DUSHANBE, November 19, 2009, Asia-Plus  -- A conference to review the result of the project, The Support to Vocational Education and Training in Tajikistan - phase II, is being held in Dushanbe today.

The conference, formally titled “Vision of the Future: Goals and Resources of the Initial Vocational Education in Tajikistan,” has brought together senior representatives from the Ministry of Education, relevant agencies and international organizations involved in implementation of the project.

Inaugurating the conference, Minister of Education Abdujabbor Rahmonov noted that a certain progress has been made in comprehension of significance of development of the initial vocational education orientated to serving needs of domestic labor market and labor markets of foreign countries.

“We have also made a progress in improvement of a structure of the content of the initial vocational education through improving education programs and  textbooks as well as raising qualification of teachers that has allowed us making success in improvement of quality of education,” the minister said.

Ms. Charlotte Adrian, Head of the Delegation of the European Commission in Tajikistan, noted that the European Commission had provided €753,000 for implementation of the project and said that she was satisfied with the results of the project.

The conference is expected to result in adoption of a resolution that will allow determining ways to improve partnership of Tajikistan’s education system, employers’ associations and international organizations.

The project, The Support to Vocational Education and Training in Tajikistan - phase II, started on January 1, 2008.  The main target of the project, which was funded by the European Commission, was to support Tajik ministry of education in its efforts to reform the initial vocational education system in the country.  The project closely cooperated with different ministries, state agencies and civil society organizations.