TVEC Sri Lanka explores collaboration with ITE Singapore

Director General (DG) of the Tertiary and Vocational Education Commission (TVEC) of Sri Lanka, Dr. Lalithadheera and High Commissioner (HC) of Sri Lanka to Singapore, Senarath Dissanayake visited the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) of Singapore on Friday (8) to gain insights into Singapore’s technical education sector and labour market dynamics.

During the visit, the Deputy Principal of ITE College Central, Chong Leong Fatt delivered a comprehensive presentation on ITE’s governance and education model “One ITE System, Three Colleges”. The Deputy Principal emphasised the institution’s success in maintaining strong industry partnerships, which enables ITE to stay up to date with the latest market trends and technologies. This linkage helps students to acquire the skill-set desired by industries across the labour market, thereby enhancing their employability. Further, it was highlighted that ITE Education Services (ITEES) provides consultancy and training to 30 countries across Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East.

HC Senarath Dissanayake emphasised that Sri Lanka could benefit from Singapore’s centralised 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.

TVEC Director General 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 tour around ITE College Central, visiting specialised 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, Eileen Ong; Deputy Manager of International Relations at ITE, Vanessa Kwan; and Minister/Head of Chancery of the High Commission of Sri Lanka in Singapore, Ahamed Razee, were associated with the meeting and campus tour.

Source: Daily News