Overview of the SAVE Project
SKILLS FOR A
VIBRANT ECONOMY (SAVE) PROJECT
1.0
Background
The
Government of Malawi is implementing a 5-year US$100-million (180 - billion
Kwacha) Skills for A Vibrant Economy (SAVE) Project. It is 50% co-funded
by World Bank and 50% by Malawi Government. Implemented by Ministry of Education and Ministry of Labour (MoL), the Project was
rolled out in October, 2021.
2.0 Project
Objectives
The Project Development Objective
(PDO) is to increase access, particularly for females, to labour market
relevant skills development programs, in participating institutions, targeting
priority sectors of the economy. Students enrol in degree, diploma, and
certificate programs. The
targeted sectors include agriculture, tourism,
transport, logistics, information and communication technology (ICT) and
digital development, manufacturing, construction, energy, mining, climate
resilience, and financial services.
3.0 Project
Components
1: Supporting
Increased Access to Skills Development Programs in Higher Education (US$58
million)
1.1: Performance Agreements for Skills Development Results in Higher
Education (US$51 million) - Nine public higher education institutions each to receive
up to US$7 million for (i) construction
(ii) partnerships with the private sector including student workplace learning
(iii) tracer studies to ensure labour-market relevance; (iv) improving capacity of
instructors and faculty; and (v) demand- and supply-side interventions at
institutional level (through policies, training, and sensitization) and at
student level (through financial, mentoring, academic support and recruitment).
1.2:
Higher Education Student Financing to Improve Equity (US$7 million) to increase
financial support to Higher Education Students Loans Governance Board
(HESLGB) for needy students and to poor
students focusing on females, attending skills development programs. At least 800
females to receive grant funding and at least 5,000 needy students (60 percent
female) to be provided with loans.
And to strengthen the
HESLGB capacity to administer grants and loans and to finance construction of
HESLGB operations
offices.
2: Increase
in Access to TEVET Skills Development (US$30 million)
2.1: Support Increased Skills Development through seven National
Technical Colleges
(NTCs) (US$10 million). Each NTC to access US$1–1.5
million for increasing intake capacity; improving the quality of training
through teacher training and improved teaching and learning materials and
technologies; creating capacities within technical colleges to provide
incubation services for self employment promotion of graduates. NTCs are expected
to double their annual intake to formal regular TEVET programs.
Financing for building
of training infrastructure, acquisition of equipment, and purchase of teaching
and learning materials;
capacity building of teaching staff and managers and
improved student services and enhanced learning environment for girls.
2.2: Increased
Access to Market-oriented TEVET Programs through Competitive Grants (US$15
million). Selected CTCs, private technical colleges, and CSDCs to expand
training offers in line with market needs, targeting vulnerable and female
youth with funding of US$500,000 for
each institution. This support will create
additional intake of at least 3,000 new regular TEVET students. Private TEVET
institutions are also eligible to participate through competitive grants.
2.3: Formal TEVET Scholarships (US$5 million) to support TEVETA
needs-based scholarship for vulnerable secondary school graduates targeting females to enrol
in regular TEVETA-sponsored apprenticeship programs. Scholarships are targeting at least 5,000 vulnerable students.
3. Tertiary
Education System Strengthening, Project Management, M&E and Communications
(US$12 million). Supporting system-level analysis, coordination, and capacity building to
create conducive policy environment and support for overall project
management. It also supports the newly formed ODeL Directorate to develop a coherent and
coordinated approach to the expansion of distance learning opportunities.
3.1 Higher
Education System Strengthening (US$2.4 million) for the MoE Directorate of Higher Education and
NCHE to improve the policy environment supporting quality assurance, relevance,
and equity in higher education.
3.2 TEVET System Strengthening (US$2.3 million) strengthen
TEVETA and the MoL Directorate of Technical and Vocational Training to improve girls’ access to market-orientation
of TEVET. To support Public Private Sector Skills Development Forum to help
link industry and higher education to TEVET and the establishment of Sector
Skills Councils.
3.3 Education (US$1.3 million) - support the MoE’s response to COVID-19 strengthening, staffing and
developing capabilities of the new ODeL Directorate. Support the new
Directorate developing national policy and strategy for ODeL, and guidelines for courses
and accreditation, quality assurance and effective modes of M&E and the
Digital Malawi through the Malawi Research and Education Network (MAREN).
