Promoting youth employment by supporting technical and vocational

education in Liberia SAP 140095

A public private development partnership

Project Duration 5 years

Budget USD 6,213,870 incl. PSC cost (13%)

Date October 2018

Version 002

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Contents 1. Introduction........................................................................................................................ 3

2. Project strategy .................................................................................................................. 6

3. Project Components ........................................................................................................... 9

4. Project Approach Narrative ................................................................................................11

5. Project Stakeholders ..........................................................................................................13

6. Project’s Targeted Beneficiaries .........................................................................................14

7. Implementation Arrangements ..........................................................................................15

8. Disability-Inclusive Technical and Vocational Education .....................................................19

9. Gender Analysis and Approach ..........................................................................................20

10. Sustainability .....................................................................................................................21

Institutional sustainability ......................................................................................................21

Sustainability of training ........................................................................................................22

Financial sustainability ...........................................................................................................22

11. Alignment with national priorities ......................................................................................23

12. Strategic fit with Sweden’s strategy for Liberia ...................................................................23

13. Risk and Risk Mitigation Measures .....................................................................................24

14. Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) ......................................................................................26

15. Indicators and Means of Verification ..................................................................................26

16. Communications and Visibility ...........................................................................................28

17. Procurement Arrangements...............................................................................................28

18. Environment and Safety Mainstreaming ............................................................................28

19. Project Budget ...................................................................................................................30

20. Legal Context .....................................................................................................................31

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1. Introduction

Since the end of the fourteen-year conflict in 2003, and before the Ebola outbreak in March 2014,

Liberia experienced significant economic growth, with real GDP growth in excess of 8 per cent in

2012 and 2013, but the Ebola outbreak in March 2014 halted the upward trend. Real GDP growth

was estimated at 8.7 percent in 2013, 0.7 percent in 2014 (initially projected at 6 percent), zero

percent in 2015 and a negative annual GDP growth rate of -1.6% in 2016. The economic crisis of

those years also highlighted structural weaknesses in the country’s economy, particularly its

dependence on very few commodities from the extractive sector and consequent vulnerability to

external factors. The country’s recovery from the associated economic and social costs of the

Ebola crisis has been slow as a result of falling international prices for Liberia’s main export goods.

Recently though Liberia has experienced economic improvements. The economy grew with 2.5%

in 2017 and average growth in GDP is projected to reach 3.5% and 4.4% in 2018 and 2019

respectively1. It is expected to be driven largely by the agriculture, manufacturing, and services

sectors, as the economy begins to reap the benefits of improved access to road transport network

and cheaper sources of electricity2. Agriculture is the primary source of livelihood for two thirds

of Liberia’s population and agriculture will remain a major driver of growth for the future. The

agriculture sector is projected to make positive gains and is projected to grow from 1.4% in 2016

to 7.2% in 2020.

In addition, several large-scale infrastructure development initiatives are currently ongoing

intended to improve the poor quality transport infrastructure which is a significant barrier for

economic development in Liberia. An area of growth is the construction and maintenance of

transportation and energy infrastructure and other areas of focus for public investment, following

Liberia’s Agenda for Transformation (AfT). The AfT identifies infrastructure as key to economic

transformation, foreseeing high levels of capital investments in rehabilitation and expansion of

roads and bridges, energy, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), Information and

Communications Technology (ICT) etc. to foster economic development of rural Liberia. With

support of the World Bank and other development partners through a Liberia Reconstruction

Trust Fund (LRTF), major road corridors are being rehabilitated. In addition to allowing for foreign

investment and industrial growth, those investments also create jobs directly and the immediate

demand for trained human capital. Curricula and training programmes catering to this demand

are required.

However, a shortage of appropriate human capital hinders Liberia’s efforts to reduce poverty and develop a workforce capable to serve the requirements of a growing and competitive

economy. The civil war resulted in a significant loss of human capital, infrastructure and technical

know-how in Liberia. It also led to the near-collapse of the vocational education system, including

the destruction of its infrastructure and training equipment. Liberia's youth constitutes nearly half

1 African Development Bank, 2018. Liberia: 2018 African Economic Outlook. 2 http://www.worldbank.org/en/country/liberia/overview

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of the Liberian labour force but is exposed to high unemployment, underemployment and

vulnerable employment rates. The global commodity prices crisis, combined with the effects of

the Ebola crisis, have devastated the Liberian economy and worsened youth's fragility problems.

A socially and economically marginalised young population can pose serious risks to national

security, social cohesion and stability. Liberian youth generally lack employable skills and are ill-

equipped to access new economic opportunities. Efforts to improve their employability are

constrained by a Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) sector characterised by

serious shortcomings in terms of quality and relevance, access and equity, funding, and

governance. The Government of Liberia (GoL) recognises that the transition towards inclusive

growth will not happen unless human capabilities are enhanced and the quality of education and

vocational training are improved to match the demands of the labour market. This situation has

seriously affected the youth and young adults (aged 15-35) who make-up one third of the

population . With one in every three youth unemployed, this population lack both the technical

skills/knowledge and the funds to initiate or resume any kind of income-generating activities thus

exacerbating the country-wide situation in terms of poverty, job security, and social instability .

In addition, there are serious equity challenges facing the education sector in Liberia. Most training programs are concentrated in urban areas, particularly Monrovia.3 There are major

inequalities in education access, participation and learning outcomes by gender, urban-rural

status, county of residence and household socio-economic status. In addition, disparities in the

public resourcing of education and training is evident in major differences in key indicators by

county and urban-rural status, such as pupil qualified teacher ratio and student-classroom ratios.4

More equitable access to TVET in rural areas, with a particular emphasis on gender-balance, is a

priority within Liberia’s Getting to Best Education Sector Plan 2017-2021.

Girls and women are underrepresented at all educational levels and in the teaching force. Fewer

females participate in technical training, as some technical professions are traditionally male-

dominated including carpentry, automotive, construction and engineering, which may affect

females’ desire to enroll. 5 Although women are a slightly larger proportion of the youth labor

force, their skills development and work opportunities outside the family appear to be more

limited. This implies a labor market friction that ultimately will distort incentives and lead to

misallocation of labor, reducing aggregate income in the country.

Another core problem lies in attracting students due to the negative perception of Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) as an educational option for school leavers. The

dilapidated state of Liberia’s vocational schools mainly engage students with outdated theoretical

lessons and limited use of training aids, visual models and modern equipment to enhance hands-

on practical training. Capacity and quality of training varies greatly among TVET institutions and

the Ministry of Education lacks the means to ensure minimum qualification standards. In its

3 World Bank (2016). 4 Ministry of Education Republic of Liberia Getting to Best Education Sector Plan 2017-2021 5 Ministry of Education Republic of Liberia Getting to Best Education Sector Plan 2017-2021

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Education Sector Plan, the MoE has recognized the need for a national qualification framework

for independent testing and certification in sectors in high demand.

While Liberia is employing more qualified teachers than ever before, many teachers are still unqualified.6 Lack of access to capital or resources is a widespread problem in schools, challenging

training providers as well as the youth trainees themselves. Vocational training is often

fragmented across different fields, with very limited practical content, and insufficient exposure

to the world of work and the expectations of an employer. Partly as a result of the poor reputation

of training systems, technical and vocational training is perceived as an unattractive, last resort

career avenue for youth.

