@FMwenge Please do. I’m open to more discussions around this, including participation in a space if you opt to use your influence to raise awareness and spark constructive debate and idea sharing.
@FMwenge Commitments from EU supporting the Lobito corridor, are promoting value addition through funding windows created to finance skill acquisition & commercialisation of smallholder farmers along the corridor. Find out more here: https://t.co/9CmNi4ePLa & let me know what you think.
@FMwenge 2/2 are what you and I including the masses need to focus on. We indeed as a country have witnessed a lot of missed opportunities (original TAZARA) being one of them, but as of today, we are in better positions to offer insight that could shift this needle in the right direction
@FMwenge I beg to differ with this view, Felix. At is point, conversations on current policy environment (e.g., local content, mechanisation, decentralisation, ASM & natural resources & minerals Act) in terms of operationalisation, indigenous resource mobilisation & skills acquisition 1/2
Exclusive: Zambia, Africa’s second-biggest copper producer, will use larger-than-expected mining revenues to start a stabilization fund this year, a senior treasury official said https://t.co/7avZl7OFb2
@InfinitelyDean 2/2 capital project with clauses for industrial development & market-driven skills acquisition is paramount to turn the tide. One might argue that in today’s Zambia the missing link is coordination. Enhancing resources allocation & utilisation is essential.
@InfinitelyDean Indeed, enclave economic development has plagued Africa & Zambia has been a victim. There is opportunity to learn from these missed opportunities by deliberating investing in skills development & value chain capture. I’m of the view that Ring-Fencing these 1/2
@FMwenge So the Skills Development Levy & TEVET Acts respectively need to be revised to take into account financing & operations of TEVET institutions. Conversations on RING-FENCING of SDL & capital/labour intensive projects e.g Lobito & TAZARA to put aside funding for skills development
@FMwenge Another issue is how TEVET institutions (particularly public) are incentivised. They earn money on enrolment figures than on completion or competency levels. This means, I will be interested to just enrol students into my institution without regards to how I offer the service.
@FMwenge One is example is the Skill Levy. Employers pay this levy but it is not directly used to enhance learning (training infrastructure, curriculum nor outcomes) as it is pooled into one fund. Then when the national budget is drafted, only 2.2% of the education budget goes to TEVET.