Making education inclusive and practical worldwide

Context

In many places, technical and vocational education and training (TVET) lacks practice-oriented training. Companies are rarely involved in training, and TVET therefore often fails to meet the requirements of businesses.

In addition, 129 million girls and young women worldwide are not in school. Gender-specific barriers often deny them access. At the same time, many countries do not engage in gender-responsive education sector planning.

Objective

Access to practice-oriented TVET has improved for infrastructure projects in selected countries. Education is gender-responsive.

Approach

There are two components to the programme:

Build4Skills

TVET provided in close cooperation with companies teaches trainees important skills for the world of work. Build4Skills applies this principle and uses construction sites as learning sites. Projects by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the Global Gateway Investment Agenda (GGIA) serve as training sites. Build4Skills also trains in-company instructors. It promotes the business benefits of investing in TVET to companies.

Together with Siemens Pakistan, Build4Skills supports women in technical professions through training and internships.

In Latin America, the practice-oriented learning approach of Build4Skills is flanked by advisory services for social protection to promote positive conditions for technical vocational education and training.

BACKUP Education

BACKUP Education supports partner countries of the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) in applying for funding to reform their education systems. This support is available to all of the GPE partner countries, more than 90 in total.

Last update: March 2025