An aim of the Government of Liberia’s Pro-Poor Agenda for Prosperity and Development (PAPD) is to promote the agribusiness sector by incentivizing private sector participation supported by

policy reforms that will create an enabling environment for investors. This strategic focus is on

technology-driven production increases, reduction of post-harvest losses and downstream

processing of targeted crops to produce intermediate products for export. Another important aim

of the AfT is to reduce importation of food. Agribusiness is key to structural transformation, which

can be described as consisting of two processes - the shifting of labour and other resources from

lower- to higher-productivity sectors and increases in productivity within sectors (McMillan et al.,

2017). Agribusiness refers to farming plus all the other industries and services that constitute the

supply chain from farm through processing, wholesaling and retailing to the consumer (from farm

to fork in the case of food products)7. Agribusiness actors include input suppliers, agro-processors,

transport and logistics providers, traders, exporters and retailers. Agribusiness provides inputs to

farmers and connects them to consumers through the financing, handling, processing, storage,

transportation, marketing and distribution of agro-industry products8.

Liberia suffers from poor infrastructure and connectivity and poor access to markets is a key constraint that limits the ability of farmers to move from subsistence to commercialized farming.

Many rural farmers are poorly connected to markets and live below the poverty line. This problem

was exacerbated during the armed conflict and the destruction of infrastructure in turn had a

devastating effect on the economy and the country’s standard of living. The Liberia Swedish

Feeder Roads Project (LSFRP), funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation

Agency (Sida), has shown that with improved roads, traffic increased and travel times decreased

while prices of goods dropped in the villages; the rural population sells more of their own products

outside their own villages.

Liberia has made major strides since the mid-2000s in rebuilding its infrastructure, but a lot remains to be done. The road network, comprising 11,423 kilometers of roads, is sufficient to

6 Ministry of Education Republic of Liberia Getting to Best Education Sector Plan 2017-2021 7 Examples of activities include; distribution and transport, machinery renting, sales, input supply, pre-

processing, cooling, packaging as well as knowledge and market information services (price information,

demand, supply data etc.) 8 UNIDO, 2011. Agribusiness for Africa’s Prosperity.

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cover the entire country, but road quality has long been a matter of concern. Road structures are

crucial for transport connectivity in tropical, humid climates. Furthermore, across the agricultural

sector, poor quality transport infrastructure adds to the inefficiency of value chains that are, in

any case, fragmented. Despite these challenges over 425 kilometers of roads are in the process of

being completed. With the completion of a paved highway running from Monrovia, through Ganta

to the Guinean border, Liberia’s main horticulture areas (Lofa, Bong and Nimba) have been linked

up to the ports of Monrovia (Freeport) and Bassa. As roads improve, journey times and

accessibility to the hinterland will further increase demand for reliable transportation services.

Liberia’s transport sector has significant room to grow given the size of the economy.

2. Project strategy

The proposed project will support the development of human capital via quality technical and vocational training necessary to support economic growth. A particular emphasis will be placed

on youth development'. This will be achieved by strengthening and building on the existing

institutional capacity of Liberia's vocational training system to deliver up-to-date training courses

relevant to the requirements of the economy. The implementation arrangements are designed to

ensure institutional capacity is strengthened, modern training courses are delivered, private

sector is engaged and the overall efforts are sustainable. The project addresses both labor

demand and supply sides. By equipping young persons with skills, their employability and earnings

capacity will be increased. By removing bottlenecks to expanding profitable businesses due to

skills shortages, the project will contribute to economic development and more demand for skilled

workers.

The project will focus on two sectors of specific economic importance – agribusiness and infrastructure, including transport. With the improvements in infrastructure and transport

connectivity has come an increased need for transport related skills. However, because data on

the Liberian economy is scarce, particularly on local levels, a comprehensive survey that combines

a demand study and a baseline survey will be administered to provide a more fine-grained

information basis9. Analysis of that data will guide the final strategic choice of sector focus. Access

to such data is needed in order to take informed decisions and action.

This project will upgrade and improve the learning environment of an existing vocational training institution, Voinjama Multilateral High School (VMHC). Facilities will be upgraded and

modern equipment for all trades taught at the centre will be procured and installed. The quality

of teaching will be improved via a series of training of instructor programmes, study-tours and

curriculum development. This will be complemented via the development of local UNIDO private

9 Timely and accurate market data for most food and industrial crops and livestock, including production

statistics over time, pricing patterns, costs of production, farm budgets, analysis of marketing margins are

unavailable. See USAID, 2015. Liberia market study for selected agricultural products.

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sector partners. A resource centre and library will be established to encourage students to study

and share information with fellow classmates.

The project will contribute to the development of a national teacher training institution at the Booker Washington Institute (BWI). The capacity of teachers will be improved through

participation in formal teacher training for vocational education. Standardized curricula and

pedagogical guidelines will be produced and certification will be institutionalized as mandatory

for all vocational instructors. Activities will include:

§ Curriculum development and accreditation is a major objective for this project. This

project will provide training for Ministry of Education teams to be able to evaluate

curriculum. The Ministry of Education will lead efforts to review and provide accreditation

for the new curriculum.

§ Introduce an independent competency based evaluation system for graduates to ensure

technical compliance with the course objectives. This will strengthen confidence of

potential employers seeking to hire graduates or take on apprenticeships from the

institutions.

§ Introduce anti-corruption measures and guidelines that will establish a learning

platform, which promotes a fair and transparent TVET environment. This will include a

student, instructor and management code of conduct. Introduce clear entrance and

student selection policy for the training institution including a dispute process. TVET

orientation training material will be developed and administrators will be trained to

inform prospective students of opportunities in TVET (i.e. trade courses, career paths,

industry, occupational health and safety, environment and labour rights in the

workplace).

The project will address the negative perception of technical and vocational training in the country. Often, TVET is viewed as a last-resort. There have been several attempts to tackle these

challenges, with marginal success, mainly because of the poor perception that the youth have

towards vocational work, but also, with the approach taken. A more efficient approach to skilling,

one that is “youth attractive” is needed. The project will address this in two ways; by aligning it as

close as possible with actual need for skills and by integrating the use of modern teaching tools in

the training. To achieve the former, data will be collected and analyzed for a comprehensive

demand study that will identify the need for skills in the agribusiness and infrastructure sectors

to identify and detail (quantify) demand. The study will also be used to identify potential value

addition activities in value chains. To achieve the latter, the project will promote virtual and

augmented reality, 3D training, which is considered as a sustainable tool for vocational education.

It can offer low cost solutions that can be replicated with no or little costs in various other centres

within Liberia. The project will develop applications for selected topics together with a 3D virtual

training provider, private sector and the vocational training institutions. Devices to run the virtual

applications will be chosen that suit the conditions in Liberia.

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UNIDO will engage the private sector to better align vocational training with the demand for skills. A forum that promotes private-public sector dialogue on skills development will be

established. While conducting the demand study, which will be done in combination with a

comprehensive baseline study, a database of contacts with private sector actors will be built.

UNIDO will organize recurring workshops to institutionalize the forum.

The project will start with a six months long inception phase. A project inception workshop will

be held at the end of the inception phase involving all key project stakeholders. The inception

workshop is crucial to plan the key activities to be undertaken in the first year of the project.

The inception workshop will address a number of key issues including:

• Detail the roles and complementary responsibilities of key stakeholders vis-à-vis the

Project Advisory Committee (PAC).

• Discuss roles, functions and responsibilities within the project’s decision making

structures, including reporting and communication lines and conflict resolution

mechanisms.

• Based on the project results framework (i.e. logframe) and work plan, verify and

endorse the first annual work plan. Review and agree on the indicators, targets and

their means of verification and re-check assumptions and risks.

• Provide a detailed overview of reporting, M&E requirements; M&E work plan and

budget should be agreed upon and scheduled.

