Meeting of the Working Group of “Cheber” Project

On April 8, the second meeting of the Working Group on Promoting the Development of the Non-Formal Sector of Vocational Education and Skills in the Kyrgyz Republic took place. The Working Group operates within the framework of the Cheber project.

The meeting was attended by Gulzhamal Urkunbaeva, Executive Director of KAEA and member of AED, and Masuma Bashirova, Executive Director of AED.

The session focused on discussing the outcomes of the first National Forum “Innovations in Education: Employers and Business Associations as Drivers of Development and Transformation of Non-Formal Education.” The forum served as an important platform for strengthening cooperation between government bodies, the private sector, and civil society.

Participants reviewed the results of short-term courses implemented under the GO model and discussed further steps to advance this approach.

Special attention was given to the collaboration between the Cheber: Skills Development in Kyrgyzstan project and the Center for Independent Certification and Validation under the Ministry of Education and Science of the Kyrgyz Republic. The Working Group’s action plan was also approved.

AED emphasized the importance of an inclusive approach. According to the latest AED study, the current system of non-formal education is not yet ready to accommodate persons with disabilities. Promoting inclusivity should therefore become a cross-cutting principle in all programs and courses.

Regular meetings within the project create an effective platform for dialogue and joint solutions to current challenges in the field of non-formal education.

AED continues to contribute to the development of accessible and quality education for all, including in the area of non-formal learning.