ambassador, Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in Bangladesh was present at the inaugural session. He expressed his gratitude to the Bangladesh government particularly TMED for the extended support they gave to Afghanistan.
ILO Afghanistan’s ‘Supporting Afghanistan livelihood and Mobility (SALAM)’ project works to strengthen the capacity of Afghanistan’s livelihood ministry to introduce the TVET quality assurance system. Therefore, the government initiates a vast reform of Afghanistan’s technical education system.

Hussain Ali Shiwa Chief of Automotive Department, Afghan-Korea Vocational Training Institute said, “I expected to become a certified assessor from this training and understand the competency-based curriculum. Now I know the competency-based training and I’m able to assess the trainees accordingly”.

As Afghan people speak in Pashtu, the participants were concerned about the training. Fariba Ateeq, Instructor, Tailoring Department of Afghan-Korea Vocational Training Institute said, “Despite the language barrier the training successfully finished only for its method. The training method was effectively made us understood the competency-based training and assessment with enough first-hand experiences in the TVET institutes.”

Bangladesh Technical Education Board (BTEB) developed 344 competency standards for 155 occupations. Above 50,000 students have an NTVQF certificate as of 2019.

Bahara Mukhtar, Programme Assistant of SALAM project of ILO Afghanistan said, “We have heard in the region after Philippines Bangladesh is doing well in competency-based curricula, training and assessment. Thus, ILO Afghanistan decided to take supports from Bangladesh.”
Shah Alam Majumder one of the trainers from BTEB said, “The content of the training is mostly new to the afghan people however we have tried our best and finally six of them got the assessors certificate and four participants got the trainers certificate too. I hope they will be the key person in their country’s TVET reform.”

Manas Bhattacharyya, Specialist Skills 21 project said, “I appreciate the initiative that the Afghanistan government has taken. I would like to thank BTEB to support this initiative. It is the beginning of this kind of partnership in the region”.

ILO highly recognizes technical and vocational education and training (TVET) as one of the major contributors to alleviate poverty and improve the quality of life for all.

In Bangladesh, there are now a National Skills Development Policy, competency-based training and assessment introduced National skills assurance system revised and include NTVQF, established and strengthen RPL and apprenticeship system and a more to mention.