• Plan and schedule PAC meetings and verify and endorse the ToR for the Project Steering

Committee (PSC).

• Consider gender dimensions as cross-cutting issues.

• Analysis of key findings emerging from studies undertaken in the inception phase

• Development of the communications and visibility plan of the project.

The demand study will be used to guide the development of curriculum that is aligned with private sector requirements. The PPDP model will be extended to establish partnerships with

local businesses and industrial operators (i.e. mining, agriculture, etc.). This model will gather

input for curriculum, establish partnerships for student apprenticeships, develop scholarship

schemes, promote occupational safety and evaluate training impact for graduates entering the

workforce.

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3. Project Components

Project’s Overall Objective:

To lift beneficiaries from poverty by increasing their chances to gain productive employment.

Project’s Outcome:

A robust and inclusive TVET system that is responsive to economic needs.

Project’s Outputs:

(1) Improved capacity of teachers through participation in formal teacher training for

vocational education;

(2) Human capital is strengthened to correspond to economic needs (e.g. in infrastructure

development and agribusiness); and

(3) Increased participation of the private-sector in stewardship and engagement with TVET

sector at the school level.

Outcome: A robust and inclusive TVET system that is responsive to economic needs.

Output 1: Improved capacity of teachers through participation in formal teacher training for vocational education.

Activity: 1.1 Complement planned efforts to establish a national teacher

training center at BWl10

Activity: 1.2 Develop a teacher training framework that provides

standardized curricula and pedagogical tools to TVET teachers,

facilitates online technical and pedagogical support to teachers

and encourages teachers to collaborate with industry

Activity:1.3 Organize content development workshops to prepare training

resources.

Activity: 1.4 Develop teacher education curriculum and teaching-learning

materials focused on pedagogical skills

Activity: 1.5 Equip the teacher training center at BWI.

Activity: 1.6 Provide training of trainers.

Activity: 1.7 Organize national meetings for knowledge sharing and

dissemination.

Activity: 1.8 Institutionalize certification as mandatory for all vocational

instructors.

10 Booker Washington Institute (BWI) is Located in Kakata, Magribi County

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Activity: 1.9 Develop guidelines to outline teacher and student conduct.

Activity: 1.10 Teacher training to identify, assess and cater to needs of

students with disabilities.

Output 2: Human capital is strengthened to correspond to economic needs (e.g. in infrastructure development and agribusiness).

Activity 2.1 Conduct a combined in-depth demand study and baseline

survey on value chains and major infrastructure investments

(i.e. EU, WB, AfDB) selected in coordination with GoL/MoA.

Activity: 2.2 Develop an M&E framework.

Activity: 2.3 Develop curriculum and training courses for all trades including

greening aspects to skills development.

Activity: 2.4 Apply conflict sensitivity measures in the development of

curriculum.

Activity: 2.5 Restore technical capacity of Voinjama Multilateral High School

government TVET institution in Lofa County.

Activity: 2.6 Improve the learning environment of Voinjama Multilateral

High School including provisions for a barrier free environment

to cater for needs of disabled learners.

Activity: 2.7 Introduce modern equipment for all trades to improve the

quality of teaching and learning.

Activity: 2.8 Improve quality of teaching and learning in the vocational

school by upgrading skills of instructors for all trades and

entrepreneurship.

Activity: 2.9 Establish a library and resource centre.

Activity: 2.10 Strengthen revenue generating opportunities to off-set limited

government budget by introducing production units.

Activity: 2.11 Extend TVET support to non-public sector schools

Activity: 2.12 Awareness workshops for sexual harassment, gender based

violence and anti-corruption.

Output 3: Increased participation of the private-sector in stewardship and engagement with TVET sector at the school level.

Activity: 3.1 Build a database of contacts of private sector actors through in-

depth demand study, baseline survey and FGDs.

Activity: 3.2 Provide recurring workshops lead by experts on selected

infrastructure, transport and agribusiness topics to

institutionalize a forum.

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Activity: 3.3 Organize meetings between public and private sector actors in

conjunction with the forum meetings to facilitate making TVET

policy more responsive to demand.

Activity: 3.4 Build on existing UNIDO private sector partnerships to share

training material and curriculum.

Activity: 3.5 Leverage UNIDO private sector partnerships to deliver training

for instructors.

Activity: 3.6 Establish private-public partnerships with local industry to

participate in apprenticeship programs and to share technical

experience with the training institutions.

Activity: 3.7 Develop a training impact evaluation system to track

performance of students participating in private sector

apprenticeships.

4. Project Approach Narrative

The first output of the project will be improved capacity of teachers. This will be achieved by

including them in formal teacher training in vocational education. This will be done by

complementing the planned activities to establish a national teacher training institution within

the Booker Washington Institute (BWI) (Activity 1.1). A framework will be developed that provides

standardized curricula and pedagogical tools to TVET teachers, facilitates online technical and

pedagogical support to teachers and encourages teachers to collaborate with industry (Activity

1.2). Workshops will be organized to prepare content such as training resources, training

programmes, modules and tools for capacity development, and drafting guidelines for actual

implementation of the specified activities (Activity 1.3). Based on the outcomes of these

workshops teacher education curriculum and teaching-learning materials focused on pedagogical

skills will be produced (Activity 1.4). The teacher training institute at BWI will be equipped,

including the necessary equipment and technical support to enable BWI to conduct distance

training to reach teachers who could not be reached otherwise (Activity 1.5). Training will be given

to teachers (Activity 1.6) and national meetings will be organized to facilitate knowledge sharing

and dissemination (Activity 1.7). An important activity will be to institutionalize certification as

mandatory for all vocational instructors (Activity 1.8).

The second output will be that human capital is strengthened to correspond to economic needs;

based on the preliminary desk analysis we foresee a focus on infrastructure development and

agribusiness. To complement the scarce available data a combined in-depth demand study and

baseline survey on value chains and major infrastructure investments (i.e. EU, WB, AfDB) selected

in coordination with GoL/MoA will be conducted (Activity 2.1). The demand study will identify the

need for skills in the agribusiness and infrastructure sectors based on a comprehensive survey and

focus group discussions (FGD) to identify and detail (quantify) demand. The study will also be used

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to identify potential value addition activities in value chains. The detailed baseline survey

(representative sample) will serve as basis (i) for the evaluation of the general impact of the

training intervention (ii) to analyze heterogeneities in the impact across sub-populations, which is

informative for the up-scaling of the intervention, and (iii) to identify challenges in the project

implementation that may lower its impact. An M&E framework will be developed that is based on

knowledge gained through the combined demand study and baseline survey that promotes

knowledge of project impact to be taken into account for adaptation of activities (feedback)

(Activity 2.2). Based on the identified demand and with an expected specific target to support

infrastructure works and agribusiness, curriculum and training courses will be developed (Activity

2.3). Conflict sensitivity measures will be applied in the development of curriculum (Activity 2.4).

The curriculum and training courses will be organized in a modular structure anchored around a

core training that can be extended with selected modules to make the training more flexible.

For this to be possible, the project will restore the technical capacity of Voinjama Multilateral High

School TVET institution in Lofa County (Activity 2.5) and improve its learning environment (Activity

2.6). This will include rehabilitation and expansion of workshops, sanitary facilities and external

works. Modern equipment will be introduced for all trades to improve the quality of teaching and

learning (Activity 2.7) and the quality of teaching and learning in the vocational school will be

improved by upgrading skills of instructors for all trades and entrepreneurship (Activity 2.8). A

library and resource centre will also be established for students to share information, conduct

research and access additional learning materials (i.e. print and digital) (Activity 2.9). Possibilities

for the school to generate revenue will be strengthened by introducing production units that will

enable the institution to produce products and render services to the community (Activity 2.10).

