The Human Resource Development Council (HRDC), which operates under the aegis of the Prime Minister’s Office, is coordinating the formulation of the National Skills Development Strategy (NSDS) 2019-2023 with the technical assistance of Agence Francaise de Developpement (AFD). The Societe Francaise d’Exportation des Ressources Educatives (SFERE) is providing technical assistance for the formulation of the strategy. A steering committee chaired by the PMO oversees the implementation of the project.

The salient objectives of NSDS are as follows:

•    Chart the pathway for skills development;
•    Assess the current status and set-up of the skills development system in the country;
•    Identify future skills development requirements in line with vision of the government;
•    Identify themes/areas in the skills development system that would require changing/improving; and
•    Propose actionable recommendations that would improve the current set-up.
 
The implementation of the project comprises the following 3 phases:
•    Phase 1: Diagnosis of the current skills development system and propose methodology for Phase II;
•    Phase 2: Thematic workshops and report of outcome; and
•    Phase 3: Formulation of the National Skills Development Strategy and action plan.

We are presently at Phase III of the project which consists of using the deliverables at Phases I & II, among others, for drafting of the strategy. To this end, the HRDC is organising a validation workshop to be held as follows: