Publication: Skills Development in Afghanistan
Loading...
Date
2008-10
ISSN
Published
2008-10
Author(s)
Editor(s)
Abstract
After three decades of conflict, Afghanistan needs a well-trained and flexible workforce to help rebuild the country. The conflict has decimated Afghanistan's training infrastructure, torn the fabric of human society, and relegated the country to the status of one of the least developed in the world. The country's efforts to emerge from near-total collapse is hampered by a number of factors, one of which is absence of a well-educated and -trained labor force able to acquire the skills and trades the country needs as it grows. A well-trained labor force will yield higher levels of productivity and be able to accommodate the changing needs of a post conflict economy while ensuring higher earnings and greater mobility for workers. Though most of the Afghan labor force is in the informal sector, skills acquisition judiciously combined with literacy and numeric programs should produce a workforce able to adapt modern production technologies and take advantage of opportunities through self-employment and small-enterprise development. The report is organized into four sections. Section one provides an introduction to Afghanistan. Section two focuses on recent economic trends and labor market demands. Section three is an overview of the country's education and training sector, while examining the main providers, recent changes in institutional framework, and key issues in the vocational education and training (VET) sector. Finally, section four reviews possible reforms the country will need in order to improve the delivery of VET services.
Link to Data Set
Citation
“World Bank. 2008. Skills Development in Afghanistan. South Asia human development sector series;no. 25. © http://hdl.handle.net/10986/17939 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.”
Associated URLs
Associated content
Other publications in this report series
Journal
Journal Volume
Journal Issue
Related items
Showing items related by metadata.
Publication Toward a Better Future : Education and Training for Economic Development in Singapore since 1965(Washington, DC : World Bank, 2008)The Singapore economy has undergone significant stages of development since the 1960s. It has grown from its traditional role as a regional port and distribution center in the 1960s to an international manufacturing and service center in the 1970s and 1980s, and now into a center of science-based manufacturing and knowledge-intensive technical services. Much has been written to explain this success. Emphasis has been placed on the early adoption of an export-oriented strategy for industrialization, high savings and investment rates, a stable macroeconomic environment, and even socio cultural traits that support successful industrialization. This volume documents a less-explored aspect of Singapore's economic development: it examines the transformation of the education and training system since the country's independence in 1965 and how the process contributed to skills formation and, hence, economic change.Publication West Bank and Gaza : Education Sector Analysis - Impressive Achievements Under Harsh Conditions and the Way Forward to Consolidate a Quality Education System(Washington, DC, 2006-09-07)The Palestinian Education System comprises a Mandatory Basic Cycle covering Grades 1 to 10, divided into the Preparation Stage (Grades 1 to 4) and the Empowerment Stage (Grades 5 to 10). Optional Secondary Education covers Grades 11 and 12, with the option of general secondary education, and a few vocational secondary schools. Post secondary education is offered in 11 universities, (10 private and one public), 11 technical colleges (4 government, 2 UNWRA, 4 public and 1 private) which offer mainly 4 year programs. In addition there are 19 community colleges (1 government, 9 public, 2 UNRWA, and 7 private) that offer mainly two-year diploma courses in technical and commercial specializations. The Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MOEHE) developed in 1999 a five-year Education Development Plan for the period 2000-2005. This was the first time after the establishment of the Palestinian Authority in 1994 that the MOEHE developed a National Plan with a unified vision for the Palestinian education system from pre-school to secondary education.Publication Developing Skills for Economic Transformation and Social Harmony in China : A Study of Yunnan Province(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2013-10-25)It starts with a demand-side analysis in chapter two, examining historical trends in demand for skills, revealing