These production units will be formally structured with their own internal control systems (i.e.

finance, inventory, sales, etc.) to allow for transparent and accountable management. The income

generated from the production units will help departments become self-sufficient to purchase

training materials and maintain equipment. In addition, the most vulnerable beneficiaries that

are unable to pay school fees will be able to contribute their time to these production units to

gain work experience and help subsidize their education costs. The project will further extend

TVET support to non-public sector schools in the form of training for teachers, minor

infrastructure and technology (Activity 2.11)

The third output of the project will be a forum that promotes private-public sector dialogue on

skills development. With information collected in the comprehensive demand study and baseline

survey (from Activity 2.1) a database of contacts of private sector agribusiness actors will be built

(Activity 3.1). Recurring workshops will be provided to the network of partners. These will be led

by experts on selected infrastructure, transport and agribusiness topics (e.g. commercial vehicle

driving, logistics, contract farming or packaging) to institutionalize a forum (Activity 3.2). This will

contribute to linking training providers with private sector companies that will hire graduates. The

forum meetings will also be used to organize meetings between public and private sector to

facilitate making TVET policy more responsive to demand (Activity 3.3).

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The project will build on existing UNIDO private sector partnerships to share training material and

curriculum (i.e. Scania, Volvo and Komatsu) (Activity 3.4) and will actively work to leverage UNIDO

private sector partnerships to deliver training for instructors (Activity 3.5). In addition, the project

will establish private-public partnerships with local industry to participate in apprenticeship

programs and to share technical experience with the training institutions. This will include the

importance of a monitoring system consisting of regular and recurring visits to all participating

businesses (Activity 3.6). The project will coordinate with the Ministry of Commerce and Industry

to establish these linkages. A training impact evaluation system will be developed to track

performance of students participating in private sector apprenticeships (Activity 3.7). The

managers of the institutions will be trained on how to deploy the system and how to collect data

on a yearly basis in order to help the institution make adjustments to meet future demand

requirements.

5. Project Stakeholders

The project stakeholders will form the Project Advisory Committee (PAC). The main functions and

responsibilities of the PAC will be to: (i) advise the project on strategic directions / decisions and

support the activities; (ii) ensure effective cooperation between all key stakeholders; and (iii)

advise on the effectiveness of the ongoing activities, including any adjustments that need to be

made to the annual work plan. The PAC will meet twice a year and will be formed with the project

stakeholders listed below:

§ Ministry of Education (MOE): The mission of MOE is to provide quality education for all and

prepare future leaders who are capable of handling the task of nation building, protecting the

national heritage and enhancing the socio-economic growth and development for the

sustenance of the Liberian state.

§ Ministry of Youth and Sports (MOYS): The mission of the MOYS is to direct the affairs of

youth and to enable them to contribute positively to the development of the country. MOYS

operates vocational training centres which offer short-term TVET trainings of various

durations, at the basic and intermediate levels, targeting students who have finished high-

school at or before grade 9. MOYS manages the Monrovia Vocational Training Centre (MVTC),

one of the largest TVET institutions located in the capital. MVTC offers courses in the

following areas: (i) automotive; (ii) heavy equipment; (iii) electricity; (iv) masonry; (v)

plumbing; (vi) drafting; (vii) refrigeration and air conditioning; (viii) welding and fabrication;

and (ix) carpentry.

§ Voinjama Multilateral High School: The Voinjama Multilateral High School is located in Lofa

County in the North Eastern part of the country toward the border with Guinea. It provides

high school education coupled with vocational training. High school graduates have the

possibility to get trade certificates.

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§ Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) - Embassy of Sweden, Monrovia: In line with the priorities of Sweden, SIDA will contribute to empowering youth

and raising youth employment by providing grant assistance for this project. In addition to

the provision of resources, SIDA will participate in the project governance structure as an

observer and provide contract administration and programme monitoring of the grant

agreement.

§ UNIDO’s Learning, Knowledge and Development Facility (LKDF) will provide (i) advice in the

specific design of the project, incorporating lessons learned from other similar projects (ii)

capacity building to managers and trainers (iii) assist in collecting, analyzing and disseminating

lessons learned across projects. Presently, the LKDF facilitates the monitoring of several PPDP

projects in Iraq, Ethiopia, Zambia, Morocco, South Africa and Liberia. These developed

training resources can be transferred to this project and adjusted to suit the operating

requirements in the country. This input will ensure lessons are shared on curriculum,

technology and VTC management best practices.

§ UNIDO: UNIDO’s mission is to improve the living conditions of people and promote global

prosperity by offering tailor made solutions for inclusive and sustainable industrial

development. In Liberia, UNIDO has been focusing on private sector development and the

development of vocational training schools to deliver demand-driven training courses.

UNIDO’s role in the project is to provide the technical aspects of the training, such as

rehabilitation of the VTC, installation of equipment, and development of curricula for the

technical subjects. In Liberia, UNIDO has focused on vocational skills training and has

completed several projects, which include: entrepreneurship and technical skills training for

youth in Ganta, metal work and fabrication in Buchanan, entrepreneurship and livelihood

skills training for Liberian returnees, diesel engine maintenance in Monrovia and heavy

equipment operator training in Kakata. UNIDO has also assisted with the development of

entrepreneurship curriculum for TVET outside Liberia such as Uganda, Namibia and Cote

d’Ivoire. UNIDO is currently implementing a project in Montserrado, Margibi, Maryland, Sinoe

and Grand Gedeh counties that seeks to strengthen the Liberian TVET sector in its capacity to

deliver equitable and gender balanced access to high-quality and demand-driven TVET. This

will be done by supporting capacity development at central and TVET provider level, and by

strengthening links with the private sector

6. Project’s Targeted Beneficiaries

A broad scope of beneficiaries is targeted by the project. The project will involve the expansion,

rehabilitation and equipping of the Voinjama Multilateral High School (VMHC). The Booker

Washington Institute will serve as the site for the national teacher training 14nstitute. Initially,

the principal beneficiaries of the project will be the students enrolled in the school who number approximately 1,500. Specifically, beneficiaries of the project will include:

Beneficiaries of the project include:

1. Unemployed or underemployed youth that receive quality training and increase their

employability, especially in rural areas of Liberia and female youth.

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2. Students already registered or enrolled in the existing vocational training system.

3. VTC trainers who will enhance their skills through training of teachers

4. Vocational training institutions that are exposed to a modern, labor market relevant

approach and equipment.

5. Private or public companies (small, medium, large) that can draw from an increased pool

of human capital for hiring into their workforce

6. Government of Liberia will benefit from capacity building to institutionalize certification

of vocational instructors, towards future TVET teacher qualification framework.

It should be noted that, like in many developing countries, youth from the poorest families in

Liberia tend not to be able to attain formal technical education. This is a direct consequence of

the fact that poor youth do not have the levels of education necessary to qualify for entering the

technical training.11

In addition, the poorest youth cannot afford not to work (in order to attend training.) In the face

of this challenge, a student recruitment strategy needs to be developed to draw students also

from less favored socio-economic groups and individuals, including women. Reaching out to the more vulnerable groups of potential students will require adaptations:

7. Where relevant, designing courses that provide skills for those with lower capacity with

respect to numeracy and literacy.

8. Encouraging women to enter into traditionally male dominated occupations is important

to reduce the gender earnings and opportunities inequalities. Targeted recruitment,

facilities adapted to female students, advocacy/sensitization activities, and placement

services should be considered in the strategy and budget.