3.4 Project coordination, monitoring and evaluation, communications
(US$6 million) for project management and supervision, M&E, annual verifications,
communications, and support to the technical committee - (a) setting up the PIU for
procurement and financial management, adherence to ESSs and implementation and
enforcement of environmental and social (E&S) commitments, technical
oversight, M&E and conducting annual audits, and stakeholders’ engagement and consultation (b)
setting up Project Steering Committee and Technical Committee; (c) recruiting
Third-Party Validation Agency; (d) strengthening the statistical capacity of
the TEVET and higher education systems; (e) providing secretariat and
logistical support to TTWG; and (f) critical sectoral studies, i.e, GBV in
tertiary education and student loans’ sustainability challenges.
4.0 Project Beneficiaries
Over 45,000 HEI
students (universities/colleges, degree, diploma, and ODeL institutions); · Over
65,000 formal TEVET training program students (from TEVET Qualification Level 1
to Level 4); · Almost 900 trainers, lecturers, and staff in participating TEVET
institutions and HEIs; · Over 110,000 secondary education graduates; · Over 300
private sector firms and industry in selected supported priority sectors of
the economy; · Over 50 participating tertiary education institutions; and · Staff
from government ministries, departments, and agencies including regulatory
bodies National Council for Higher Education (NCHE), Technical, Entrepreneurial, Vocational and Education Training Authority (TEVETA) and Higher Education Students' Grants and Loans Board (HESLGB).
Project Background and Context
SKILLS FOR A
VIBRANT ECONOMY (SAVE) PROJECT
1.0
Background
The
Government of Malawi is implementing a 5-year US$100-million (180 - billion
Kwacha) Skills for A Vibrant Economy (SAVE) Project. It is 50% co-funded
by World Bank and 50% by Malawi Government. Implemented by Ministry of Education and Ministry of Labour (MoL), the Project was
rolled out in October, 2021.
2.0 Project
Objectives
The Project Development Objective
(PDO) is to increase access, particularly for females, to labour market
relevant skills development programs, in participating institutions, targeting
priority sectors of the economy. Students enrol in degree, diploma, and
certificate programs. The
targeted sectors include agriculture, tourism,
transport, logistics, information and communication technology (ICT) and
digital development, manufacturing, construction, energy, mining, climate
resilience, and financial services.
3.0 Project
Components
1: Supporting
Increased Access to Skills Development Programs in Higher Education (US$58
million)
1.1: Performance Agreements for Skills Development Results in Higher
Education (US$51 million) - Nine public higher education institutions each to receive
up to US$7 million for (i) construction
(ii) partnerships with the private sector including student workplace learning
(iii) tracer studies to ensure labour-market relevance; (iv) improving capacity of
instructors and faculty; and (v) demand- and supply-side interventions at
institutional level (through policies, training, and sensitization) and at
student level (through financial, mentoring, academic support and recruitment).
1.2:
Higher Education Student Financing to Improve Equity (US$7 million) to increase
financial support to Higher Education Students Loans Governance Board
(HESLGB) for needy students and to poor
students focusing on females, attending skills development programs. At least 800
females to receive grant funding and at least 5,000 needy students (60 percent
female) to be provided with loans.
And to strengthen the
HESLGB capacity to administer grants and loans and to finance construction of
HESLGB operations
offices.
2: Increase
in Access to TEVET Skills Development (US$30 million)
2.1: Support Increased Skills Development through seven National
Technical Colleges
(NTCs) (US$10 million). Each NTC to access US$1–1.5
million for increasing intake capacity; improving the quality of training
through teacher training and improved teaching and learning materials and
technologies; creating capacities within technical colleges to provide
incubation services for self employment promotion of graduates. NTCs are expected
to double their annual intake to formal regular TEVET programs.
Financing for building
of training infrastructure, acquisition of equipment, and purchase of teaching
and learning materials;
capacity building of teaching staff and managers and
improved student services and enhanced learning environment for girls.
