The National Skills Development Policy is a comprehensive policy for guiding the skill development strategies of both public and private sectors and facilitate improved coordination of all parties involved in education and training in Bangladesh. This Policy provides the vision and direction for skills development, setting out the major commitments and key reforms that government is implementing in partnership with industry, workers and civil society. The policy extends and builds on other major government policies such as the Education Policy of 2009, Non-Formal
Education Policy of 2006, Youth Policy of 2003, National Training Policy of 2008 and the NSDC Action
Plan of 2008.
The policy is the result of the collective efforts of government agencies involved in TVET and skills training, employer and worker organizations and private training providers and NGOs, all with the common goal of reforming Bangladesh’s skills development system.
The policy was approved by the Cabinet in January 2012.
TVET sector of Bangladesh is now undergoing major reform in terms of skills development, TVET policies, credentialing, industry linkages under Competency Based Training and Assessment (CBT&A) system. TVET reform agenda included some multiple
inter-related outputs as:
- Modified TVET legislation
- National skills development policy
- National Technical and Vocational Qualifications Framework
- Bangladesh TVET QA System
- TVET data system
- Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)
- Model for competency standards development and new demand driven courses
- New training programs for TVET teachers and principals
- Enhanced work based learning including apprenticeships
The policy addresses a number of strategic areas for skills development including:
- provision of demand-driven flexible and responsive training
- nationally recognized qualifications;
- competency based training;
- quality assurance;
- accurate skills and labour market data;
- competent TVET instructors and managers.
- strengthened apprenticeships;
- recognition of prior learning;
- improved access for under-privileged groups;
- private training provision;
- industrial training;
- TVET financing; and
- skills development for overseas employment.
One of the many important elements in the policy is the engagement of industry through the establishment of Industry Skills Councils (ISCs). The TVET reform project has helped establish ISCs in different sectors like agro-food processing, transport equipment (e.g. ship- building), leather and leather products, information technology and tourism & hospitality. Meanwhile, the SDP has established similar councils (which they call sector working groups) for construction, light engineering, readymade garments& textile and the informal economy. Beside these sectors since 2019, other established sectors are furniture, pharmaceuticals, ceramic. Two other sectors are under formation as jute and creative media
The responsibility of ISCs are to conduct survey of skills demand for their sectors and identify the priority occupations where training is needed. They have also recommended technical experts as members on the Technical Sub Committee and Standards and
Curriculum Development Committees (SCDCs) for developing competency standard and Competency based curriculum. According to the policy recommendation BTEB is tuning and aligning the traditional TVET courses to the National Technical and Vocational Qualifications Framework (NTVQF).