Don Bosco Tech Africa TVET Systematization Workshop

Don Bosco Tech Africa has successfully concluded a transformative 10-day TVET Systematization Workshop held in Nairobi, Kenya, from 18 to 27 May 2026. The workshop brought together Provincial Youth Delegates (PYDs), Provincial Job Service Officers (P-JSOs), and representatives from Salesian provinces across Africa and Madagascar to strengthen systems, enhance collaboration, and improve the quality and impact of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET).

Throughout the workshop, participants engaged in intensive learning, practical exercises, and collaborative planning around key systematization tools and frameworks. The sessions covered the Job Service Officer Quality Manual, the Don Bosco Virtual Training Institute (DBVTI), Data and Knowledge Management, the Don Bosco TVET Management Information System (DB TVET-MIS), the InserJeune Tracer Study System, and Quality Management Systems based on ISO 9001:2015 standards.

Speaking on behalf of the participants during the closing ceremony, Oswald Manyerere, the P-JSO Tanzania Province described the workshop as a timely and necessary intervention for TVET centres across Africa. He noted that the training had provided valuable insights and practical solutions to many of the challenges facing TVET institutions and encouraged participants to become ambassadors of the initiatives championed by Don Bosco Tech Africa. He emphasized that the true success of the workshop would ultimately be measured by the positive transformation of young people into competent, ethical, and productive contributors to national development.

In his closing remarks, Fr. Maximus Okoro noted that the workshop provided an opportunity to celebrate the strengths of the Don Bosco TVET network while also addressing challenges such as weak communication, fragmented reporting systems, limited data culture, staff turnover, and resource constraints. He stressed that recognizing these challenges demonstrates institutional maturity and provides an opportunity for growth and continuous improvement. Calling on participants to move beyond discussions to concrete action, he urged them to strengthen their commitment to the DBTA network, champion its initiatives within their provinces, and become active drivers of change. He reaffirmed that the future of TVET in Africa depends not only on systems and strategies, but also on the collective ownership, courage, and commitment of those dedicated to empowering young people through quality skills development.

The workshop concluded with a collective commitment to strengthen communication and coordination across the network, harmonize data collection and reporting systems, improve knowledge management, enhance support for Job Service Offices, and foster greater ownership and accountability at provincial and centre levels. Participants also committed to implementing agreed action plans and reporting progress through structured follow up mechanisms.

This initiative was supported by Misiones Salesianas, Madrid and the Salesians Missions, New Rochelle.