Bangladesh showcases achievements in skills development at Global Skills Forum

DHAKA (ILO News)- The essential role of skills and lifelong learning is well-recognized in enhancing the labour force’s employability and productivity, attracting investment and fostering national economic growth. 

Bangladesh has formulated a National Skills Development Policy and established a unified national qualifications framework to enhance recognition of skills qualifications and upskilling of the workforce. Moreover, the traditional TVET system has evolved into an industry-relevant and skills-focused model.

These transformations reflect the Government's commitment to its development vision, complemented by significant financial contributions by development partners and technical expertise provided notably by a.o. the International Labour Organization (ILO). 

However, challenges persist in realizing the Bangladesh Government’s vision for the national skills system.  Therefore, the Global Skills Forum, hosted by the ILO Skills and Employability Branch on 23 and 24 April, which had invited constituents and development partners to discuss skills challenges and partnerships in a changing world, featured an exclusive session dedicated to Bangladesh. This high-level panel, held at ILO Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, was graced by the presence of the Honourable Minister of Education of the Government of Bangladesh, Mr Mohibul Hassan Chowdhury, as well as senior representatives from Employers' and Workers’ Organizations and key Development Partners, the European Union and the Government of Canada.

During the session, participants deliberated on Bangladesh's achievements, ongoing challenges, and proposed strategies for advancing the national skills system through targeted strategies and collaborative partnerships. Mr Srinivas Reddy, Chief of the Skills and Employability Branch at ILO moderated the session, commencing with a video showcasing Bangladesh's main achievements in skills development.

Mr Gilbert F. Houngbo, the Director General of ILO, graced the session with his presence and joined the high-level panel for his intervention.  Mr. Houngbo commended the beneficial long-term partnerships between the Government of Bangladesh, the ILO, the EU and Canada, recognizing their mutually reinforcing contributions to Bangladesh’s skills development objectives. Mr. Houngbo underscored the importance of climate change mitigation and adaption through green skills development, as well as promoting social cohesion and employment through ensuring accessibility and inclusivity of the skills development system.

Mr Mohibul Hassan Chowdhury, Minister of Education of Bangladesh, highlighted Bangladesh's significant advancements in skills development, notably in ensuring accessibility and equity for marginalized groups such as women, indigenous communities, and persons with disabilities. These endeavours align closely with the Government's stated political objectives and developmental priorities.  Nevertheless, the Minister stressed the need to bridge the skills mismatch between the high-skills needs of industry and the generally low-skilled labour force, both nationally and more generally. The Minister called upon industry sectors and development partners to take proactive steps in promoting lifelong learning and enhance skills development, especially in emerging industry sectors like pharmaceuticals, ICT, and agro-food processing.

Mr. Farooq Ahmed, Secretary General of the Bangladesh Employers’ Federation, highlighted the essential role of the private sector in skills development, incl. the need for more apprenticeships in skills development and job creation, as well as facilitating a seamless transition from education to employment. He advocated for incentives to encourage businesses to adopt and increase the quantity and quality of apprenticeships models applied and emphasized the comprehensive need for industry-relevant TVET.

Ms Saki Rezwana, Secretary of the Bangladesh Free Trade Union Congress, brought attention to the obstacles encountered by workers striving to acquire advanced skills suitable for the labour market. She advocated for social dialogue and greater involvement by Workers' Organizations and the need for accelerating the implementation of the Bangladesh National Qualifications Framework in order to facilitate lifelong learning and formal recognition of workers' skills. 

Charles Whiteley, Ambassador and Head of Delegation of the European Union to Bangladesh highlighted the EU's commitment to enhancing the capabilities of the Bangladeshi workforce, not only for domestic employment, but also for international labour markets. He emphasized the EU’s support for upcoming talent partnerships between Bangladesh and key EU Member States for skilled migration of Bangladeshi workers to the EU through legal migration pathways, as well as plans to support the diversification of the production base of industry sectors through Gateway collaboration.

Mr Thomas Wagner, Ambassador, Deputy Head of the EU Delegation to the UN and other international organisations in Geneva, affirmed the EU's ongoing support for the modernization of skills systems in partner countries across regions, particularly focusing on enhancing industry-relevant skills provision in the forthcoming years. 

Ms Patricia McCullagh, Minister-Counsellor, Deputy Permanent Representative of Canada to the UN in Geneva highlighted Canada's recent initiatives funding projects aimed at empowering vulnerable communities through skills training and job creation. She reiterated Canada's commitment to collaborating with the ILO and Bangladesh to ensure decent work opportunities for millions of Bangladeshi citizens.

All panel representatives commended the Government of Bangladesh, the ILO and Development Partners for their long-term partnership since 2007, yielding significant transformations of the national skills system, and expressed their commitment to continue the beneficial partnerships in the future for the further strengthening of the Bangladesh economic and social development, in line with the Government’s vision.