Skills and Employment for Tongans

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The objective of the Skills and Employment for Tongans Project is to improve opportunities for secondary school progression and facilitate the transition to jobs in the domestic and overseas labor markets for Tongans. There are four components to the project, the first component being Conditional cash transfer program for secondary school enrolment and attendance. Component one will incentivize secondary school progression and completion through the provision of cash transfers. It will address the financial constraints poor and vulnerable households face in access and retention and will provide the necessary motivation for students to stay in school. The guiding principle of this component will be to provide the right incentive for these households to both encourage secondary school enrolment and ensure regular attendance through to completion. The project will fund both the TA required to establish the cash transfer program and the funds required for the transfers. This component includes two subcomponents: technical assistance required to establish CCT, and cash transfers and bonus payments. The second component is the strengthening TVET provision. Component two aims to strengthen the provision of TVET in Tonga to support the skills development of Tongans and make them more competitive in the global and domestic labor market. The goal is to improve TVET services across different levels within the education and skills system of Tonga, including the Government, employers, training providers, the quality assurance system through the TNQAB, and most importantly, the trainees or students. This component includes three subcomponents: improving the quality of TVET, TVET student support funds, and strengthening governance of the TVET sector. The third component is the enhancing opportunities for labor migration. Component three will enhance opportunities for Tongans to access employment abroad. This will be achieved by supporting quality pre‐departure training for seasonal and migrant workers and strengthening the capacity of the Employment Division (ED) within the MIA to screen and prepare migrant workers. This component includes two subcomponents: pre‐departure training for migrant workers, and institutional strengthening for the ED. Finally, the fourth component is the project management, monitoring and evaluation, and centralized support.