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2015
- 26 May
- By Patrick Fischbach
- KSV/015
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Kosovo - A sector approach for sustainable Vocational Education and Training (VET)
To improve the conditions for long-term quality education in Kosovo, and to address some major challenges surrounding the sustainability of Project KSV/015, three workshops on national and local (Centre of Competence) level were held in February of this year. On the agenda: the strategic (re-)orientation of the CoCs in Ferizaj and Prizren and the national VET system in general. The workshop on national level was actually a kick-off meeting of a working group (WG) on policy challenges. The latter, through sub-WGs, is for instance currently addressing public financing of the VET sector and the involvement of social partners in VET.

This leads us to the Academy on Financing Skills Development which was organised in March 2015, shortly after the above-mentioned workshops, by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) in Turin. The project facilitated the participation of a delegation from Kosovo. Six people from the Ministry of Education, the Agency for Vocational Education and Training and Adult Education (AVETAE), the CoCs and the project team itself left for Italy where they benefited from a broad programme including for instance the topic of sector funds as well as the importance of social dialogue and the involvement of social partners (trade unions and employers).

Prizren Centre of Competence Deputy Director for Business Relations and Income Generation at the ILO Skills Academy (source ILO)

The result of these developments is that one of the sub-WGs on policy challenges works on a sector approach with the commitment of all stakeholders, firstly through pilot initiatives in two sectors: Health Care (related to the CoC in Ferizaj), and Tourism (related to the CoC in Prizren). This sub-WG, mainly existing of the participants in the workshop on Financing Skills Development in Turin, will develop a pilot programme for arranging skills development including financing of this skills development on sector level, mainly related to a region. Lux-Development is ready to support such an approach as one of the main measures to set up sustainable ways of running VET as well as the CoCs in Ferizaj and Prizren in particular.
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- 26 May
- By Shpend Gagica
- KSV/018
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Kosovo - Supporting the Water Supply System in Mitrovica
KSV/018 project – Water in Mitrovica Phase II - launched a tender for the first investment projects aimed at the municipalities of Mitrovica South and Vushtrri in March 2015.

The aim being to upgrade or replace the physical assets of the expansive regional water supply system, focussing on lowering pumping and electricity requirements by reducing leakages. Technical investments of stage 1 consist of priority measures to improve assets, which address the technical losses and high pumping regime by establishing District Metering Areas so as to complement the institutional aspects of the annual Mitrovica Regional Water Company Revenue Water Campaign.

The first projects were selected from a pool of project proposals according to the importance, relevance and priorities presented by the municipalities. This was followed by extensive discussions with all stakeholders.

In Mitrovica South Municipality, the major components are the replacement of distribution mains (new pipeline), including nodes, chambers, bulk-meters and flow control valves as well as the replacement and installing of new water meters. In total 3.36 km of pipes are to be replaced including one km of pipes for domestic connections. On top of that, 1600 domestic meters and water meter boxes are to be replaced.

In Vushtrri Municipality, the replacement of distribution mains (new pipeline), including nodes, chambers, bulk-meters and the rehabilitation of the distribution network are planned. This will be done by replacing the existing asbestos cement pipes by new polyethylene pipes (around 2 km), and installing about 280 domestic connections including water meters.

The implementation will start during May 2015 with a performance period of 8 months. These investments and works will contribute to reduce leakage and significantly decrease the portion of non-revenue water to the benefit of better water supply in general.
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- 11 May
- By Alice Risch
- LAO/020
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Laos : LANITH Passport to Success
“Passport to Success” is an innovative training product developed by Lanith, the Lao National Institute of Tourism and Hospitality, to upscale the existing workforce in the Tourism and Hospitality Industry in Laos.

So far there are 1500 Passport holders and more than 3000 statements of attainment have been awarded, i.e. over 3000 modules have been passed with success.

Peter Semone, Chief Technical Advisor at Lanith, explains how Passport to Success works.