9. Fee-based training may provide further obstacles for students from low income families.

In these cases the school may need to seek funding for a substantial bursary scheme

component.

UNIDO’s experience from similar, already-existing academies suggests that admission should not

be based only on grade levels achieved but on student motivation and interest to reduce student

attrition.

7. Implementation Arrangements

This project has been developed in close consultation with relevant line ministries and training

institutions, which include the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Ministry of Education and Ministry

of Commerce and Industry. The proposed project conforms to key policy and strategic documents

of the Government of Liberia, which include: the Agenda for Transformation Pillar II and Pillar III,

11 According to World Bank statistics, less than 40 percent of all youth in rural areas have completed primary

school. Yet, until 2014 government sponsored TVET institutions required students to have a 9th grade

education (mid-secondary education) before being considered for admission. In many training institutions

this requirement is still applied.

16

Ministry of Youth and Sport’s National TVET Policy Pillar III, Ministry of Education’s Operational

Plan 2014 and Poverty Reduction Strategy 2008.

UNIDO will build on past technical assistance programmes that have supported the Monrovia

Vocational Training Centre and the Booker Washington Institute. Each stakeholder will serve a

key function in the Project Advisory Committee (PAC) to guide strategy and decision making for

this project. During execution line Ministries will be consulted, including Ministry of Youth and

Sports, Ministry of Commerce and Industry & Private Sector, Ministry of Labor, Minstry of Gender

and Ministry of Public Works. The roles of each member are as follows:

PAC member Role

Ministry of Education § Strategic direction as it relates to curriculum

development. Input areas will include:

sustainability planning and endorsement /

accreditation of curriculum.

Ministry of Youth and Sports (MoYS) § Strategic direction as it relates to overall

coherence with Liberia’s national policy for

TVET and chair of the interagency task force

for TVET.

Booker Washington Institute § Liberia’s oldest vocational training

institution and host of the national

vocational teacher training centre. This

school will serve as the hub for national

teacher training for vocational instructors.

Voinjama Multilateral High School (VMHS) § The VHMS is under management of the

Ministry of Education. The VHMS is a host

school and will benefit from technical and

knowledge based upgrading. The VHMS will

serve as the platform to offer technical

training opportunities to underserved and

rural areas.

UNIDO § Implementing partner as it relates to:

improving quality of TVET, institutional

strengthening of TVET and industrial

linkages. Input areas will include:

consultation and development of

curriculum, equipment specifications, study

tours, training of trainers, international

certification and management training for

institutional partners.

Private Sector § Private sector members will be assembled

(TBD during inception period) to ensure that

training needs closely match the

requirements of employers in the country.

Other § Participation by students / youth

representatives.

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§ The PAC reserves the right to review

participation of stakeholders interested in

the development of TVET.

The PAC organizational structure is outlined in the figure below:

Figure 1: Project Advisory Committee (PAC) organizational structure

A Project Management Unit (PMU) will be established and have the overall day-to-day responsibility

for coordinating project implementation. The Chief Technical Advisor (CTA) will lead the unit and

coordinate activities with project partners and technical experts. The CTA will facilitate

communication and coordination with the donor, Government of Liberia, i.e. Ministry of Education,

Ministry of Youth and Sports and Ministry of Commerce and Industry and private sector actors.

The PMU will contract curriculum development experts for specific trades to assist with the

development of curriculum and training of instructors’ activities. The CTA will coordinate with the

Ministry of Education and Ministry of Youth and Sports during the curriculum development phase.

A TVET Institutional Strengthening Specialist (TVET-ISS) will be recruited under the project to work in-

partnership with Ministry of Education. The TVET-ISS will work with department heads of each

ministry responsible for TVET and will include the management of the training institutions. This will

enable better integration of policy making organs with operations management of the TVET system.

Coordination with other Development Partners

To ensure coherence with planned activities in the TVET sector, UNIDO is already a member of the

Joint Sector Education Review Group (JSERG) that is led by the Ministry of Education. This JSERG

serves as an additional body to align all TVET actors working in Liberia. As the implementing agency

for the European Union project in the TVET sector we are well positioned to ensure no overlapping

work is undertaken. In addition, the projects will be co-located together. A dedicated management

team will be assigned to SIDA assistance to ensure that the work is executed as planned. This close

integration will ensure a harmonized approach and effective delivery of technical assistance to

support the country’s TVET goals.

Ensuring Coherence with EU funded project for TVET in Liberia

Voinjama Multilateral High School

Booker Washington Institute

Private Sector Student / Youth RepsSIDA (OBSERVER STATUS) UNIDO MOE MOYS

Project Advisory Committee

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SIDA strategic support, proposed in this document, is to extend TVET support to the North-West

portion of the country (i.e. Lofa County). The strategic coverage of the EU’s intervention is highlighted

in the map below. SIDA’s support will ensure coverage to another remote / vulnerable part of Liberia,

which was the epi-center of the Ebola outbreak. This will drive goals of the Ministry of Education to

extend access of TVET to remote areas and further contribute to the government’s pro-poor agenda

for prosperity and development. The biggest challenge to sustaining gains in the TVET sector is

addressing issues of teacher training and retention of qualified teachers. Having a robust teacher

training system for vocational teachers will be essential for the government to be able to re-supply

teachers should they lose teachers due to budget short-falls. By contributing to building an effective

teacher training system, SIDA’s strategic effort to support TVET will establish the conditions for

continuous learning and supply of qualified teachers to Liberia’s TVET schools on a national level.

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The organizational structure in the figure below outlines the project coordination mechanism:

Figure 2: Project coordination mechanism

8. Disability-Inclusive Technical and Vocational Education

This project aims to support the development of a TVET system that is inclusive. As defined by the

ILO, inclusion means that people with and without disabilities participate in an activity together and

interact on an equal basis. This project adopts the ILO’s definition of a disabled person, “an individual

whose prospects of securing, returning to, retaining and advancing in suitable employment are

substantially reduced as a result of a duly recognized physical, sensory, intellectual or mental

impairment.” To work towards an inclusive TVET system the project will build capacity of the

vocational centres and its instructors to:

A. Identify the disabled learner

B. Identify the needs of the disabled learner

C. Provide for the needs of the disabled learner

To achieve this aim the project will work at two levels:

1. Teaching Staff à capable to identify needs of the disabled learner and adapt instructional

methods and techniques to ensure that all learners develop the vocational competencies

they need.

2. Barrier Free Environment à infrastructure is designed and built with accessibility for

disabled people in mind including adapted training equipment and learning devices.

Training Coordinator Lofa

Quantity Surveyor (Short Terms)

Driver Lofa Site Supervision (Short Term)

M&E Oficer

Driver Monrovia

UNIDO Backstopping Officer / HQ

Finance / Project Assistant (SAP) - HQ

Chief Technical Advisor

Communications & Social Media

Training Manager Project Engineer Technical Teacher Training Specialist Short-Term Experts (as required)

UNIDO Backstopping. The purpose of these roles is to ensure efficient operations for field staff and support their requirements in a timely manner. UNIDO runs an ERP system called SAP. All financial procedures incl. procurement and contracting are processed via this system. It is more efficient (i.e. troubleshooting) as well as cost effective for this function to be managed from HQ.

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9. Gender Analysis and Approach

This project takes into account the Government’s policy which recognizes that sustainable development cannot be realized without the full and equal participation of females at all levels of education. During the occupation skills assessment the project will aim to determine a baseline

figure of current female participation in technical trades. In order to contribute positively to gender

equality, the project will target rates 10% to 15% higher than current female labor participation rates

in technical fields.

