Self-employment has become a major contributor to national economies yet it remains largely invisible in education and training policies. As job opportunities shrink in the formal sector and youth unemployment skyrockets, self-employment may be the only survival option for many. How are governments responding to these changes? Researchers from the Universities of London and Edinburgh investigated case situations in Ghana, Kenya, India and Chile. Their report describes varied provisions for technical and vocational education and training (TVET). No single approach can be applied in all contexts but the report offers a guided tour of key issues and options involved.

National policies aimed at improving the balance of academic and vocational education within secondary schools in Kenya and Ghana have had limited success. Young people leave school with few directly employable skills. Necessary changes in attitudes of education providers have not emerged, nor has wider support from unions and commercial institutions. In India, resistance in the formal education sector to proposals to redirect schooling to boost self-employment skills, has left provision of such skills mainly in the hands of non-government organisations (NGOs). But in Chile formal employment is still a growth area, hence the informal sector's education and training needs are liable to create less pressure for official action.

The informal sector includes two tiers; entrepreneurs - who often use small-scale but modern technology - and needy people engaged in subsistence activities, who often use low-tech or traditional skills. In the latter category women tend to outnumber men, especially in the lowest income groups. Although NGOs tend to focus their support resources on socio-economic development among subsistence groups, skills-training programmes still do not appear to be reaching the poorest groups in the community. On the other hand, entrepreneurial groups that have greater potential to graduate to the formal sector if given appropriate support, are neither a priority for NGOs, nor are they suitably provided for by the formal education sector.

The overview section of the report includes the following observations:

• Despite hectic activity in education and training, evidence of success is scant and evaluation sketchy.
• Provision is diverse, ranging from school-based initiatives to non-formal training schemes and work-based training. The form, methods and target groups of each type of provision can vary conspicuously. Understanding these differences is essential for future planning.
• In every case except Chile, there were signs that governments distinctly recognise the importance and potential benefits of self-employment and income generation in the informal sector.
• Education and training alone are not sufficient to generate gainful economic activity from self-employment; successful entrepreneurship requires an enabling environment (including access to credit) and policies that commit governments to supporting small-scale enterprise.
• Training for disadvantaged groups tends to build on craft skills and other traditional skills rather than introduce new areas of economic activity. This is despite clear signs that scope for sustainable livelihoods in these areas is limited, especially for women. Education and training for the informal sector should aim to create dynamic entrepreneurs who can handle the changing demands of a modern open market.

Source(s):
Education and Training for the Informal Sector. Education Research Report No.11. Volumes 1 and 2. DFID, London. By McGrath, Simon. et al., (1995, reprinted 1998)

Funded by: Education Division, Department for International Development, (DFID), UK (1994-1995)

id21 Research Highlight: 1998-06-08

Further Information:
Kenneth King and Simon McGrath
Centre for African Studies
University of Edinburgh
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George Square
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EH8 9LL
UK

Tel: +44 (0) 131 650 3878
Fax: +44 (0) 131 650 6535
Contact the contributor: kenneth.king@ed.ac.uk

Centre for African Studies (CAS), University of Edinburgh, UK

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