Lankans S.Asia's most educated workforce lacks relevant skills: WB

Every year in Sri Lanka, around 140,000 students complete their general education without acquiring job related skills, said a World Bank (WB) report.

The Report, “Building Skills for Economic Growth & Competitiveness in Sri Lanka” states, the present workforce’s lack of technical and soft skills, undermines private sector growth as well as the government’s ambitious development plan to sustain economic growth.

According to the Report, Sri Lanka has achieved universal access to education, but the concern is the quality and relevance of the education and training system.

“Skills development is complex and happens over a lifetime, beginning in early childhood and continuing through formal schooling, technical and vocational education and training, higher education and on the job,” the Report said.

It states that a large share of the country’s economy has shifted from Agriculture to Industry and Services during the last decade, but the country’s School Curricula, Technical Education and Vocational Training programmes have not evolved to meet the demands, resulting in a large skills gap and mismatch in the labour force. According to the Report, more than 50% of surveyed Sri Lanka firms state that the Education and Training system does not produce skills relevant for their needs.

“Sri Lanka has the most educated workforce in South Asia, with 87% of citizens completing Secondary school, and yet, its workforce is not equipped with the right skills to be Machine Operators, Technicians, Sales Associates and Managers.”

The Report highlights the need for a Skills Development agenda to be an important part of the Education Strategy.

It suggests improving the quality of Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET), so it becomes both, more attractive to youth and more relevant to employers.

“While there is a depth of knowledge on the general and higher education sectors of Sri