The Bhutanese Leading the way.
The Ministry of Education and Skills Development (MoESD) is actively collaborating with international partnerships to strengthen Bhutan’s Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) system, with a particular focus on sustainability, innovation and excellence.
MoESD Lyonpo Yeezang De Thapa, during the 17th Meet-the-Press session, highlighted its recent engagements with key international partners, particularly Germany and the Maldives, to advance Bhutan’s TVET priorities.
One of the most significant collaborations is with the Chamber of Skilled Crafts Frankfurt Rhein-Main, Germany, formalized through a Letter of Intent signed with the Royal Bhutanese Embassy. This partnership has led to the successful rollout of the “Greening TVET in Bhutan” project, which integrates environmentally sustainable practices into vocational training programs.
Lyonpo shared that as part of this initiative, a German master trainer was deployed to Bhutan to provide on-the-ground expertise. Trainer and trainee workshops were conducted using German TVET standards at a live construction site in Sarpang and a model washroom was constructed at the Jigme Wangchuck Power Training Institute (JWPTI) to showcase green construction practices.
She said that the project has also introduced improved curriculum development approaches, modern tool management systems, and enhanced promotional strategies for TVET programs in Bhutan.
Building on this success, MoESD has proposed a long-term partnership with the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), which was submitted in December 2024.
The proposed partnership envisions transforming JWPTI into a model green technical institute managed under German standards, aligning it with European quality benchmarks and Bhutan’s national priorities, including support for the Gelephu Mindfulness City (GMC) project.
In addition to the German partnership, MoESD is also working closely with the Maldivian Ministry of Higher Education, Labour and Skills Development following a high-level meeting held on 22nd May 2025.
Further, Lyonpo emphasized that these collaborations not only elevate the quality of vocational training in Bhutan but also position the country to develop a green-skilled workforce capable of supporting its long-term developmental vision.
