Bangladesh:

Over 52,000 diploma students from the 93 polytechnics institutions have received World Bank (WB) stipends.

Out of the 93 polytechnics, 43 are public and 50 are private institutions.

The WB is supporting the government to enhance capacity of the vocational education and training to develop a skilled labor force.

The World Bank has approved the $79 million Skills and Training Enhancement Project (STEP) project on June 2010.

The project has also completed the selection 30 polytechnics to provide implementation grants to and 50 training providers have been selected as short-course training providers. Around 7000 trainees have received training from these training providers.

Recently, the progress of the STEP project was reviewed. To keep implementation on track, timely disbursement of stipends and completion of agreed tasks at the central and field levels with due diligence is necessary.

The Government of Bangladesh has agreed to take adequate administrative and policy measures to ensure that the upcoming public examinations administered by Bangladesh Technical Education Board are free and fair.

To ensure better employment opportunities for Bangladeshi labor force, in both local and overseas job markets, skills development and vocational education has to be aligned with the market demand.

The Skills and Training Enhancement Project (STEP) is working to strengthen selected public and private polytechnic institutions to improve quality of skills training and employability of trainees, including those from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds.