A workshop on the governance of technical and vocational education and training (TVET) in Syria concluded in Damascus. Organized by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labour in cooperation with the International Labour Organization (ILO), the workshop brought together representatives of ministries and national institutions, employers' and workers' organizations, and technical and international partners.
The workshop aimed to discuss the current state of the TVET system, define institutional roles and coordination mechanisms, and identify practical priorities to strengthen governance in this vital sector.
© ILO
In her opening remarks, the Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labour Raghda Zeidan said that the workshop was in line with the Ministry's National Strategy for 2026-2028. The strategy is built around five main pillars: the social protection system; economic empowerment and decent work; women's empowerment; the reintegration of returnees; and digital transformation and governance.
The Ministry stressed that developing the vocational training system is a national priority to support employment, expand job opportunities, and build a system that is more responsive to the needs of society and the labour market.
The Ministry also noted that this process is based on broad partnership with government entities, national bodies and non-governmental actors, as well as workers' and employers' organizations and international partners, foremost among them the ILO. This partnership is expected to strengthen institutional coordination and support the transition towards a more effective and sustainable national model for vocational training governance.
For its part, the ILO emphasized that the workshop took place at a critical time, given the need to invest in people, skills and employment opportunities as an essential pathway towards recovery and inclusive, sustainable development.
The ILO stressed that TVET plays a central role in connecting people with available opportunities and helping enterprises access the skilled workforce they need to grow and compete. It also underlined that skills systems can only be effective when they respond to labour market needs and are based on clear governance and genuine participation by all stakeholders.
© ILO
Claire Courteille-Mulder, Deputy Regional Director for Arab States at the ILO, said the workshop provided an important opportunity to bring together relevant ministries, employers' and workers' organizations, and technical partners to exchange experience, benefit from good practices at the regional and international levels, and develop a shared roadmap to strengthen TVET governance in Syria.
She also noted that the ILO is expanding its cooperation in Syria with a number of international partners, including the European Union, the Government of Japan, the Government of Italy and the Kingdom of the Netherlands, in support of efforts to develop the labour market and build institutional capacity.
Over two days, the workshop addressed a number of key themes. These included mapping and analysing the current TVET sector in Syria; reviewing ongoing programmes and interventions; examining leading international experiences in governance and institutional arrangements; identifying challenges and opportunities; clarifying roles and responsibilities; and linking TVET outcomes with labour market needs through sectoral tools and relevant advisory committees.
At the close of the workshop, participants agreed on a set of practical outcomes that reflected a shared understanding of the need for a unified national framework for TVET governance in Syria. Such a framework would be based on partnership among relevant stakeholders, strengthen institutional coordination, and reduce overlapping roles and multiple lines of authority.
© ILO
The discussions also highlighted the importance of establishing an inclusive national body to lead and coordinate the sector, supported by a technical secretariat or executive body, as well as specialized committees or teams to support work in areas such as planning, quality, accreditation, labour market issues and data.
The groups further stressed the need to clearly define responsibilities, develop a national information system and database to support planning and decision-making, strengthen partnership with the private sector, and align education and training outcomes with labour market needs. These measures would help ensure the effectiveness and sustainability of the system and improve opportunities for employment and decent work in Syria.
