Liberia: House Reviews Bill To “Regulate” TVET Education

After the civil wars, Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) sprinted to tackle the issues of unemployability of the youth and school dropouts in Liberia, which undoubtedly affected the growth and development of the country.

The proliferation of TVET across the country without regulation thwarted or dimmed the intent of TVET, which is an alternative to the traditional academic route — to bridge the gap between employment and academics.

In a measure to regulate or govern TVET activities in the country, the House of Representatives is currently reviewing a draft law, entitled: “Act shall be cited as the "LIBERIA TECHNICAL AND VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING (TVET) COMMISSION ACT of 2024."

The Bill is sponsored and submitted by Montserrado County District #14 Representative Muka Kamara.

“The bill is if passed, will establish a commission to regulate all levels of pre-tertiary formal, non-formal and informal TVET; the coordination and harmonization of the activities of both pre-tertiary public and private TVET providers the financing of TVET,” Rep. Kamara opined.

“The bill covers all pre-tertiary formal, informal, public, and private TVET providers or institutions, except secondary schools offering technical or vocational courses as part of its curriculum, military, police, and any other national security agencies' training institutions.”

In a communication addressed to Speaker Cllr. J. Fonati Koffa, the Montserrado County District #14 Representative wrote: “Youth unemployment and underemployment are major socio-economic challenges in Liberia. Although our country has largely overcome the trauma of a prolonged civil war, the Ebola crisis, and the recent Coronavirus disease, the country is yet to achieve its full potential for rapid and sustainable development. The acquisition of employment-oriented competencies and skills for the job market, to drive the economy, and support industrialization remains a key national development objective.”

Rep. Kamara stated: “Based upon the aforesaid, we are craving the indulgence of the plenary to pass into law the proposed "Liberia TVET Commission Act (LiTCOM) that will have the power and authority to spearhead the process of implementation of the National TVET Policy.”

He added: “Honorable Speaker, this proposed act when passed into Law will reposition

TVET is a vehicle for promoting access to quality skills training, stimulating economic growth, creating sustainable employment, and reducing poverty. The policy seeks to create a new vision for TVET that appeals to all categories of regulation of all levels of pre-tertiary formal, non-formal, and informal TVET; the coordination and harmonization of the activities of both pre-tertiary public and private TVET providers.

The Bill got its first reading and was forwarded to the Joint Committee on Education and Public Administration and Judiciary; and will report to the House’s Plenary in two weeks.

The purpose of the Act is to harmonize and improve the governance and regulatory framework of the TVET sector. It will also facilitate the creation of an enabling environment for the acquisition of employable skills for the world of work by all categories of learners, including the youth, adults, the unemployed, ex-combatants, and persons with disabilities, amongst others.  

The crafters believe it would also help to create a robust, flexible, and cost-effective human capacity development system that is responsive to the changing needs of the labor market and the growth and industrialization imperatives of the economy.

The sponsor of the bill, Rep. Kamara, opined “Liberia, its merit lies in the effort to tackle the nation’s high unemployment rate, especially among the youth and school dropouts. This is mainly due to the fact that most individuals graduating from the traditional academic route often lack the skills that employers need and search for in the job market. This leads to the inability to get the jobs they want and eventually opting out of the labor force.

As such, TVET serves as an effective pathway toward unemployment. This is because the training provides individuals with the necessary skills that practically equip them for certain jobs. This approach is more than just taking a single class or completing a degree. It involves going into specifics of learning trades that are aimed at preparing individuals for certain occupations. TVET centers in Liberia provide individuals with practical skills geared toward giving them access to the job market.”