In order to attract more women to the training programs, publication material will be produced

featuring female trainees. Moreover, the project will promote inclusion by bringing female instructors to the vocational institution. This instructor will serve as a role model for female trainees,

demonstrating that women can be successful in technical occupations. This instructor will work

closely with students, trainers and VTC management to establish a female led mentoring / role model

scheme.

The mentoring / role model scheme will be developed to encourage female participation in the

training courses. In UNIDO’s project to develop heavy equipment training in Liberia, a junior female

instructor was selected and participated in extensive training of instructor courses. This junior

female instructor not only delivers training to a predominantly male audience, but acts as a mentor

and role model for female students that have enrolled in the course. In addition, the female

instructor participates during recruitment initiatives to create awareness for females to join courses

on technical trades, which are largely male-dominated. This model will be expanded for this project

to increase the number of female trainers and to institutionalize a female led mentoring / role-model recruitment scheme.

Moreover, the project management will ensure that workplace requirements for female trainees are

adopted. For example, gender separate sanitary facilities and changing rooms will be provided at

workshops and classrooms.

In addition, the training academy will introduce mandatory sensitization courses to raise awareness regarding sexual harassment and similar gender issues to stop traditional gender stereotypes from

being a barrier to the success of female participants.

The main actions identified in this plan intend to increase the participation of women and their

recognition in sectors that are traditionally dominated by men. In summary, the list of actions will

include:

§ Conduct a gender analysis as it relates to the TVET sector.

§ Raise awareness and promote enrollment of women in technical and vocational education

training.

§ Establish female role model and mentoring scheme.

§ Lead recruitment drives with females to promote technical education via hands-on

demonstrations.

§ Review, design and adapt curriculum that is sensitive to gender aspects.

§ Mainstreaming gender in the TVET curricula.

§ Design training facilities that are sensitive to gender aspects.

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§ Increase the number of female instructors by identifying successful graduates that can be

developed and integrated in the institution as teaching assistants.

10. Sustainability

A business plan shall be prepared at the outset of the project as an essential component to an exit strategy. The business plan needs to establish the criteria to achieve sustainability from

institutional, financial and training perspective, built on an assessment of the existing situation

and expected developments including: assessments of the key development gaps related to

technical skills, existing market for training and expected developments, key issues in skills levels,

the market for skilled workers and projected developments of the relevant industries, and the

strengths and weaknesses of the partnering schools. Ideally, the business plan is developed based

on input from desk research and expert input but also builds on some form of multi-stakeholder

exercise.

Institutional sustainability

UNIDO believes in building upon existing institutions to ensure local ownership. UNIDO’s

experience from past projects has shown that using an existing institution to deliver training helps

develop the existing vocational training system in terms of quality of training, alignment with

market demands for skills training, and fostering of collaboration between the public vocational

training system and the private sector; and it helps in keeping long-term financial requirements

low. The commitment and participation in the project of the highest governmental level

responsible for vocational training will contribute also to ensuring the sustainability of the training

center.

Partnerships with local industry will enable UNIDO to gather feedback that will be incorporated into the instructional material to ensure students receive specific training, which is required by

the private sector. UNIDO’s past experience has shown that employers generally complain about

the lack of work ethics, attitude and / or understanding of a working environment. These soft-

skills will be incorporated into the program to improve attitude and behaviour, which will

strengthen a graduate’s readiness to enter the job market. To complement the soft-skills training,

courses on how to handle interviews, preparing CVs and job search strategies will be made

available to all prospective graduates. UNIDO will engage the private sector to contribute long-

term support to the training institutions. These contributions can be in the form of technical

training, training materials, technical expertise, or scholarships. These partnerships can be built

as one measure to strengthen sustainability of the training institutions.

Government finances remain highly vulnerable, especially in light of the demands of a growing population, much-needed investments and difficult macroeconomic environment. In addition to

strengthening the national government-run TVET system, involvement of the private sector and

support to non-public sector schools is necessary to offset the risk of insufficient government

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budget resources. Improved capacity of non-public sector vocational schools can contribute to

the development of needed human capital. It also offers ways of providing more technical skills

development, more efficiently, and with higher quality. Since the know-how regarding current

and future technical requirements is vested in the private sector, closer public-private

collaboration will be important to move forward and ensure demand-driven skills development

process. UNIDO will build on achievements of its existing TVET projects in Liberia and UNIDO's

Learning and Knowledge Development Facility. Specifically, in Liberia the basic excavator operator

training program has been established with the support of Komatsu and with BWI located in

Kakata, Magribi County. In addition, UNIDO’s LKD facility allows exchange material and lessons

learned aimed at improving the quality of TVET in Liberia. This input will ensure lessons are shared

on curriculum, technology and VTC management best practices.

Sustainability of training

The project will assist with knowledge building and technology transfer in the country. This

project will support the Government’s effort to increase the quality of human capital, reduce the

skills gap and improve the ability of the workforce to adapt to changes in economy. The provision

of modern equipment and training of instructors will raise the level of TVET to adapt with the

continuous changes in technical systems (i.e. digital systems and increased use of computers /

automation). The development of curricula to industry standards and training with modern

equipment will advance TVET training to serve a growing economy.

The project will assist with integrating the developed curriculum to other vocational training schools in the country. The project will involve instructors from other vocational training schools

(public and private) to participate in training of instructor activities. The objective is to enable

instructors to roll-out the new curriculum to other institutions in the future in-collaboration with

the Ministry of Education.

A major objective of this project will be to sustain the technical gains made by improving capacity

and management of the institutions and ensuring a strong bridge is established between the

training institution and the private sector. The private sector must be able to realize the benefits

from the training that is provided by the institutions via

(i) relevant training required for their operations;

(ii) strengthen soft-skills such as work ethics and attitude; and

(iii) quality of training is to a level where the private sector can focus on investing in

advanced or job-specific training rather than retraining of basic skills.

Financial sustainability

In addition, it is critical to establish a training system, which does not require intensive financial

running costs for its operations. The financial position of these institutions is a constraint and the

funds generated from school fees and government allocations are inadequate to sustain

operations. This project will examine financial solutions, which will apply a combination of low-

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cost training solutions, fees generated via students, scholarship schemes and a possible training

levy from the companies to sustain financial requirements for operations of the school to a high

standard.

11. Alignment with national priorities

The project conforms to national and international development strategies. The proposed project

conforms to key policy and strategic documents of the Government and addresses a key

development issue, that of increasing human capital capable to respond to the demands of the

economy. First, the proposed project is aligned with the Government’s Agenda for Transformation

Pillar II and Pillar III (i.e. economic transformation and human development). Second, the

proposed project is aligned with the Ministry of Youth and Sports National TVET Policy Pillar III

“providing quality and relevant TVET for all to enhance employability and livelihoods”. Third, the

project is aligned with the Government’s Poverty Reduction Strategy 2008, which also puts

emphasis on the development of the country’s human capital. Fourth, the project objectives

contribute to the Ministry of Education Operational Plan endorsed by the high-level meeting of

Liberia Development Alliance in March 2018. Finally, the project objectives are in-line with the

Ministry of Commerce and Industry’s – Industrial Policy, which calls for investment in human

capital. In summary, the project is aligned with the following list of national priorities:

• Pro-Poor Agenda for Prosperity and Development

• National TVET Policy

• Poverty Reduction Strategy

• Ministry of Education – Operational Plan

• Ministry of Commerce and Industry – Industrial Policy

12. Strategic fit with Sweden’s strategy for Liberia

The Strategy for Sweden’s development cooperation with Liberia, 2016–2020, aims to help

strengthen Liberia’s public services and create the conditions for peaceful, inclusive and

sustainable development. Within the framework of the strategy, Sida is expected to contribute to

‘better opportunities and tools to enable poor people to improve their living conditions”. This is to

be achieved through improved conditions, especially for women and young people, for productive

employment with decent working conditions. An in-depth study commissioned by the Embassy of

Sweden was conducted recently to inform decisions on future support to TVET/youth economic

empowerment programmes, based on an assessment of current projects, challenges and

opportunities to youth employment and vocational training and education. The findings of the

study have been incorporated in the design of the present draft project document.