Video
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- 7 April
- By Mar Mora
- CVE/075
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Expo Milano 2015 - Appel pour les "Bonnes Pratiques de Développement Durable"
Le Programme National d’Alimentation Scolaire (PNAE) du Cabo Verde se qualifie 4ème sur 164 initiatives admises

184 jours d’exposition, plus de 130 pays participants, et plus de 20 millions de visiteurs attendus sur un site gigantesque d’un million de mètres carrés : l’Expo Milano 2015, qui aura lieu du 1er mai au 30 Octobre 2015, est une Exposition Universelle consacrée à la sécurité alimentaire et la diversité de l’alimentation. Imprégnée de caractéristiqes inédites et innovatrices, elle vise à impliquer de manière active les nombreux acteurs du projet sous le même fil conducteur: Nourrir la Planète, Energie pour la Vie.

Dans le cadre de cette Expo Universelle, un Appel pour les « Bonnes Pratiques de Développement Durable » (BSDP) qui se concentre sur des initiatives qui mettent en pratique les principes de Développement Durable, a été lancé. L'objectif est de reconnaître et de promouvoir la visibilité des BSDP sur la Sécurité Alimentaire, représentées par des projets, politiques, savoir-faire, services, etc. Ainsi les initiatives reconnues comme étant des BSDP devront être en ligne avec différents thèmes.

Le Cabo Verde a répondu à l’appel à travers la Fondation Cap-Verdienne d’Action Sociale et Scolaire (FICASE), partenaire direct du Projet CVE/075 – Santé et Cantines Scolaires de la Coopération Luxembourgeoise, avec la présentation du Programme National d’Alimentation Scolaire (PNAE).

Le programme, qui est entièrement financé et géré par le gouvernement capverdien depuis 2010, couvre actuellement toutes les écoles publiques pré-scolaires et primaires du pays. Il a pour objectif de contribuer au renforcement des politiques publiques et de toute action en faveur de la sécurité alimentaire. Il vise à contribuer à la promotion de la sécurité alimentaire, de la qualité des aliments et de l’eau potable, et à promouvoir un régime alimentaire adapté en vue d’améliorer l’état nutritionnel des élèves ; à maintenir les acquis en termes d’éducation et à améliorer la qualité de l’éducation ; et enfin, à réduire la pauvreté.

Le Programme National d’Alimentation scolaire est en ligne avec le thème 5 de l’Appel: « Modèles de consommation alimentaire: environnement, société, économie et santé. » Sur 164 initiatives admises dans cette catégorie, le Cabo Verde s’est qualifié ex-aequo en 4ème position, manquant le podium à une place près. Cet excellent résultat peut être attribué a plusieurs facteurs innovants et originaux, dont les coopérations inter- et multisectorielles qui pérennisent et renforcent tous les acquis du PNAE.

Le montage institutionnel crée des synergies entre une diversité de partenaires et génère ainsi des impacts nutritionnels, éducatifs, économiques, sociaux et environnementaux. Une Fondation, les Ministères de la Santé, de l’Education et du Développement Rural, des entités publiques et agences bi-(Lux-Dev) et multilatérales (Nations Unies) créent une forte alliance pour renforcer la santé de façon holistique en diversifiant, de façon innovante, le menu scolaire avec des aliments frais locaux (fruits, légumes, etc), tout en créant des opportunités de marché et d’emploi.

En 2014-2015, le Projet CVE/075 – Santé et Cantines Scolaires, un des partenaires du programme, soucieux de continuer son appui au programme, a appuyé le PNAE dans le cadre de la campagne de sensibilisation « Aliments sains» en introduisant un micro-porgamme qui vise à sensibiliser la population sur la sécurité sanitaire des aliments. De même le Projet à appuyé la FICASE dans l’élaboration d’un projet de loi liant pour la première fois santé et alimentation scolaire ; et dans la création du Conseil National d’Alimentation et Santé Scolaire (CONSAE). La loi a été approuvée par le Conseil des Ministres le 26 Mars 2015 et l’approbation du CONSAE ne devrait tarder.
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- 10 February
- By Peter Kurt Hansen
- LAO/021
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Laos - Donor coordination and mobilization meeting held in Bolikhamxay
Strengthening aid effectiveness at local level