the types of skills in demand, and projecting future demand for skills driven by economic growth and policy development. Chapter two also highlights the emerging skills shortages and mismatches in Yunnan. The rest of the report focuses on the access, quality, and relevance of Yunnan's education and training system and how effective it is in supplying the skills in demand. An overview of Yunnan's formal and non-formal education and training system is presented in chapter three. Chapter four focuses on the formal Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) system, examining its governance, industry participation, curriculum reforms, quality assurance, and finances. Analysis of the formal education and training system focuses mainly on secondary and tertiary TVET. Chapters five and six address two major training programs outside the formal education system: non-formal training for rural workers and work-based training for urban workers, both of strategic importance. Finally, chapter seven draws on lessons from the Shanghai Program for International Student Assessment, or PISA to demonstrate the role of schools in developing the cognitive skills of 15-year-olds. The report concludes with a summary of findings and a set of policy recommendations for meeting the skills challenges and improving the education and training system.Publication Developing Skills for Economic Transformation and Social Harmony : Yunnan Province(Washington, DC, 2013-05-30)China has achieved impressive growth over the last three decades and has now become the second-largest economy in the world. To sustain its growth, China is transitioning from an investment-led, high-carbon growth model to a consumption-led, green growth model, less reliant on low-cost manufacturing and more on technology and innovation. Skills development has been a key factor enabling China's unprecedented growth, and will continue to play a vital role in sustaining its ongoing economic transformation and pursuit of a harmonious society. The study is aimed at facilitating policy development leading to a demand-driven, high-quality, and equitable education and training system conducive to lifelong learning. The experience of Yunnan also sheds light on skills development in China, as the analysis in this report situates Yunnan in the broader national context. The intended audience includes policymakers in the Ministries of education, human resources and social security, agriculture, and finance, and the poverty alleviation office and national development and reform commission. The report would also be of interest to researchers and development workers interested in understanding skills development in China. This report consists of three parts. The first part, skills challenges: demand, gaps, and mismatch, examines the sources of the mismatch of supply and demand for skilled labor in Yunnan. The second part, education and training, sets out the challenges facing Yunnan as it seeks to strengthen the Technical and Vocational Training and Education (TVET) system, improve access to education and the quality of educational outputs, encourage more robust work-based and rural training, and invest additional resources in general education. Finally, in conclusions and policy implications, the report lays out specific policy proposals that cross both sector lines and address sector-specific issues.Publication Republic of Sierra Leone : Higher and Tertiary Education Sector Policy Note(Washington, DC, 2013-07-15)Chapter one provides background and context for these policy notes. It includes information on the history of Higher and Tertiary Education (HTEs), learning structures, the economy, relevant legal frameworks, and the general education sector. Chapter two deals with quality assurance: the structures of administration, legal framework, monitoring Commissions, internal and external quality assurance, policies, accreditation and participants. Chapter three highlights issues of academic Relevance to economic, social and national development. It reviews the Government of Sierra Leone (GOSL) priorities, the labor market, skills and competencies and employment status and opportunities for Higher and Tertiary Education Institution, or HTI graduates. The chapter further explores the supply of programs and courses while identifying gaps in offerings. Recommendations are provided. Chapter Four provides insight into the Cost and Financing of HTIs. The report highlights the financing of institutions, public financing, subventions, scholarships and projected demand for HTE and associated costs. Policy recommendations are provided in each chapter, and summarized here.
