ISEOP
Integrated Skills Expansion Outreach Programme - Democratizing Skills Development for All
Integrated Skills Expansion Outreach Programme
The Integrated Skills Expansion Outreach Programme (ISEOP) was conceived by the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development (MHTEISTD) through the guidance of His Excellency, The President, Dr Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa.
This initiative is part of the pronounced TVET modularization and promotion of unit standard certificates of competencies that addresses the promotion of skills development, entrepreneurial initiatives, and employment creation for youths who traditionally were failing to access Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET).
Background and Rational
Resilient and sustainable development can only be realized if citizens are directly involved in a TVET systems which are grounded on the production of quality goods and services needed by the community and the nation at large. Zimbabwe education system has been mainly skewed toward employ-ability.
The Colonial Legacy
The colonial education system was a straight-jacked system which produced graduates who had a repair and maintenance philosophy. It was unheard of that the establishment of companies was a prerequisite of a sound and solid education system.
Zimbabwe inherited a colonial education system that was meant to create and sustain a working class who would seek employment in already existing industries. The industries were mainly foreign owned and the education system was only for literacy and not skills development. This resulted in colleges and universities churning out literate graduate with no skills to produce goods and services.
Presidential Directive
Realizing this mismatch between skills levels and the aspirations of our nation to become an upper middle income economy, His Excellency, The President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, Dr. Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, directed the development of an all-inclusive TVET policy which enables the development of capabilities through skills for the industrialisation and modernisation of Zimbabwe, following the mantra 'Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo,' and 'leaving no place and no one behind'.
The Gap: In coming up with ISEOP, the MHTEISTD is contributing to reducing the gap between skills level (38%) and Literacy level (94%) as revealed by the results of the National Critical Skills Audit of 2018.
Progress and Vision
In Zimbabwe, significant progress has been made over the past two decades towards increasing access to TVET through different interventions including ensuring that there is a Polytechnic or Industrial Training Centre in every province.
In order to complement these efforts and maintain sustained growth and development in all TVET institutions, we must ensure the democratisation of TVET skills development by offering industry recognized TVET competency certifications and ensuring all youths acquire a skill for the production of goods and services in order to modernize and industrialize Zimbabwe.
The ISEOP vision was set to Democratize Skills Development for School leavers in Rural and Urban Areas in the spirit of Leaving No One and No Place Behind as Zimbabwe implements the National Development Strategy.
If properly implemented within the next three years Zimbabwe must be able to begin reaping results of the contribution of the 76.5% youth segment that was not fully participating in the building of Zimbabwe's GDP.
ISEOP courses shall be compliant with the tenets of the Zimbabwe National Qualifications Framework (ZNQF). ISEOP shall continue to uphold high standards in TVET to maintain the competitiveness of our trained labour force.
Primary Goal of ISEOP
The primary goal of ISEOP is to ensure that all skills development categories of informal, non-formal and formal TVET learning are integrated, anchored on the Heritage-Based Education 5.0 philosophy and imparted to all local community youths for the production of quality goods and services across all ten provinces.
Objectives of ISEOP
Four key pillars driving skills development across Zimbabwe
Impart Skills for the Economy
Ensure re-skilling of productive workforce with skills to drive Zimbabwe's economic growth in the rural areas.
Build Skills Foundation
Equip every Zimbabwean child with at least 10 years of general education before post-secondary education and training with foundational skills for the production of goods and services.
Impart Opportunities for All
Provide multiple learning pathways for students with different abilities and needs, regardless of starting point.
Adapt Technological Skills to Rural Economies
ISEOP curriculum shall deepen TVET staff capabilities and rural industry connections to co-create new possibilities and stay ahead of technological changes.
Outcomes of ISEOP
Expected results and impact on Zimbabwe's development
Youths entrepreneurship, employability resilience and future readiness
Youths Lifelong learning and workforce adaptability
Innovation, Smart Learning and smart working that leads to increase productivity in the rural economy
Rural small to medium enterprises agile capabilities and responsive organisational policies
Rebrand TVET in the local Communities and Industry
Youths decent work and employment creation
Building Zimbabwe's Future Together
Through ISEOP, we are creating a skilled, empowered, and entrepreneurial youth population ready to drive Zimbabwe's industrialization and modernization.