The Ministry of Labour, Ministry of Education and Higher Education, the Local Employment Council (LETC) in Gaza, and fifteen Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions have launched the 2017 “TVET Week in Gaza” under the theme of “TVET Now!”

The “TVET Week in Gaza” is taking place for the third year in a row, thanks to the support from the European Union, GIZ, Islamic Relief-Palestine and the Belgian Technical Cooperation. It is considered the largest of its kind in Gaza that gathers vocational training centres, industrial secondary schools, colleges, and representatives from the private sector. 

The opening ceremony of the “TVET Week in Gaza” took place on Monday 24 April 2017, at the Shalihat Resort in Gaza city. The event was officially opened by the Palestinian Minister of Labor Mr. Ma’amoun Abu Shahla and attended by Mr. Ayman Fteiha, the representative of the EU in Gaza, Ms. Sabina Gebauer , Senior Programme Advisor at the GIZ, Mr. Dirk Deprez, Resident Representative of Belgian Development Agency, Mr. Muneeb Abu-Ghazaleh, Country Director of Islamic Relief Palestine, Mr. Mohammad Abu Zuaiter, LETC Gaza Coordinator, representatives of TVET institutions, and dozens of TVET students and graduates in Gaza strip. 

Speaking at the opening ceremony, His Excellency, Mr. Ma’amoun Abu Shahla said "In order to promote vocational education in Palestine, Palestine needs dozens of schools and vocational colleges which are equipped with modern equipment and qualified human resources, along with advanced curricula that respond to the needs of our society and economy, and of course we appreciate the generous support of our partners in this regard." Abu Shahla pointed to the existence of nearly 400,000 unemployed young men and women, mostly university graduates, as well as 320,000 families living below the poverty line in Palestine which leads the Ministry of Labour to make policy interventions in the field of education and vocational training to meet the needs of the Palestinian labor market in order to contribute in alleviating unemployment and poverty.

Addressing the audience on behalf of the German Representative Office and GIZ, Ms. Sabina Gebauer noted that: “The German Government’s support to the economic development sector in Palestine, with special focus on the TVET sector, continues as part of the bi-lateral agreements with the Palestinian Government,” adding that  “Together with our partners, we aim at enhancing the quality and relevance of TVET provision to meet the social and economic needs of Palestine through offering more employment opportunities for the youth who represents the future of this country”. Ms. Gebauer highlighted that “in Gaza, more opportunities are especially important as the unemployment rate reaches an extraordinary level.” She concluded her speech by thanking “the participating institutions for their active role in the preparation and implementation of this event,” as well as “thanking the EU for the remarkable cooperation and partnership with Germany in this sector.”

Mr. Muneeb Abu-Ghazaleh, Country Director of Islamic Relief Palestine said: “The biggest and most valuable asset that Gaza has is the energetic youth resource, and the best way for utilizing such an asset is through skilled vocations. During the week, we see good examples of skilled youth ready to build. They ask for enabling work environment and equal opportunity with the rest of the world.

“All efforts in this event are focused on serving the youth of Gaza and promote technical and vocational training as a national strategy to increase production, improve development and enhance the employment opportunities in the labor market," said Mohammed Abu Zaiter, coordinator of the Gaza Local Employment and Training Council.

In line with the theme of “TVET Now!”, the “TVET Week in Gaza” aims to raise awareness among the public audience and media outlets about the TVET services and programmes in Gaza, presenting a holistic approach of TVET and Employment, and showcasing the integration of the TVET institution, private sector and civil society organizations. This week will highlight the importance of acquiring skills and transforming those skills into employment opportunities. It helps promote TVET as a full-equivalent alternative to academic education, offering not only educational and career support but also opportunities for personal development.

The “TVET Week in Gaza” will span over the period from 24 to 27 April 2017, and will include different activities including open exhibition and several workshops under certain themes.