Developing skills for employability at the secondary level: Effective models for Asia

Abstract

Globally, enormous gains have been made towards the goal of universal primary education, leading to increased demands for secondary education. Consequently, more youth and young adults are now entering the formal and informal labour markets from the secondary level, which makes it important to ensure that secondary schools teach skills relevant to the world of work. This article reports on a Results for Development Institute (R4D) study that explored whether secondary education systems are adequately preparing young people for the workplace, and identified innovative models for delivering relevant skills at the secondary level. It found that employers are looking for three key types of skills: cognitive, non-cognitive, and technical. While technical and basic cognitive skills are still important in the workplace, transferrable and non-cognitive skills such as communication, problem-solving, punctuality, and flexibility are increasingly important, particularly for the informal economy. The article describes several innovative and effective models for skills development at the secondary level, and core principles for their success. These include innovative use of information and communications technology (ICT), multi-stakeholder partnerships, innovative financing mechanisms, and ensuring teacher and trainer preparedness. Moreover, a supportive policy environment is critical to ensure that such models are efficiently financed, effectively implemented, and sustainable over the long term.