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Monday, May 11, 2009

The MEDA-ETE project on the point to be finished

In order to promote social stability and economic prosperity in the MEDA region education and training will be the key instruments.Even if countries in the area are far from homogeneous in terms of their socio-economic background, labour market and training systems, there are a number of common challenges all the countries face if they are to promote education and training as an effective tool to promote social inclusion and economic development.

The MEDA Education and Training for Employment (MEDA-ETE) project began in November 2004 and has been a pioneering project aiming to boost employment in Mediterranean countries by improving the quality of education and training. It has adopted a regional approach whereby countries have been encouraged to find solutions to local problems by reflecting on how other countries in the region had tackled similar issues. Thus it has harnessed existing expertise and helped it develop, while also providing input from European Union experiences.

At its conlusion all project participants are gathering at the closing conference to take stock of their experiences, achievements and success stories; and to capitalise on them for future actions.

The MEDA-ETE project has been crucial across the region in establishing of a real regional cooperation; improving vocational education and training and its links to the labour markets; sharing information and know-how; introducing common methodologies; forging links with EU programmes and policies; and moving from policy to practice.

While the proof of the success of a project only becomes clear years down the line, when you can see whether it has managed to have a lasting impact in the countries concerned, there are already encouraging signs that some its initiatives are entering the mainstream.

Building on MEDA- ETE activities, Egypt is now making real progress in introducing a new strategy for career guidance for its young people.

In Jordan, the MEDA-ETE e-learning initiative has found fertile ground: not only is the oline course it developed now on offer on Jordanian teacher trainers, but it has triggered a host of other developments which are putting e-learning at the heart of teacher training reform in the country.

Thanks to MEDA-ETE supported knowledge sharing activities, Syria has adopted a best practice adopted by the Moroccan employment and training agency, and with their support the Syrian former Agency for Combating Unemployment has changed from merely providing funding for business start-ups into an organisation which can guide would-be entrepreneurs through every stage of setting up a business.

Furthermore, MEDA-ETE activities in the field of National Qualifications Frameworks have led to a significant progress in countries. The work is continuing, supported with ETF funds. A wide range of stakeholders is working in Egypt on the road map for an NQF. Building NQFs is part of a national strategy in Jordan and forms part of broader government plans for social and economic development. In Morocco, a working group led by the Ministry of Employment and Vocational Training began work in 2007. Using mainly occupational and skills profiles developed by other projects, the working group has designed a framework with seven levels of qualification using six broad descriptors. This is a significant step, although political agreement and consultation activities are still on their way. In Tunisia, NQF is being planned and developed for the whole education system and a new VET law in 2008 gave the NQF its place in the institutional landscape.

Source  European Training Foundation

More information  European Training Foundation

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