BAKU, Azerbaijan, November 21. The demand for “new economy” skills such as collaboration, verbal and nonverbal communication, analytical skills, and conflict resolution has been growing in Tajikistan, Trend reports citing the press service of the World Bank (WB).
However, the demand for manual skills, often required in low-productivity agriculture and retail sectors, has been decreasing in Tajikistan.
"Yet surveys suggest that local firms often identify an inadequately skilled workforce as a significant constraint. Tajikistan has sought to address this by improving the quality and labor-market relevance of its higher education system," the WB said.
To support these efforts, the World Bank approved $15 million for the Higher Education Project (HEP), which helped increase the competitiveness of young people and equip them with knowledge and skills that rapidly growing local and regional markets demand.
"In total, HEP provided 49 grants to 26 higher education institutions across Tajikistan to support efforts to upgrade academic programs and curriculum, improve the environment for learning and skills development, offer career development opportunities, and encourage female university enrollments," the World Bank underlined.
Overall, roughly 28,000 students benefitted from HEP activities, approximately 40 percent of whom were female. Additionally, more than 200 faculty members were able to travel abroad to exchange knowledge with universities in other countries and more than 2,800 teachers improved their qualifications through trainings and workshops.