Background and Context

The most visible common trends in ETF partner countries include population growth, urbanisation, industrialisation and the development of the private sector, growing graduate unemployment, and inward and outward migration. These trends have a major impact on most, if not all, of the social institutions, not least the education and employment systems. The education systems in partner countries are already generally characterised by the low quality of their inputs, processes and outputs: outdated curricula, low quality of teachers and inefficient funding systems; high dropout rates; and a mismatch with labour market needs. At the same time, as described in the previous chapters, countries have embarked on the design and implementation of important reforms aimed at improving the quality and relevance of education systems to labour market and individual needs.

Labour markets in partner countries also have characteristics in common. Firstly, state employment has historically dominated the formal labour markets, and this is increasingly giving way to areas of predominantly private sector employment. Secondly, labour markets are segmented into the public sector, and formal and informal private sectors. Thirdly, there is generally low mobility across the subsectors (see for example, ETF, 2007) and a growing informal sector. These factors, which are quite different from European contexts, have an impact on how skills and qualifications are considered and on the importance of the recognition of skills and qualifications.