COMMUNIQUE OF THE LAUNCHING OF SASASNET AND THE WORKSHOP, HELD AT ABUJA CONTINENTAL HOTEL FROM 24TH TO 25TH JULY, 2023
PREAMBLE:
The recent Regional Workshop in Cotonou, Republic of Benin, held
February 23-24, 2023, organized by the International Labour Organisation (ILO),
the World Bank, and the Government of Benin, deliberated on these informal
apprenticeships across Sub-Saharan Africa and concluded that Governments and
Organized Private Sector (OPS) must join hands to upgrade and formalize all
informal apprenticeships in the region. It was in that workshop that some
delegates decided to set up the Sub-Saharan Africa Skills and Apprenticeship
Stakeholders Network (SASASNET), initially for English Speaking countries as we
noticed Francophone Africa are far ahead of us in skills development.
The primary objective is for our Sub-Saharan Africa
to share experiences in apprenticeship training in the skills development
agenda to enable us become self-sufficient and even have surplus certified
skilled labour for export.
It is
therefore, envisaged that SASASNET shall create a platform to share experiences
in this effort and even share our various National Occupational Standards as
well as, and develop an African Skills Qualification Framework (ASQF) that will
enable ease of labour migration across the Continent especially with the
upcoming Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCTA) initiative.
Similarly,
it creates opportunity to share knowledge and experience regarding policies and
practices on how to preserve and improve apprenticeship systems in the informal
economy to promote quality, innovation, economic development, and social
justice, and to support policy dialogue for the incorporation of these good
practices into national and regional training and employment promotion
policies.
Consequently, the
Workshop deliberated and observed the following:
1.
The need for SASASNET to engage in vigorous public awarenes
and engagement to change the negative perception of public on value of skills
and apprenticeship.
2.
The Dangote Refinery in Nigeria under
construction has engaged over 11,000 workforce from India, while our youths
lack the required skills to be engaged.
3.
Africa should avoid a repeat of the same
in the upcoming $25bn Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline traversing Gulf of Guinea to
Europe.
4.
The absence of National Occupational Standards in many
countries.
5.
The absence of pathways to recognise skills obtained in the
informal sector in most SSA countries.
6.
The lack of opportunite for skilled labour migration across
African regions.
7.
The negative social perception of
skilled workers.
8.
The weak interface that exists between trade
unions/associations and skills/apprentceship development.
9.
The absence of coordination of skills development activities
and interventions from development partners.
10.
The absence of inclusivity and equality in skills training
and development especially for women, vulnerable youths and persons with
disabilities.
11.
The weak partnership and cooperation in skills training
amongst English speaking SSA countries.
RESOLUTIONS:
The workshop deliberated and
decided on the ‘ABUJA ACTION PLAN ON AFRICAN SKILLS AND APPRENTICESHIPS’ with
the following resolutions:
1.
Skills development activities should be
streamlined under the National Skills Council or similar bodies across member
Countries.
2.
Integrate pathways that allow
certificate recognition and skills migration across continent and globally
3.
Each member country should harmonise
their Training, Qualification and Certification Framework and transmit same to
the SASASNET Secretariat
4.
Mapping and needs assessment of informal
sector skills across the economy in collaboration with national public
institutions.
5.
Create an “African Skills Passport”
(ASP) that allow legal skills migration within Sub-Saharan Africa.
6.
SASASNET shall network with the African
Union to establish a Continental Skills Qualifications and Certification Board
(CSQCB) that meets international best practice.
7.
SASASNET shall promote the development
of a REGISTER (Data Base) and Labour Market Information System (LMIS) of
skilled and certified African youths.
8.
SASASNET shall promote the skills development
and Apprenticeship Policy in the member Countries.
9.
Innovative Funding for Apprenticeship
shall be developed by each member country
10.
Relevant Trade unions/associations
should be involved as stakeholders in all the processes of Apprenticeship
training.
11.
Each member country shall development its
National Skills Qualifications Framework (NSQF) with adequate provisions for
the informal sector.
12.
Provide appropriate legislation for
NSQFs.
13.
SASASNET shall collaborates with World Skills to
promote competition and talent hunt amongst African youths.
14.
Integrate NEET (Not in Education, Employment and
Training) into the apprenticeship training programme to promote inclusivity.
15.
The workshop resolved that NBTE Nigeria shall host the
Secretariat of the Network.
16.
The Kenyan Delegation has offered to
host the next General Assembly and Workshop of SASASNET in 2024.
Done on this 25th Day of July, 2023 in
Abuja, The Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Hon. Ousman Sillah
SECRETARY GENERAL, SASASNET