Increasing the Enrolment of Women and Girls in TVET in Africa through the Women in Technical Education and Development (WITED)

Abstract

PCF10 Sub-theme: Promoting Equity and Inclusion [POSTER] // This paper is for The PCF10 and on the sub theme “Promoting Equity and Inclusion” at the Tenth Pan-Commonwealth Forum on Open Learning (PCF10), Calgary, Canada. The author discusses how the enrollment of women and girls in TVETs in Africa is being increased through ‘’Women in Technical Education and Development (WITED)’’, a program of the Association of Technical Education and Development in Africa (ATUPA) and supported by the Commonwealth of Learning (COL). The paper gives: the background to the WITED program; the objective and strategies applied; revitalizing WITED through COL and ATUPA Women in STEM (CAWS) Project; the intended outcomes of the WITED Program and finally the conclusions. The methodology of this paper is desk research combined with interviews of the “WITED Champions”. The authors extensively examine available documents on WITED. The UN Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development aims to: “eliminate gender disparities in education and ensure equal access to all levels of education and vocational training for the vulnerable, including persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples and children in vulnerable situations” by 2030 (SDG target 4.5); and “achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including for young people and persons with disabilities, and equal pay for work of equal value” (SDG target 8.5). Equality and non-discrimination are also reflected in the UN’s “Leaving no one behind” framework, endorsed by the United Nation System’s Chief Executives Board for Coordination. Women in Technical Education and Training (WITED) is a program which was initiated by Commonwealth Association of Polytechnics in Africa (CAPA), now Association of Technical Universities and Polytechnics in Africa (ATUPA), with the support of the International Labor Organization (ILO) and Commonwealth of Learning (COL) back in 1988. The author seek to evaluate the impact achieved by the programme, the challenges encountered and finally make a call to action by recommending ways by which the programe can reach more girls and women and bring them into TVET programmes. // Paper ID 9725