The ProGRESS Project Kicked off to build the foundation for an inclusive skills system

The Ministry of Education (MoE) of the Government of Bangladesh and the International Labour Organization (ILO) Bangladesh launched a new project name “ProGRESS” on Sunday, March 19, 2023 at the Ball Room of the Banani Sheraton Hotel Dhaka. This initiative launched to strengthen the TVET and enterprise development systems, to make these more inclusive and accessible for women by working on policies, systems, and operational levels. ProGRESS stands for “Promoting Gender Responsive Enterprise Development and TVET Systems”. The Project will be implemented by the Directorate of Technical Education (DTE), Technical and Madrasah Education Division (TMED), Ministry of Education with technical assistance from ILO. The Government of Canada is the funding partner of the project.

Minister of Education, Dr. Dipu Moni, graced the Launching Ceremony as the Chief Guest.
Furthermore, the Canadian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Ms. Lilly Nicholls was present as the Special Guests.
The Senior Secretary of the TMED of MoE Mr. Md. Kamal Hossain chaired the program, while the Director General (Additional Secretary) of the DTE of TMED of the Ministry of Education Dr. Md. Omar Faruque, the Country Director of ILO Bangladesh Mr. Tuomo Poutiainen and representative from other development partners, & government agencies were also present at the event.

Speaking at the launch, the honorable Minister of Education Dr. Dipu Moni said, “An effective TVET and Skills development system can help the students to enter the labour market with the right skills for self and wage employment. Which is crucial for the economic and social empowerment of women. The ProGRESS project will make valuable impact on the government’s plan towards achieving gender equality in Bangladesh which eventually reduce poverty.”