47334-002 - Supporting Kerala's Additional Skill Acquisition Program in Post-Basic Education

Description

The Kerala State Skill Development Project was launched by the Government of Kerala (GOK) in July 2012 to enhance the employability of the state's youth and create opportunities for productive employment. It has two sub-programs to tackle the supply-side problems. The first, the Additional Skill Acquisition Program (ASAP), has been designed by the Departments of Higher Education and General Education, GOK to address the preventive dimension of low employability. The second, the Additional Skill Enhancement Program, has been designed by the Department of Labor and Employment and the Department of Local Self Government, GOK to address the curative dimension by focusing on re-skilling the unemployed youths registered with employment exchanges. The Government of India and GOK have requested Asian Development Bank assistance for strengthening and scaling up ASAP since it aims to tackle the problem of low employability early on by integrating general and vocational education so that students become market-ready even while being enrolled in school and college. The impact will be increased employment of Kerala 's youth. The outcome is that the graduates of government and government-aided higher secondary schools and arts-science colleges are more employable.This will be achieved by the following outputs: (i) market-relevant vocational training introduced in post-basic education, (ii) access to quality vocational training enhanced, (iii) increased awareness and private sector participation facilitated, (iv) improved program management and monitoring and evaluation.
Project Rationale and Linkage to Country/Regional Strategy

The proposed support for ASAP reflects the priorities of the India Country Partnership Strategy, 2013- 2017 which seeks to reinforce India's efforts towards inclusive growth and recognizes education (with focus on TVET) as a new sector in ADB's India operations. It is also closely aligned with the midterm review of Strategy 2020 which emphasizes the need for ADB to expand education sector lending from an average of 3% during 2008- 2012 to 6% -10% of annual approvals by focusing on post-basic education and TVET to promote human capital development, and facilitating public-private partnerships to leverage and improve results.
Impact

Increased employment of Kerala s youth (aged 15 to 24 years)
Project Outcome
Description of Outcome

Increased employability of ASAP certificate holders
Implementation Progress
Description of Project Outputs

Market-relevant vocational training introduced in post-basic education Access to quality vocational training enhanced Increased awareness and private sector participation facilitated Improved program management and M&E
Safeguard Categories

Environment: B
Involuntary Resettlement: C
Indigenous Peoples: C
Summary of Environmental and Social Aspects
Environmental Aspect

The program is categorized as B in terms of environment.
Involuntary Resettlement

The program is being categorized as C in terms of involuntary resettlement. No new land will be acquired, nor will anyone be displaced.
Indigenous Peoples

The program is category C for indigenous peoples since the program will support construction of new community skills parks on unencumbered government land and upgrading and remodeling of exisiting government buildings into community skills parks. Indigenous people account for only 1% of Kerala's population and will not be affected in any way by the civil works.
Stakeholder Participation and Consultation
During Project Design

The Additional Skill Acquisition Program (ASAP) has been designed on the basis of intensive (and ongoing) consultations with all relevant stakeholders students, principals and teachers of higher secondary schools and undergraduate colleges, parents, industry associations, and sector skills councils.
During Project Implementation

The ASAP Secretariat will continue with the above outreach efforts during project implementation. A detailed communication strategy and roll-out plan has been prepared.

Country: India
Project Number: 47334-002
Type or Modality of Assistance: Loan
Technical Assistance
Financing: Public sector (Sovereign)
Status: Approved
Approval Numbers: Loan No. 3188
TA No. 8760
Approval Date: 19 Nov 2014
ADB Financing ($ thousand): 100,000
Sector: Education
Subsector: Technical and vocational education and training
Strategic Agendas: Inclusive economic growth (IEG)
Drivers of Change: Gender equity and mainstreaming (GEM)
Governance and capacity development (GCD)
Knowledge solutions (KNS)
Partnerships (PAR)
Private sector development (PSD)
Gender Equity and Mainstreaming Categories: Category 1: Gender equity (GEN)
Safeguard Categories: Environment: B
Resettlement: C
Indigenous People: C

Related Projects: 47334-003: Supporting Additional Skill Acquisition Program in Kerala

Project Data Sheets (PDS) contain summary information on the project or program. Because the PDS is a work in progress, some information may not be included in its initial version but will be added as it becomes available. Information about proposed projects is tentative and indicative.

Responsible ADB Officer: Shamit Chakravarti (Request for information)    
Responsible ADB Department: South Asia Department
Responsible ADB Divisions:  Human and Social Development Division, SARD
Last PDS Update: 17 Dec 2014