The Ecuadorian economy is transforming in an effort to become less dependent on extractive industries. Skilling Ecuador’s youth for new opportunities is crucial yet impossible without relevant, high quality secondary technical education.
It is particularly vital to create a positive outlook for youth in Esmeraldas, Manabí, and Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas – the provinces that were hit most by the earthquake of April 2016. Youth in these areas need technical education that is aligned with the world of work, as well as a school environment that is safe and supportive.
Effective school leadership, quality teaching, and school counselling can help in addressing these challenges. Schools in eleven districts (16 in total) were selected for the programme based on an analysis of labour market needs, supply of courses that respond to these needs, and access to these courses for boys and girls.
Directors and teachers of secondary technical education in the provinces Esmeraldas (Zone 1), Manabí (Zone 4), and Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas (Zone 4), have the competencies to provide quality education and to improve the technical and generic skills of their students in order to increase their chances of decent work.
- Ministry of Education (MINEDUC)
- Pontificia Universidad Católica de Ecuador (PUCESE)
- Universidad Técnica de Manabí (UTM)
- Organisations that have a core business collaboration with VVOB Ecuador, including: Schneider Electric, Ideal Alambrec Bekaert, Tecnoban, Universidad Tecnológica Equinoccial, Tecnimetro, the Santo Domingo Livestock Breeders Association and Indura.
The F-EFTP programme centres on improving the professional development opportunities for secondary technical education school leaders, teachers, and school counsellors.
The programme is built around the following pillars:
- Strengthening school directors’ support system by ensuring the presence of well-trained school counsellors and peer support through professional learning communities (PLCs).
- Expanding the data that school directors can rely on to improve the quality of education, by developing a uniform student tracer study system.
- Improving teachers’ technical and pedagogical competencies through specialist training offered by companies, pedagogical input through communities of practice and support from well-trained school counsellors.
Each pillar contributes to the effective implementation of the Ecuadorian Ministry of Education’s (MINEDUC) Ten-Year Education Plan (2016 – 2025). This Plan aims at the introduction of competency-based secondary technical education that is aligned with the demands of the world of work and that contributes to the economic transformation of the country.
By the end of the F-EFTP programme:
MINEDUC (national, zonal and district-level):
- will have established PLCs for school directors and communities of practice for teachers;
- trains and coaches school counsellors in supporting the creation of a safe and supportive school environment, through restorative practices and the integration of a talents-perspective in students’ life projects;
- will have implemented a series of district-level collaborative projects between secondary technical schools and companies active in agriculture, construction, and tourism among others;
- will have developed and rolled out a uniform tracer study system to follow up on students graduating from secondary technical education. Data will be analysed for quality improvement purposes.
PUCESE and UTM: will have designed and implemented a postgraduate in vocational pedagogy for pre- and in-service teachers from secondary technical education.
To reach its goals, VVOB Ecuador develops the capacity of its partners. VVOB uses capacity development trajectories that give partners maximal responsibility in the execution and management of their own change processes. This is done through technical assistance provided by the VVOB Ecuador team, which includes both local and international educational and change management experts.