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13. Risk and Risk Mitigation Measures

Effective risk management will entail follow-up on appropriate mitigation measures identified

Description of Risks Rating of Risk Mitigation Measures

I. Country Level Risks Political / Security Situation. The security situation is stable, but fragile.

This is evident by the increase in foreign

direct investment and visible progress in

reconstruction / development objectives

(i.e. improvements in road network,

energy, port infrastructure, etc.

Med The project will maintain regular contact with the UN mission,

local authorities and Embassy of Sweden to maintain

situational awareness. The project will continuously monitor

the political situation and make calculated decisions as

changes takes place in the country. The relevance of this

project is essential to stabilization efforts to demonstrate to

the broader public and beneficiaries suffering from poverty

that programs exist to assist with employment generation and

skills development.

II. Operations-Specific Risks Retention of instructors The project will make a significant

technical investment in building up the

skills of instructors to a very high level of

competency. This can create the

opportunity for instructors to seek

employment opportunities elsewhere

given their advance technical knowledge.

High The project together with all stakeholders will ensure a careful

selection procedure is put in place for each instructor

(supported by the MVTC Director). The instructors will be

selected not only based on technical knowledge but on their

ability to genuinely demonstrate their motivations and interest

to help train beneficiaries. Following recruitment trainers will

also be given a 4 year training plan so that they can see a

continuous flow of development throughout the duration of

the project

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Financial Management Due to a significant number of

procurement and contracting actions the

risk of corruption is present.

Low As the project will involve a large number of stakeholders with

a strong interest for the successful outcome of the project this

risk will be mitigated. UNIDO has in a place a robust ERP system

to ensure accountability and transparency with transactions.

This is also included with the extensive procurement

procedures in place to ensure accountable and transparent

contracts for services and supplies. The project budget will be

reviewed continuously with all project stakeholders including

the TSC. Financial reporting will be made in accordance with

donor requirements.

Cost Overrun During implementation cost overruns can

arise from the significant number of

physical inputs being provided and

fluctuations to local / global market prices.

Low This will be mitigated by doing a thorough costing exercise

during the inception phase, the inclusion of contingencies and

strict adherence to the implementation schedule.

Sustainability of the training

institutions

Due to the high investment cost in training

assets, infrastructure and curriculum

development long-term sustainability is a

risk.

Med This will be mitigated by the financial sustainability plan. A

budgeting exercise will be completed to ensure that the central

ministries plan for recurrent and investment expenditures over

a minimum 3-5 year period. Establish production units in an

accountable and transparent way to generate income for the

institutions. Establish partnerships with international and local

private sector partners to actively participate in the

development and long-term sustainability of the training

institutions. Coordinate and share information with other

donors’ thus not to duplicate work and to promote the long-

term sustainability of Liberia’s TVET system.

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14. Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E)

The M&E system will be established with the project stakeholders using criteria, indicators, and means of verification derived from the project logical framework. It will include data collection and analysis, gathering of baseline information, and the preparation of work-plan and budget expenditures assessments. These measures will be key management tools so as to ensure the effective and efficient implementation of the project.

The project will benefit from the M&E support of the LKD Facility. The LKD Facility M&E expert has reviewed the Logical Framework of this project and aligned it with projects participating in the LKDF in order to allow for comparison of results to the extent possible. The LKDF M&E expert will train the VTC management and staff to collect regular M&E data and store it in an easily accessible format and place.

The monitoring of the activities and financial disbursements will be the responsibility of the project management unit in collaboration with the PAC. The project management team will prepare regular progress reports on project activities detailing progress achieved in terms of the scheduled programme of work, the problems and constraints emerging over the period, gender based statistics, and recommendations for correcting them. In addition, a detailed work plan will be prepared identifying activities to be implemented for the following six-month period. Each report will be sent to the donor, with copies being sent to the national counterparts for their information, review, and recommendations for any appropriate action that needs to be taken.

Meetings of the PAC will also be held once every six months. A progress report, assessing, in a concise manner, the extent to which the project’s scheduled activities have been carried-out, the outputs produced, and the progress made towards achieving the project goals will be prepared and distributed two weeks ahead of each PAC meeting. The PAC will analyse the report and will make recommendations for any future follow-up actions required to improve project performance.

The project will be subject to an-independent evaluation at the end. The project evaluation will be based on assessments of project results and impacts in accordance with the logical framework prepared at project inception.

15. Indicators and Means of Verification

Project progress and success towards addressing skills shortages and increasing employability needs to be monitored and evaluated against verifiable criteria. However, the private partner’s contribution to economic development will not be possible to separate out from variation in other significant factors including international business cycles and local investment climate. Key project outcome indicators will focus on the direct contribution of the schools, as follows.

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The vocational schools build skills: Training is high standard and relevant for companies, including both local and foreign companies.

• A significant number of companies, foreign or local, are using schools' services for training or receiving internships, training is perceived as relevant by private companies, and companies reduce time for recruitment of qualified staff.

Þ These indicators will be verified through project M&E, through surveys among enterprises on graduates’ performances as interns or employees, through surveys among enterprises in relevant sectors, and through industry records on demand for graduates.

The vocational schools increase employability: The training provided helps youth, including vulnerable groups, to improve their employment opportunities.

• The school reaches also underprivileged youth and women; a high number of graduates are in employment after completed training, in sectors and occupations relevant (directly or indirectly) for the sector, and have increased their income opportunities;

Þ These indicators will be verified through project M&E including student income surveys, through surveys among enterprises on graduates’ performances as interns or employees, through surveys among enterprises in relevant sectors, through student tracer surveys e.g. 6 months after graduation, and through industry records on demand for technicians.

The teacher training center strengthen vocational training systems: The trainers and schools apply modern teaching methods and deliver consistently high-quality TVET.

• Teachers are well qualified and apply modern teaching methods. Students are content with courses, and the demand for training from students is high.

• The schools successfully build relationships with other training institutes and with the private sector. The schools serve as a model for collaboration and training approaches and mentioned as good examples in public strategies or public and private sector discourse.

• Non-public schools are tested and certified. The schools rely on instructors that are qualified and certified according to new/emerging national qualification framework.

Þ These indicators will be taken from Project M&E. These indicators will be verified through project M&E including student satisfaction surveys.

Partnerships with business sector institutions strengthen relevance and sustainability of TVET: The schools provide a visible and replicable model for private-public partnerships in vocational training.

• Partnerships with private sector are established and maintained. The partners recognize the quality and relevance of the trainings and are happy to hire graduates.

• The schools successfully build partnerships with other training institutes and with the private sector. The schools serve as a model for collaboration and training approaches and mentioned as good examples in public strategies or public and private sector discourse.

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Þ These indicators will be taken from Partnerships M&E, through baseline and endline surveys with partners.

16. Communications and Visibility

The project will develop a communications and visibility plan to ensure that the project is well communicated to stakeholders and the public. The communications and visibility plan will be strategically oriented to improve the negative perception of TVET, attract youth for training opportunities and engage the private sector in a collaborative manner. A number of tools will be developed using different media platforms (i.e. social media, videos, etc.).