A donor coordination and mobilization meeting was held on 13 December 2014 in Bolikhamxay Province, which is one of the target provinces of the Lao-Luxembourg Cooperation Programme in Central Laos. The purpose was to help strengthen the use of international development assistance in the Province and to help attract more support to focus work areas. The Provincial Planning and Investment Department, the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI), as well as the Provincial Administration Office jointly organized this meeting. The 80 participants comprised the governors of all seven Districts, directors of the provincial line agencies, representatives of four ministries as well as Lao and international staff of 12 donor agencies and international non-governmental organisations (INGO). The Bolikhamxay Livelihood Improvement and Governance Programme (LAO/021) supported the event financially and technically.

The meeting was held in the context of the Round Table Meeting format and was thus facilitated by the MPI. The Vice-minister of MPI, Dr. Kikeo Chanthaboury, co-chaired the meeting, during which he expressed his strong support to the intentions of the event, including the need for the best possible use of donor assistance.

Brief presentations were made on the progress of the Socio-Economic Development Plan (SEDP), the scope of the next five-year plan, the international development cooperation in the province, the decentralization policy, and on the operationalization of the Vientiane Declaration on Aid Effectiveness. The ensuing discussions identified practical ways on how the province and districts may improve the coordination of external assistance, the facilitation of development partners, and the mobilization of more assistance to the Province. Central to these efforts would be greater compliance with existing information systems, increased communication across sectors, and greater accountability towards agreed results and principles. On the donor side, further alignment and harmonization would be possible. The discussion also showed the need for improved coordination between national and local level, for instance regarding fund allocation to the provinces from national programmes, which is not always possible to predict and coordinate with other support, owing largely to communication issues. The attendees agreed to the need for improvements in these areas, for which purpose the Vice-governor, Dr. Souvannny Xaysana, encouraged the line agencies, district governors and other decision makers to work towards a concerted effort for a successful end to the 2011-15 five-year SEDP and a strong start to the next plan period.

The event was one of the first provincial donor and project coordination meetings held in Laos. Lao and international participants expressed their appreciation of the value of the meeting, but also of the need for practical follow-up. The LAO/021 programme will continue to support this, including further back-up to information systems, sector-specific meetings, and capacity development in official donor aid and INGO facilitation. The project director, Mr Bounthan Vongsana, will coordinate this work locally on behalf of the provincial authorities, and mobilize technical and strategic backstopping from the MPI. In this manner, development cooperation in the province and districts stand a better chance for qualitative and quantitative improvements by the time the next five-year SEDP starts in October 2015.

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- 2 February
- By Pascal Rossignol
- KSV/015
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Kosovo - Practical training at Centre of Competence in Ferizaj
In Kosovo, a high priority is conferred to skills development. In that perspective, professional practice forms an integral as well as essential part of the curricula in Ferizaj. So far, formal agreements and informal arrangements between the Centre of Competence (CoC) and over a dozen partners, twelve companies and two public hospitals, were concluded in order to strengthen technical skills among students. Restraining from a disadvantageous balance that would put too much emphasis on theoretical knowledge, the CoC wishes to hone capabilities of coping with practical issues because this will ease the transition of students towards employment at a later stage.

All eight health care profiles are covered by practical training: assistant of audiometry, pharmacy technician, assistant of orthopaedics, orthotics & prosthetics technician, community health care assistant, ophthalmic laboratory technician / optician, food safety and nutrition assistant and dental technician. It is actually foreseen to annually increase the time spent by students on professional training. Thus, hours in professional environments will increase from 20 % in grade 10 to 40 % in grade 11, and 50 % in grade 12. It should also be noted that in the CoC workshops, state-of-the-art furniture and equipment are at the disposal of the enrolled students, further enhancing their practical learning conditions.
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