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Ministry of Higher Education
(MoHE)

UNEVOC Centre (Ministry) since 1994

The Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) has a mandate to oversee Vocational Education and Training, University Education, as well as Science Technology and innovation. The Government of Zambia, through the Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) has been working on reforming its system of technical education, vocational and entrepreneurship training. In 1996, the Government issued a policy document, i.e. The Technical Education, Vocational and Entrepreneurship Training (TEVET) Policy. Consequently, the 1998 TEVET Act No. 13 mandated the MSTVT to oversee all training in the country that is related to skills development and entrepreneurship training. The Ministry also launched the National Policy on Higher Education and the National Work Based Learning Framework in 2019. The Work Based Learning Framework has two supporting documents: National Internship Guidelines and Capacity Needs Assessment.

In 2000 the Department of Technical Education and Vocational Training (DTEVT - former UNEVOC Centre) was dissolved, a training authority was created known as the Technical and Educational Vocational and Entrepreneurship Authority, managed by a board. Additionally, management boards were appointed for the training institutions under the ministry. There are 28 training institutions under the Ministry located in all the 10 provinces of Zambia.

In order for MOHE to carry out its mandate of policy formulation, policy implementation and policy monitoring and evaluation, the Department of Vocational Education and Training was created to carry out these new functions. This department is headed by a Director, two Assistant Directors and four senior officers. The Department is responsible for promotion and projecting the development of vocational education and training and increase stakeholder participation in provision of technical education vocational and entrepreneurship training. The functions of the Department has two sections, Skills Development and Entrepreneurship Development. The primary function of the Department is to promote vocational education and training in Zambia in line with the TEVET policy. The Technical Education, Vocational and Entrepreneurship Training Authority (TEVETA) www.teveta.org.zm falling under the Ministry and the department is responsible for regulating the TVET sector. The department is also the Secretariat to the Skills Development Fund Management Committee which oversees the planning and implementation of the Skills Development Fund.

Objectives

• Developing Strategies for popularizing various technical skills and vocational training;
• Identifying and analyzing national skills and professional problems and opportunities;
• Monitoring and evaluating trends in human resources development, vocational training, provision and promotion;
• Designing packages of incentives for the provision of skills; and
• Designing packages of incentives for the development of entrepreneurship and vocational training.

Regular tasks

• Policy formulation and review;
• Policy implementation;
• Policy monitoring and evaluation;
• Strategy development;
• Lecturer staff development;
• Institutional capacity building and development

Focus and interest