MYANMAR is expected to receive US$26 million worth of assistance to improve its secondary education as well as its technical and vocational education and training (TVET) programmes.
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the European Union (EU) announced recently that the technical assistance grant was being prepared to support reforms to the education system, according to The Myanmar Times.
The technical assistance is expected to be implemented from January to December 2024.
In a statement announcing the grant, ADB Education Specialist Yumiko Yamakawa said: “ADB remains committed to supporting the government of Myanmar’s reform efforts, which are vital to helping young people gain valuable skills needed in the current and future job market.
“The project will help Myanmar produce a highly-skilled and educated labour force, which is key for the country’s future growth and development,” Yamakawa added.
The grant will complement ADB’s ongoing support for Myanmar’s education sector, which includes the Equipping Youth for Employment (EYE) Project approved in 2016 to strengthen the country’s education, while promote inclusive growth and job creation.
The project focuses on improving the country’s secondary education curriculum and teaching quality, to help equip graduates with the necessary knowledge and skills in demand by the emerging job market.
Myanmar’s economy has grown steadily over the past few years, but the government needs to improve the education quality and skills of the country’s labour force, to ensure that the growth remains inclusive and sustainable.
The government has been making progress in improving the country’s education system, with the education ministry initiating reforms under the National Education Strategic Plan, 2016-2021, according to the statement and that ADB and EU’s continu-ed support is aligned with the plan.
Building on the key reforms supported by EYE and complementing the budget support provided by the EU, the new grant would support the Education ministry in advancing critical follow-up reforms for improving skills development, teaching and learning, professional development for teachers, and diversifying TVET programmes to meet industry demands.