2.2: Increased
Access to Market-oriented TEVET Programs through Competitive Grants (US$15
million). Selected CTCs, private technical colleges, and CSDCs to expand
training offers in line with market needs, targeting vulnerable and female
youth with funding of US$500,000 for
each institution. This support will create
additional intake of at least 3,000 new regular TEVET students. Private TEVET
institutions are also eligible to participate through competitive grants.
2.3: Formal TEVET Scholarships (US$5 million) to support TEVETA
needs-based scholarship for vulnerable secondary school graduates targeting females to enrol
in regular TEVETA-sponsored apprenticeship programs. Scholarships are targeting at least 5,000 vulnerable students.
3. Tertiary
Education System Strengthening, Project Management, M&E and Communications
(US$12 million). Supporting system-level analysis, coordination, and capacity building to
create conducive policy environment and support for overall project
management. It also supports the newly formed ODeL Directorate to develop a coherent and
coordinated approach to the expansion of distance learning opportunities.
3.1 Higher
Education System Strengthening (US$2.4 million) for the MoE Directorate of Higher Education and
NCHE to improve the policy environment supporting quality assurance, relevance,
and equity in higher education.
3.2 TEVET System Strengthening (US$2.3 million) strengthen
TEVETA and the MoL Directorate of Technical and Vocational Training to improve girls’ access to market-orientation
of TEVET. To support Public Private Sector Skills Development Forum to help
link industry and higher education to TEVET and the establishment of Sector
Skills Councils.
3.3 Education (US$1.3 million) - support the MoE’s response to COVID-19 strengthening, staffing and
developing capabilities of the new ODeL Directorate. Support the new
Directorate developing national policy and strategy for ODeL, and guidelines for courses
and accreditation, quality assurance and effective modes of M&E and the
Digital Malawi through the Malawi Research and Education Network (MAREN).
3.4 Project coordination, monitoring and evaluation, communications
(US$6 million) for project management and supervision, M&E, annual verifications,
communications, and support to the technical committee - (a) setting up the PIU for
procurement and financial management, adherence to ESSs and implementation and
enforcement of environmental and social (E&S) commitments, technical
oversight, M&E and conducting annual audits, and stakeholders’ engagement and consultation (b)
setting up Project Steering Committee and Technical Committee; (c) recruiting
Third-Party Validation Agency; (d) strengthening the statistical capacity of
the TEVET and higher education systems; (e) providing secretariat and
logistical support to TTWG; and (f) critical sectoral studies, i.e, GBV in
tertiary education and student loans’ sustainability challenges.
4.0 Project Beneficiaries
Over 45,000 HEI
students (universities/colleges, degree, diploma, and ODeL institutions); · Over
65,000 formal TEVET training program students (from TEVET Qualification Level 1
to Level 4); · Almost 900 trainers, lecturers, and staff in participating TEVET
institutions and HEIs; · Over 110,000 secondary education graduates; · Over 300
private sector firms and industry in selected supported priority sectors of
the economy; · Over 50 participating tertiary education institutions; and · Staff
from government ministries, departments, and agencies including regulatory
bodies (NCHE and TEVETA) and HESLGB.
Contacts
Grenard Mkwende Anderson
Fumulani
Project Manager Communications
Specialist
Private Bag 328 Private
Bag 328
Lilongwe MALAWI Lilongwe
MALAWI
Cell: 09999953336 Cell: 0999954854
gmkwende@saveproject.mw afumulani@saveproject.mw
www.saveproject.mw www.saveproject.mw
Project Steering Committee
The Project Steering Committee oversees and guides the SAVE project, ensuring objectives are met efficiently. Led by the Secretary for Education, it reviews progress, provides approvals and resolves issues. The committee collaborates with relevant institutions and keeps stakeholders informed.
Technical Committee
The Project Technical Committee (PTC) provides technical guidance and support for the SAVE project. Chaired by the Director of Higher Education, the committee includes members from various government ministries, private sector, civil society, and education institutions. Their role includes reviewing reports and resolving implementation issues.
Implementation Unit
The PIC, headed by the PIU Manager, is responsible for day-to-day implementation of the SAVE project. It monitors progress, identifies challenges, and recommends corrective actions. It collaborates with the PTC, PSC, and implementing agencies to ensure project activities are aligned with strategic objectives and policy directions.