Korean-style job education wins hearts in Africa

Utilizing the BEAR project, Namibia took part in the World Skills Competition, the world's largest vocational skills competition, in August 2015. / Yonhap

By Hong Dam-young

Korea will support African countries with Korean-style vocational education for the next five years, the Educational Ministry said Wednesday.

“Better Education for Africa’s Rise (BEAR)” is a five-year development assistance project that Seoul launched in 2011 through a request from the U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), according to Yonhap news agency.

This year marks the second stage of the project, which will be implemented in five African countries ― Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, and Madagascar.

During the first phase, from 2011 to 2015, Korea offered UNESCO $10 million for developing curriculums and related textbooks and training teachers in Botswana, Congo, Namibia, Zambia and Malawi.

It resulted in Namibia, for the first time, taking part in the World Skills Competition in Brazil, the world’s largest vocational skills competition, in August 2015. The country also utilized the BEAR program to develop curriculum and help technicians obtain certifications in Zambia.

The ministry said 10 vocational education experts from the countries that employed BEAR in the first phase have been invited to Korea in August to visit the country’s vocational education institutions and met Korean experts.

The ministry also will support the five countries from the project’s first phase without UNESCO.

“Many other African countries have asked us for help in the BEAR project for Korean-style vocational education, as it is the latest craze among African countries,” said Kim Young-gon, a senior official in charge of international cooperation at the ministry.