From Dormant to Dynamic: A Practical Strategy for Revitalizing TVET in Ethiopia

Whenever someone comes up with this topic, it is easy to say TVETs could do this or that to improve their impact. But first, studying their current impact is also a good idea.

The usual suggestions include income generating activities, manufacturing products, providing services, or collaborating with private companies on research and product development. But this is easier said than done, because a number of issues come into play when integrating financial incentives with education. However, even though the solution brings different kinds of problems, we still need to find an optimal way forward for the currently dormant TVET institutions.

The Reality of "Dormant"

When I say dormant, I am not saying they are doing nothing. They are doing what they are supposed to do. But when you compare the potential these institutions have against the actual value they realize, one could say we have not implemented even a fraction of what could be.

Currently, most TVET institutions rely heavily on government funding and trainee fees. That model has worked in the past, but the future of TVET is in relevance and demonstrating what they are teaching in real world scenarios.

Why Income Generation Matters

Income generation is one aspect, but the implementation of this strategy goes beyond just making money. It will enable trainers and trainees to have real world experience that prepares them for the actual demands of the workplace.

From my recent visits, I have seen some movement toward startup training and using TVET spaces as incubation centers. This is a good start. But without full policy and guidance, these things might become just another set of projects supported by international and local donors, active only as long as the funding lasts.

A Pilot-to-Scale Approach

One thing that I believe will definitely work is implementing the strategy in one TVET, in a few departments, and running it like a real business where teachers and students are part of one team. Once the system is proved to work, we can transition to more departments and other TVETs.

Let us take Tafari Makonnen Polytechnic College as an example. They have a department in Food Processing and Catering. In our model, this department would be organized as a business that provides food and catering services to different entities. The department, in collaboration with other departments and the administration office, could open a public cafeteria and serve the community around there. They could also actively bid for catering contracts for weddings, corporate meetings, and government events.

The teachers and students, along with the business wing of the admin office, would run these services as one unified team. Students would not just learn the theory of food preparation; they would experience the logistics, customer service, and financial management of running a real enterprise.

What This Means

I am not saying this idea is new. People have thought of this before. But the difference between a good idea and real transformation is actual implementation. If we can tackle the challenges head on and fully immerse ourselves in implementing these kinds of models in every department, there will be a genuine transformation in the TVET space.