Govt launches ProGRESS Project for inclusive skill development

A new project called ProGRESS has been launched by The Ministry of Education of the Government of Bangladesh and the International Labour Organization (ILO) Bangladesh. This initiative aims to strengthen the TVET (Technical and Vocational Education and Training) and enterprise development systems in Bangladesh. 

The ProGRESS project also plans on making skill development training more inclusive and accessible for women working on policies, systems and operational levels. The launching ceremony took place at the Ball Room of the Banani Sheraton Hotel, Dhaka, on March 19. 

As per an official press release, ProGRESS stands for 'Promoting Gender Responsive Enterprise Development and TVET Systems'. The project will be implemented by the Directorate of Technical Education (DTE), Technical and Madrasah Education Division (TMED) and the Ministry of Education with technical assistance from ILO. The Government of Canada is the funding partner of the project.

The ProGRESS project is designed to positively address the issues linked to low labour force participation of female workers in both wage and employment markets. It will also bring up issues regarding the limited access to business development services required for initiating self-employment. 

Additionally, the initiative will support the promotion of employability of the female workforce of Bangladesh to improve their economic well-being and maximise their contribution to the national economic growth. The project's strategic improvement in TVET and enterprise development systems aims to transform the local female workforce to become more inclusive and accessible by gender mainstreaming policy advocacy, enterprise development and skills training. As a result, the project aims to increase the number of women in Bangladesh employed with decent work in a broader range of occupations.

The total budget for the initiative is 20 million CAD (Canadian Dollars). The ILO and the Directorate of Technical Education will work closely to implement the project for the period of five years starting from Year 2022 in collaboration with the National Skill Development Authority under the Prime Minister's Office, Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, Ministry of Chittagong Hill Tracts, Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment, Ministry of Youth and Sports, SME Foundation and Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC) along with employers' and workers' organisations.