Case Study – Communications and Outreach

The project will document a case study of selected male and female students from the start of their training through to employment. A videography will be used to document the various steps students take as they strive to find decent employment to help support themselves and their families.

The videography will document female trainees in order to encourage female participation in training programs. The video will also include interviews with men sharing their experiences of working and being trained with women. This will help challenge stereotypes and show good male role-models in terms of promoting respect for women working in technical occupations. The videography will commence in the last 12 months of the project as students graduate and attempt to enter the workforce.

17. Procurement Arrangements

All procurement of goods, works and services will be in accordance with UNIDO rules and procedures. The PMU will be responsible for the preparation of technical specifications required for equipment and training services (i.e. training equipment, etc.). The PMU will receive support from UNIDO’s centralized procurement department for tender launches in-accordance with UNIDO rules and procedures.

18. Environment and Safety Mainstreaming

UNIDO procedures for environmental and social safeguards

This project will be fully compliant with UNIDO’s Environmental and Social Safeguard Policies and Procedures (ESSPP). The ESSPP consists of three interrelated components, further details of which are publicly accessible:

§ The Integrated Safeguards Policy Statement lays out the policy principles and describes the common objectives of UNIDO’s safeguards.

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§ The Operational Safeguards (OS) consist of a set of seven programmatic and two framework safeguard requirements that the project development team is expected to follow when addressing social and environmental impacts and risks.

§ The Environmental and Social Safeguard Steps along the Project Cycle section provides guidance on the specific procedures that the project development team should follow to ensure that operations meet the requirements of the OS at each stage of the UNIDO project cycle.

Greening Technical and Vocational Education

The workplace and skills applied by humans gained through TVET has a direct link with the environment and sustainability challenges. All sectors ranging from handicrafts through to manufacturing will have an impact on our environment, which will affect society in adverse ways. It is often the case that skills development is largely focused on technical aspects and / or competencies. For example, automotive courses will cover basics of how to change motor oil, the learning content will include procedures on handling of waste. However, deeper aspects of soil contamination from oil waste may not be fully covered and what this means for the environment and long-term impact on land, community and eventually public health. Environment needs to be mainstreamed across all curriculums as a measure to create awareness for each skills sector and how graduates can become critical stewards in preserving our environment and contributing to sustainability goals. Greening of TVET in this project will focus at the micro / programme level and will include greening aspects for (i) teaching and learning material, (ii) training of teachers and instructors and (iii) foundation of skills of learners.

Greening from the perspective of infrastructure and facilities management

A major step towards greening of TVET is to introduce measures on-campus that will engage administrators, teachers and learners in practicing on a “day-to-day” basis sustainable and environmentally friendly practices. This will start with applying infrastructure improvements that will allow the school to produce energy using renewable means (i.e. solar and / or bio-gas), using water in an efficient manner (i.e. water harvesting, using drip irrigation, etc.), waste handling (i.e. compositing, reuse or repurpose of materials), capacities to repair, maintain and build assets needed for school operations (i.e. furniture, etc.), applying technology in the classroom that does not have an intensive requirement of consumable materials (i.e. digital didactic tools) and sustainable agriculture practices on-campus (i.e. organic food production systems, agroforestry, composting for fertilizer, water efficient technologies, etc.). The specific details and measures for greening school operations will be determined during the inception phase.

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19. Project Budget

A detailed narrative of the planned budget is attached as Annex I including description of planned expenditure and its purpose to contribute towards the goals of the project. This planned budget serves as a management tool. The below budget template is as per UNIDO financial reporting system. The annual financial statement that will be issued and certified by UNIDO’s financial officers will follow the below template.

BL Description Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Total USD

11 International experts 132,000 132,000 132,000 132,000 132,000 660,000 15 Project travel 30,000 30,000 5,000 5,000 5,000 75,000 16 Staff travel 10,000 10,000 10,000 10,000 10,000 50,000 17 National experts & admin staff 57,000 57,000 57,000 57,000 57,000 285,000 21 Subcontracts 100,000 90,000 0 0 0 190,000 30 In-service training, conferences, workshops 171,000 120,000 25,000 25,000 0 341,000 43 Premises 45,000 45,000 45,000 45,000 45,000 225,000 45 Equipment 138,000 150,000 0 0 0 288,000 51 Miscellaneous 100,000 80,000 55,000 55,000 55,000 345,000

783,000 714,000 329,000 329,000 304,000 2,459,000

11 International experts 85,000 85,000 85,000 41,000 40,000 336,000 15 Project travel 10,000 20,000 10,000 5,000 5,000 50,000 16 Staff travel - - - - - 0 17 National experts & admin staff 30,000 50,000 50,000 10,000 6,400 146,400 21 Subcontracts 760,000 0 0 0 0 760,000 30 In-service training, conferences, workshops 100,000 100,000 100,000 100,000 54,000 454,000 43 Premises - - - - - 0 45 Equipment 350,000 350,000 40,000 0 0 740,000 51 Miscellaneous 10,000 10,000 10,000 10,000 10,000 50,000

1,345,000 615,000 295,000 166,000 115,400 2,536,400

11 International experts 48,000 48,000 48,000 48,000 48,000 240,000 15 Project travel - - - - - 0 16 Staff travel - - - - - 0 17 National experts & admin staff - - - - - 0 21 Subcontracts 20,000 20,000 20,000 20,000 20,000 100,000 30 In-service training, conferences, workshops 20,000 20,000 20,000 20,000 20,000 100,000 43 Premises - - - - - 0 45 Equipment - - - - - 0 51 Miscellaneous 10,000 5,600 5,000 5,000 5,000 30,600

98,000 93,600 93,000 93,000 93,000 470,600

11 International evaluator - - - - 20,000 20,000 15 Project staff travel - - - - 8,000 8,000 17 National evaluator(s) - - - - 5,000 5,000 51 Miscellaneous - - - - - -

- - - - 33,000 33,000 2,226,000 1,422,600 717,000 588,000 545,400 5,499,000

289,380 184,938 93,210 76,440 70,902 714,870 2,515,380 1,607,538 810,210 664,440 616,302 6,213,870

TOTALPSC Cost UNIDO (13%)GRAND TOTAL PROJECT

Sub-Total Output 1

Sub-Total Output 2

Output 2 - Human capital is strengthened to correspond to economic needs (e.g. in infrastructure development and agribusiness)

Output 3 - A forum that promotes private-public sector dialogue on skills development is established

Sub-Total Output 3Independent mid-term and terminal evaluation

Sub-Total Evaluation

Output 1 - Improved capacity of teachers through participation in formal teacher training for vocational education

31

UNIDO Budget Line Codes - Narrative

20. Legal Context

The Government of the Republic of Liberia agrees to apply to the present project, mutatis mutandis, the provisions of the Standard Basic Assistance Agreement between the United Nations Development Programme and the Government, signed on 27 April 1977 and entered into force on 17 April 1978.

BL Code111516172130434551

Training and workshops (i.e. curriculum development, pedagogical / technical training, etc.)Rent for office facilitiesTraining equipment, machinery, tools, IT equipment, software, etc.Miscellaneous expenses, operational costs, office running costs, etc.

UNIDO Budget Line Codes / NarrativeSalaries of staff and international experts (gross salaries incl. social security charges and other related allowances)Travel expenses of adhoc/gov.officials/national and international consultants/experts (i.e. tickets, hotel, DSA, taxi, etc.)Travel expenses of staff (i.e. tickets, hotels, DSA, taxi, etc.)Recruitment / salary of national experts and admin support staffContractual services for training, rehabilitation and construction services, IT installation services, grants, etc.