Professional Formation

Preliminary note:

Education and Technical / Vocational Training in Angola are split into two sectors:

1. The overall responsibility of the education sector lies with the Ministry of Education (MoE).
2. All activities related to Technical and Vocational Training are, since the year 1996, under the management of the Ministry of Public Administration, Employment and Social Security (MAPESS).This indicates the strong relation of Professional Formation with the labor market.
3. Since 2008 all-over coordination of Professional Formation rests with MAPESS

Education (under the management of the Ministry of Education)

ACCESS TO EDUCATION IS STILL RELATIVELY LOW, HOWEVER THE REFORM PROCESS OF THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION SHOWS THE FIRST POSITIVE RESULTS.

• The overall number of children in primary schools amounts to aprox. 3.8 Million (Year 2002: 1.7 Million). Thus, 85% of all students attend the primary level.
• Only 10% of all pupils attend secondary schools, 4% go to university.
• Girls are somewhat underrepresented in schools, especially at secondary and university levels.
• The number of teachers countrywide rose to 180,000, coming from the low level of 76,000 teachers in the year 2000.
• However, most teachers are still poorly educated and trained.
• Education is still a challenge: On average, children attend school for only 4.4 years (compared to Botswana: 8.9 years).
• The Government of Angola spends an average 125 USD per capita and year for education (i.e. 8% of the overall budget, compared to 5% of the budget allocated to the Health sector, 15% for Defense and 1% for Agriculture)
• The population growth rate of 3% per year will lead to an ever increasing number of children accessing the education system.

Education reform of the MoE in Angola (started in 2004):

• Objectives: (a) More schools, (b) Better Quality of Teaching and Learning, (c) A more efficient education system, (d) Equal chances for education for all.
• Until 2010, the reform process realized the following steps: (1) Preparatory phase, (2) Experimental phase, (3) Evaluation phase, (4) Generalization phase (to be concluded in 2011). Thus, new curricula and teaching materials have been introduced countrywide.
• The reform process will be finally evaluated in 2012.
• Preliminary conclusions of the reform process led to the assumption that the educational system in Angola still faces many challenges. In spite of an increased number of teachers, school buildings and students, the general education system still lacks many success factors: infrastructure is still inadequate, too many children in one class and many others more – and most important: deficit of teachers in terms of quantity and quality.
• The number of dropouts and repeaters is declining, however the rates are still high:
  • Primary education: 83% of all first graders complete primary school (57% without repetition).
  • Secondary education 1st cycle: 87% of all pupils starting grade 7 complete grade 9 (58% without repetition).
  • Secondary education 2nd cycle: 61% of all pupils starting grade 10 complete grade 12 (51% without repetition).
  • Secondary education/Technical Vocational Training: 49% of all pupils starting grade 10 complete grade 12 (35% without repetition).
• The education reform process is being delayed and aggravated by serious under-financing: The Government of Angola released only 55% of all budgeted funds for the years 2004-2010.
• As an overall conclusion, the education reform process up to now can be evaluated in a positive way. The general situation of the education sector has, however shown less than wished-for, improvement.

Technical and Vocational Training (under the management of the MAPESS)

PROFESSIONAL FORMATION IN ANGOLA TRIES TO ENABLE TRAINEES TO ENTER THE LABOR MARKET.

• The MAPESS holds as a protected entity and executioner the National Institute of Employment and Vocational Training (INEFOP).
• The INEFOP situates decentralized structures in all the provinces of the country with a total of 450 Technical and Vocational Training Centers (including private entities), among them:
• 29 Centers of Vocational Training Centers (CFP), 13 Integrated Centers for Employment and Vocational Training (CIEFP), 35 Mobile Training Centers, 59 Pavilions for Training of Arts and Trades (PAOF) and 280 Private Training Centers (figures according to Business Report of Angola, 2010).
• Vocational Training Centers provide for young people and adults, employed and unemployed, training and qualifications to facilitate their integration into an active life and improve their conditions for job maintenance.
• Especially the Integrated Employment and Vocational Training Centers enhance the strong link between vocational training and job placement and contribute to the Government´s efforts to foster the labor market.
• The professional technical and vocational training system aims equally to reinforce the pedagogic preparation of the trainers and teachers, as well as the development of competences of managers of the structures of training and of employment, which happens through the National Center of Trainers` Training (CENFFOR).

• What does the Government promise?
  Compromise for the future of children and the youth (agreed on between the Government of Angola, the UN, Social Organizations and the children in June 2009 – here a selection):
  • (a) Universal access to Education and Vocational Training by 2015
  • (b)Technical and vocational training reaches 20% of all teenagers in alphabetization programs.