HCM City(VNS/VNA) - Close cooperation with the business sector will ensure thattechnical and vocational education and training (TVET) activities are effectiveand meet the needs of the market, experts have said.

The Law on Vocational Education and Training regulates the reform of the TVETsystem, particularly the restructuring of the TVET institute network and theenhancement of the autonomy of TVET institutes in planning and performance,organisation, personnel and financing, said Vu Xuan Hung, Director of theDirectorate for Vocational Education and Training’s Formal EducationDepartment.

The TVET system cannot fulfill the industry’s demands in quality and quantityand TVET graduates’ skills and competencies do not match the needs ofbusinesses, Hung said at a workshop held on October 22 in HCM City.

This is partly due to lack of cooperation between TVET institutes and thebusiness sector, he said.

It is necessary to clearly define the rights and responsibilities of eachstakeholder in TVET activities in which enterprises are involved, therebybuilding an effective co-operation mechanism among the State, enterprises andtechnical and vocational education and training institutes.

Incentive policies for teachers and in-company trainers need to be clarified,he added.

In order to enhance demand-oriented TVET in key sectors of the economy, since2015, the programme “Reform of TVET in Vietnam” has piloted four cooperativetraining programmes in mechatronics, metal cutting, industrial electronics andsewage engineering technician at the LILAMA 2 International College ofTechnology in Dong Nai province and HCM City Vocational College of Technology.

The business sector is closely involved in all stages of the training process,from programme development to training implementation and assessment, saidJürgen Hartwig, programme director of Reform of TVET in Vietnam.

He suggested that cooperation between TVET institutes, students, companies,chambers and professional associations at all levels should be improved andexpanded.

It should have participation of industry representatives/councils in thedevelopment and approval of standards, learning outcomes, and trainingprogrammes, he said.

The Reform of TVET programme in Vietnam cooperates with the Directorate forVocational Education and Training under the Ministry of Labour, Invalids andSocial Affairs.

It aims to improve the quality and orientation of training and the developmentof Centres of Excellence.

TVET reform initiatives are piloted at TVET institutes, and experiences andlessons learnt are integrated into system advice.

The programme from the 2010-20 period cooperates with 10 TVET institutes thatare equipped with modern technical equipment.

Under the programme, international technical experts advise Vietnamese teachersand the management of the TVET institutes on technical and organisationalissues.-VNS/VNA