Maravi

EAZ calls for stronger ties between training institutions and industry

EAZ calls for stronger ties between training institutions and industry
By Kabanda Chulu
Monday October 22, 2007 [04:00]

The Economics Association of Zambia (EAZ) has said Zambia will not attain meaningful economic growth unless government designs policies that will strengthen linkages between training institutions and the industry. EAZ national secretary Chibamba Kanyama yesterday said the government should provide matching grants and funding under the technology and human resources for industrial development.

He said the introduction of industrial development programmes would strengthen the relationship between educational institutions and the industry.

“In Zambia, there is no relationship yet between the training colleges and the needs of industry and one of the most critical determinants for growth of private sector investment is the availability of skilled and competent workers within the given country,” Kanyama said.

“Many countries have invested in education and skills development much faster than Zambia in the past twenty years and apparently this is the secret behind the success of the Chinese economy and other Asian countries.”

He said Zambia was not expected to ‘leapfrog’ other countries in terms of trade competitiveness due to the structural challenges that the economy went through.
“Firstly, remember that we have been a mono-economy for many years and diversification is yet to gain ground.

The dependence on copper exposed the economy to international shocks that have hampered efforts for full recovery, some economies on the other hand are well diversified.

Even Botswana, whose economy is dominated by diamond exports diversified faster than Zambia,” Kanyama said.

“ Secondly, some economies liberalised very effectively and developed stronger policies encouraging the participation of the private sector much faster than Zambia. Mozambique, for instance, recognised the need to liberalise the economy after 20 years of civil war and prioritised its investments towards sectors that precipitated the rate of economic growth”

He noted countries that were enjoying a better competitive position above Zambia had a one-stop business development centre before Zambia did.

“Even up to this very stage, nine months after the creation of the Zambia Development Agency, we have not yet appointed a chief executive officer. And this shows you why we have not made huge movements on the competitiveness scale,” said Kanyama.

Labels: BUSINESS, EAZ, TRAINING

posted by MrK @ 3:37 AM