The Director General of the Agricultural Industrial Training Bureau (AITB), Mr. Abraham Billy, has outlined a transformative roadmap for revitalizing Liberia’s technical and vocational education and training (TVET) sector.
Speaking at the opening of a two-day gathering of TVET stakeholders and development partners, Bailey detailed key reforms and partnerships designed to improve training standards, ensure national uniformity, and prepare youth for employment in critical sectors.
Founded on August 8, 1981, AITB has long operated with the mandate to lead the development of trade standards, monitor and evaluate TVET programs, and conduct feasibility studies to inform national education and trade policy. However, the prolonged impact of Liberia’s civil war and years of neglect have rendered the bureau largely inactive in recent decades.
“Inadequate support after the war limited our ability to fulfill our core duties,” Billy said. “This has significantly contributed to the fragmented state of Liberia’s TVET landscape.”
Billy, appointed on May 9 of last year by President Joseph Nyumah Boakai, is leading a renewed effort alongside deputies for Administration and Technical Services to restore AITB’s role in national development. Early actions included engaging with the Ministries of Education, Youth and Sports, Agriculture, and Labor, as well as securing technical support from UNESCO.
Through these partnerships, AITB received vital tools including the TVET Policy, the National Qualifications Framework, and quality assurance and monitoring instruments. A concept note submitted to UNESCO for the rollout of national standards across TVET institutions was positively received, and a national workshop is now planned for implementation.
“This milestone represents a joyful and promising shift for Liberia’s vocational training system,” Billy emphasized.
To ensure consistency across the country, Billy noted that AITB is working with institutions such as Gateway VTC, Booker Washington Institute (BWI), and others to revise curricula in line with the new standards.
“A Technical Committee is being established to lead efforts in curriculum standardization across all regions, including Lofa, River Gee, and Grand Gedeh,” he said. “UNESCO hailed the initiative as the first of its kind in Liberia. Phase two will include regional workshops to deepen awareness and implementation.”
He disclosed that AITB is also preparing to launch a nationwide gap analysis to map TVET institutions and identify systemic challenges. “By June, we will officially begin this process, which will also align training with current market demands,” Bailey noted.
A pilot Trade Test Program will be conducted this year in collaboration with MVTC, BWI, and Tumutu Technical Vocational Center. It aims to assess 200 students, evaluate training quality, and strengthen graduate readiness.
Further reforms include a dual licensing system set to roll out by year-end: Institutional Licenses for training centers meeting minimum standards, and Competency Licenses for graduates who pass trade assessments.
Billy also addressed the global skills gap, especially in low-income nations. Citing the Future of Jobs Report 2025, he highlighted that 45% of youth in such countries are not engaged in education, training, or employment. Women, in particular, face greater barriers in accessing quality opportunities.
“There is an urgent need for a dynamic and skilled workforce,” Bailey said. “As leaders of training institutions, your responsibility extends beyond your students—it extends to the industries and communities they will serve.”
He stressed that enrollment numbers alone are not enough. “The focus must be on quality, relevance, and outcomes. Quality assurance is not a formality—it’s a tool for building trust and excellence.”
Participants at the event were presented with the National Qualifications Framework, Quality Standards, and Quality Assurance Minimum Guidelines. These documents are government-endorsed and intended for immediate adoption in all TVET institutions nationwide.
“While today’s session marks an introduction, implementation must proceed with urgency,” Billy urged. “We are already well into the 2022–2027 TVET Policy timeline. This is the time for focused execution.”
The AITB’s DG called on all TVET institutions to apply for licensing, adopt the national standards, and stay engaged through official channels.
“With collaboration and commitment, we can uplift the quality and relevance of Liberia’s TVET programs,” he said. “Let’s ensure our graduates are not just trained, but truly ready to contribute to our economy and national development.”
UNESCO Craves Uniformity, Alignment in TVET Program
As one of the government’s key partners in the human resource development drive in the country, especially in the informal sector, UNESCO has stressed the critical need for streamlining of training across all schools, ensuring alignment with national priorities and needs.
Joel Muriungi Mutea, UNESCO Project Officer, noted that it is high time for the government and other stakeholders to transform TVET policy to address the many challenges associated with unemployment, poverty and lack of skills among young people.
“Today’s gathering underscores the critical juncture faced by many underdeveloped countries grappling with escalating political and economic hurdles. Informal economies and widespread poverty persist, disproportionately affecting youth in low-income nations,” he said. “With a staggering global youth unemployment rate nearing 13% and approximately 45% of youth in less affluent countries disengaged from education or employment, urgent interventions are imperative.”
The Future of Jobs Report 2025 also highlights the widening skills gap as a notable impediment to global business transformation. Amid these challenges, Mutea added, the educational landscape is evolving rapidly, necessitating a competent and adaptable workforce.
He told stakeholders that, as stewards of training institutions, the responsibility lies not only in student instruction but also in preparing them effectively for the workforce or entrepreneurship.
He added that while enrollment figures are crucial, the paramount focus remains on the quality of training and its alignment with industry demands. “Upholding exceptional vocational training standards is not solely a regulatory requirement but a commitment to excellence that fosters trust among students, employers, and policymakers,” he said.
The training sessions introduced key documents, including the National Qualifications Framework, Quality Standards, and Quality Assurance Minimum Guidelines Tools, endorsed by the government for immediate integration within Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions.
The goal, organizers noted, is to streamline training across all schools, ensuring alignment with national priorities and needs. “This inaugural step marks the commencement of a transformative journey,” Mutea said, while encouraging engagement in capacity-building endeavors within schools and regions.
“As the TVET policy progresses from 2022 to 2027, urgency and precision in implementation are paramount,” he said.
Collectively, the responsibility and opportunity arise to revamp training systems to address industry requirements and propel national advancement.
“Let us pledge to leverage these tools effectively, fortifying support for students, institutions, and the wider economy on this journey of educational metamorphosis,” Mutea said.
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