Users also downloaded
Showing related downloaded files
Publication The Power of Survey Design : A User's Guide for Managing Surveys, Interpreting Results, and Influencing Respondents(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2006)The vast majority of data used for economic research, analysis, and policy design comes from surveys-surveys of households, firms, schools, hospitals, and market participants, and, the accuracy of the estimate will depend on how well the survey is done. This innovative book is both a 'how-to' go about carrying out high-quality surveys, especially in the challenging environment of developing countries, and a 'user's guide' for anyone who uses statistical data. Reading this book will provide data users with a wealth of insight into what kinds of problems, or biases to look for in different data sources, based on the underlying survey approaches that were used to generate the data. In that sense the book is an invaluable 'skeptics guide to data'. Yet, the broad storyline of the book is something that should be absorbed by statistical data users. The book will teach and show how difficult it often is to obtain reliable estimates of important social and economic facts, and, therefore encourages you to approach all estimates with sensible caution.Publication Supporting Youth at Risk(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2008)The World Bank has produced this policy Toolkit in response to a growing demand from our government clients and partners for advice on how to create and implement effective policies for at-risk youth. The author has highlighted 22 policies (six core policies, nine promising policies, and seven general policies) that have been effective in addressing the following five key risk areas for young people around the world: (i) youth unemployment, underemployment, and lack of formal sector employment; (ii) early school leaving; (iii) risky sexual behavior leading to early childbearing and HIV/AIDS; (iv) crime and violence; and (v) substance abuse. The objective of this Toolkit is to serve as a practical guide for policy makers in middle-income countries as well as professionals working within the area of youth development on how to develop and implement an effective policy portfolio to foster healthy and positive youth development.Publication Zimbabwe(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2019-03-01)This report presents an assessment of Zimbabwe’s agriculture sector disaster risk and management capacity. The findings indicate that Zimbabwe is highly exposed to agricultural risks and has limited capacity to manage risk at various levels. The report shows that disaster-related shocks along Zimbabwe’s agricultural supply chains directly translate to volatility in agricultural GDP. Such shocks have a substantial impact on economic growth, food security, and fiscal balance. When catastrophic disasters occur, the economy absorbs the shocks, without benefiting from any instruments that transfer the risk to markets and coping ability. The increasing prevalence of ‘shock recovery-shock’ cycles impairs Zimbabwe’s ability to plan and pursue a sustainable development path. The findings presented here confirm that it is highly pertinent for Zimbabwe to strengthen the capacity to manage risk at various levels, from the smallholder farmer, to other participants along the supply chain, to consumers (who require a reliable, safe food supply), and ultimately to the government to manage natural disasters. The assessment provides the following evidence on sources of risks and plausible risk management solutions. It is our hope that the report contributes to action by the Government of Zimbabwe to adopt a proactive and integrated risk management strategy appropriate to the current structure of the agricultural sector.Publication Ten Steps to a Results-Based Monitoring and Evaluation System : A Handbook for Development Practitioners(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2004)An effective state is essential to achieving socio-economic and sustainable development. With the advent of globalization, there are growing pressures on governments and organizations around the world to be more responsive to the demands of internal and external stakeholders for good governance, accountability and transparency, greater development effectiveness, and delivery of tangible results. Governments, parliaments, citizens, the private sector, Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs), civil society, international organizations, and donors are among the stakeholders interested in better performance. As demands for greater accountability and real results have increased, there is an attendant need for enhanced results-based monitoring and evaluation of policies, programs, and projects. This handbook provides a comprehensive ten-step model that will help guide development practitioners through the process of designing and building a results-based monitoring and evaluation system. These steps begin with a 'readiness assessment' and take the practitioner through the design, management, and importantly, the sustainability of such systems. The handbook describes each step in detail, the tasks needed to complete each one, and the tools available to help along the way.Publication World Development Report 2019(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2019)Work is constantly reshaped by technological progress. New ways of production are adopted, markets expand, and societies evolve. But some changes provoke more attention than others, in part due to the vast uncertainty involved in making predictions about the future. The 2019 World Development Report will study how the nature of work is changing as a result of advances in technology today. Technological progress disrupts existing systems. A new social contract is needed to smooth the transition and guard against rising inequality. Significant investments in human capital throughout a person’s lifecycle are vital to this effort. If workers are to stay competitive against machines they need to train or retool existing skills. A social protection system that includes a minimum basic level of protection for workers and citizens can complement new forms of employment. Improved private sector policies to encourage startup activity and competition can help countries compete in the digital age. Governments also need to ensure that firms pay their fair share of taxes, in part to fund this new social contract. The 2019 World Development Report presents an analysis of these issues based upon the available evidence.