TVET Response to Global Challenges of Sustainable Development

Abstract

The concept of sustainable development is central to the future of humanity. Since any meaningful change in society, environment or economy can only be driven by and through education, then Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) has gained more prominence in international debates on sustainable development. The central focus of this paper is to review global practices to show how TVET has responded to the global challenges of sustainable development. The paper used secondary research or desktop research methodology to review data from existing resources and relevant literature in defining and contextualizing the concepts of TVET, global challenges and sustainable development. The paper then drew from global practices to discuss TVET’s response to global challenges of Sustainable Development that include fostering peace; the green skills agenda and the fight against global warming; responding to poverty and reducing inequalities; and fostering local appropriate technologies to solve challenges of the present and future. Through the detailing of TVET’s key role in enabling nations to tailor their development in consideration of their societies, economies and environment, the paper makes a strong case for nations to; promote and improve quality TVET, reorient TVET programmes, build public understanding and awareness of TVET, enact green frameworks, and governments to invest in the subsector