(KPL) The government of Germany has contributed EUR 4 million to Dual-Cooperative Training (DCT) through the Vocational Education Lao PDR (VELA) project phase 2.

The agreement was signed in Vientiane on Aug 23 by Mr Nouphanh Outsa, Director General, DTEVT, Ministry of Education and Sports, Ms Sisomboun Ounavong, Director General of International Cooperation, Dr Wolfgang Hanning, Country Director of GIZ to Laos and Mr Alexander Monden, Head of VELA Project, GIZ.

Phase 2 of VELA commenced in February 2019 and will be operational until January 2022. The German contribution to the project by the Federal of Ministry for Economic  Cooperation and Development (BMZ) amounts to EUR 4 million.

Vice Minister of Planning and Investment, Dr Kikeo Chanthaboury and German Ambassador to Laos Jens Lutkenherm witnessed the event.

The main implementation partner of the Lao government is the Ministry of Education and Sports, the project is coordinated by the Ministry of Planning and Investment. Another important implementation partner is the Lao National Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The project is also implemented together with the Gesellschaft furry Internationale Zusammenarveit (GIZ).

Since 2014, the VELA project supported six vocational colleges and more than 50 partner companies in Champassak, Luang Prabang, Vientiane capital, and Vientiane Province with the development and introduction of three Dual-Cooperative Training (DTC) programmes (“Farmer”, Food/Beverage Service and Food Product Professional” and “Automotive Mechanics”).

“The governments of the Lao PDR and the Federal Republic of Germany have maintained fruitful development cooperation since 1963. Germany has been an active contributor to the national socio-economic development since then, particularly in the area of sustainable economic development. During its first phase from 2013 to 2019, “VELA” project supported the reform of the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) sector, in particular through the introduction of Dual-Cooperative Training (DCT) as an innovative approach to increase the quality and relevance of TVET,” said Dr Kikeo Chanthaboury.

“More than 700 students have benefited from participating in DCT and were able to gain experience within production processes in companies parallel to their classroom training,” added Dr Kikeo Chanthaboury.

“VELA has achieved remarkable success in motivating and engaging enterprises on an individual basis to participate in DCT pilot programmes. However, to anchor DCT into the national vocational education and training system, the organized private sector needs to assume ownership and become an eye level partner of the government of the Lao PDR. I therefore welcome to inclusion of LNCCI as an implementation partner of the VELA project,” said German Ambassador to Laos Jens Lutkenherm.

The object of the VELA project to provide capacity building and organizational development support to existing colleges and further development them into DCT Flagship Colleges,” said Mr Nouphanh Outsa, Director General of Technical Vocational Education and Training of MoES.

“With support of the VELA project the DCT Flagship Collages will be enabled to better gain their portfolio and quickly respond to the requirements of the Lao labour market. Through the increased quality of their services the colleges will become role models for vocational schools in provinces,” said Mr Nouphanh Outsa.

KPL