First IVETA South Asian Regional Conference in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is to host the first IVETA South Asian Regional Conference from August 19 to 22, 2009. This year's theme which has been selected by the member countries is "Innovative TVET Initiatives to Support Sustainable Economic Development and Poverty Reduction, and the Role of TVET in Improving Social Equity".

The four-day conference where expected to participate over 200 national and international delegates includes seminars, workshops, exhibitions and several other activities with the assistance of the nine provincial technical colleges. Vocational and Technical Training Minister Piyasena Gamage said that the conference will address the issue; vocational and technical education as a tool for poverty alleviation, social equity, peace promotion and economic development of countries.

The Minister further said that the theme is very important for countries in the Asia region as it could also focus on TVET as having influence on economic development for peace building and conflict resolution. Minister Gamage also highlighted that among these topics the conference would prioritize on human resource development in a post war situation.

"The regional conference will be a forum for participants from different countries and regions to share and transfer experiences through expertise, policy guidance, diffusion of their model of development", the Minister added.

He said that the TVET experts in the European, American, African, Arabian, Australian and Asian continents would use the conference as a platform to share their experiences on using the TVET as a powerful tool for sustainable economic development which paves the way for a peaceful country.

Vocational and Technical Training Ministry spokesman Nimal Perera said that arrangements have been made to transport delegates to visit the country's main technical colleges in nine provinces.

He said that as the war is over, conference delegates will receive a chance to visit the moderated Jaffna Technical College.

Meanwhile, the country's first technical college known as Maradana Technical College which was started in 1893 has arranged a special exhibition concurrently with the South Asian Regional Conference on Vocational and Technical Education.

IVETA (International Vocational Education Training Association) which organizes this conference annually is an organization and network of vocational educators, vocational skills training organizations, business and industrial firms and individuals and groups interested or involved in vocational education and training worldwide.

(Courtesy: Asian Tribune)