Technical and vocational education and training in the time of COVID-19: challenges and opportunities for Latin America and the Caribbean - Second working session

UNESCO organised an initial working meeting with senior TVET authorities from the Ministries of Education of Argentina, Ecuador, El Salvador, Mexico and Peru, and identified the main TVET activities being carried out in these countries, while facilitating knowledge, information and resources exchange in support of effective responses to the pandemic with a focus on the four 'pillars' of ODS-Education 2030: Equity, Inclusion, Quality and Lifelong Learning.

This second meeting will continue along this path, ,on this occasion convening TVET authorities from Brazil, Bolivia, Chile and the Dominican Republic to discuss the particular challenges in the current situation and the ways in which countries and organizations can ensure the youth and adults’ continued access to work qualification programmes.

The meeting on TVET in the context of the social and health emergency aims to provide a space for authorities on TVET systems in the region to discuss the following key questions:

• What is the current situation of TVET programme provision in the different educational modalities and levels?
• What are the main measures being adopted in the countries of the region to ensure the continuity of TVET programmes?
• What are the resources/materials available in the countries of the region to support educational continuity in TVET systems?
• What are the main challenges to educational continuity during the quarantine period, and how can adequate preparation for the return to school be ensured?
• What possibilities/opportunities are envisaged for international cooperation and exchange of TVET experiences and resources among the countries of the region?

The exchanges regarding the main challenges faced by Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in the current context, and the opportunities that this modality offers to strategically address the effects of the COVID-19 in the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean are key to highlight the current reality in the region and to collectively generate more timely and effective strategies for TVET.

Objectives:

• To share the emerging challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and the educational response in the field of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET)
• To promote among different institutions and actors in the region the exchange of experiences, ideas and initiatives related to the implementation of TVET programmes in the context of COVID-19.