Director General of the Tertiary and Vocational Education Commission (TVEC) of Sri Lanka and the High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to Singapore paid an exploratory visit to the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) of Singapore on 8th November 2024 with the objective of gaining an insight into Singapore’s technical education sector and labour market dynamics.
During the visit, the Deputy Principal of ITE College Central, Mr. Chong Leong Fatt, provided a comprehensive presentation on ITE’s “One ITE System, Three Colleges” Governance and Education Model. The Deputy Principal emphasized the institution’s success in maintaining strong industry partnerships, which enable ITE to stay up to date with the latest market trends and technologies. This linkage helps students to acquire skillsets desired by industries across the labour market, thereby enhancing their employability. Mr. Chong also highlighted that ITE Education Services (ITEES) provides consultancy and training to 30 countries across Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East.
High Commissioner Senarath Dissanayake emphasised that Sri Lanka could benefit from Singapore’s centralized approach and market-oriented vocational training system. By developing a comparable framework for its Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) sector Sri Lanka could enhance student outcomes, align the workforce with industry demands throughout their careers, boost employability and facilitate job placements.
The Director General of TVEC, Dr. Lalithadheera engaged in an interactive session, comparing the systems in place in Sri Lanka and Singapore, focusing on diversifying educational pathways, broadening the range of courses available, and adapting best practices to enhance Sri Lanka’s TVET system.
The discussions also encompassed the possibility of future collaboration, including establishing a formal partnership through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between TVEC and ITE. To further strengthen ties and facilitate knowledge-sharing, DG TVEC extended an invitation to the ITE team to visit Sri Lanka.
Following the meeting, the delegation took a campus tour of ITE College Central, visiting specialized labs and key facilities such as the IoT Experiential Centre, Retail Training Centre, and Precision Engineering Hub, designed to provide students with authentic, hands-on learning experiences and real-world applications.
Assistant Manager for South Asia, Middle East, Africa & Latin America at ITEES Ms. Eileen Ong, Deputy Manager of International Relations at ITE Ms. Vanessa Kwan, and Minister/Head of Chancery of the High Commission Mr. Ahamed Razee, were associated with the meeting and campus tour.
The visit provides considerable insight into Sri Lanka’s efforts to enhance its vocational education system by leveraging successful models from leading educational institutions worldwide.
High Commission of Sri Lanka
Singapore
19th November 2024
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