Average earnings of youths are disproportionately low and many are in precarious or temporary work. Despite high returns to secondary education, many leave school early to contribute to family income and enter low productivity, low income work, with no training opportunities. 1.6 Gender disparities exist in the labour market. Women's earnings are lower. 1.7 Demand for private services has increased, enrollment is estimated at 150,000.
Many courses bear no relation to work.
There is no system of accreditation, validation or certification. Desertion is high and repetition is used as a source of revenue. Finally, there is no mechanism to channel public funds to the better institutions, through vouchers, loans or grants, thus excluding the poor, and especially the young, from these colleges. The IDB can solve the shortage of training opportunities, especially for young workers, by refocussing existing capacity to the most needed skills, and by the strategic use of public funds to promote a more efficient and equitable market in training. The project will improve the efficiency, effectiveness and availability of training.