- An ADB project in the Kyrgyz Republic is helping students across the country improve their employability.
- Over 4,000 students are now learning vital skills and benefitting from an ADB-supported TVET project that targets working youth.
- An ADB-supported TVET project for students in the Kyrgyz Republic supports inclusion, entrepreneurship, and employment that’s relevant to the local economy.
ADB’s Skills for Inclusive Growth Sector Development Program provides a $30 million grant for the development of a market-responsive and inclusive technical and vocational education and training (TVET) system in the Kyrgyz Republic. The program aims to achieve inclusive growth by improving workforce skills and productivity in the country’s key economic sectors.
As part of the project, fully upgraded and equipped Centers of Excellence were created in eight colleges, where on-the-job learning allows students to acquire practical skills and knowledge, greatly improving their employability.
Colleges have also piloted priority majors that have significantly increased the enrollment rate of girls and students with disabilities in technical departments.
In addition, coordinators have been identified in the eight pilot colleges to promote gender inclusion and students with disabilities by increasing enrollment and adapting the learning process.
Transcript
This college in the Kyrgyz Republic offers a computer programming course specifically for students with disabilities.
It’s critical for students like Tilek who need to earn a living.
Tilek Jumabek uulu
Student
Issyk-Kul Industrial Pedagogical College
“I don’t have parents or relatives. All of them passed away. So I was left alone. I study in this college in a group for students with disabilities. I have been into computers since school. I’m most interested in studying computer software. Another very interesting area is computer assembling.”
The Issyk-Kul Industrial Pedagogical College is among 8 technical and vocational education and training (TVET) centers upgraded by the Asian Development Bank with a $30 million grant.
This is what the college looked like before it was renovated.
And here is what it looks like now.
ADB’s project provides quality education to help young people, women, and vulnerable groups develop skills to meet job demand, particularly in the country’s regions.
Located near the picturesque Lake Issyk-Kul, the college is also teaching students about tourism.
Gulai Akmatova
Student
Issyk-Kul Industrial Pedagogical College
“We were divided into groups and created our own tours. They taught us how to work with tourists. That was a very interesting lesson”.
Baktygul Jumabaeva
College director
Issyk-Kul Industrial Pedagogical College
“We opened a hotel with standard rooms and registered it on booking platform. Now we host tourists.”
The project also refurbished dormitories which accommodate boarding students from other regions in the country.
More than 4,000 students are now learning vital skills at the upgraded TVET colleges, including in food processing, energy generation and transmission, and other areas in strong demand.
Kanokpan Lao-Araya
Country Director for the Kyrgyz Republic
Asian Development Bank
“The Kyrgyz Republic has a big proportion of population who are young people. A third of the population’s age is between 15 to 25 years old. So their future is very important. They need to be proud of themselves, they want to be employed in many decades to come in their life and they want to give back to their community”.
