Why the TVET System of French-Speaking African Countries is Not Able to Produce a Highly Qualified and Operational Man Power? A Comparison with Canadian Community Colleges

Most of the French-speaking African countries gained political independence in the 1960s. Since then, the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) system inherited from France has not allowed them to develop their economies. Moreover, in these countries, there are many new building projects that need highly qualified workers, and due to the problems with the TVET system, they cannot hire the needed workers locally. This chapter analyzes why for over 50 years, these countries are unable to provide their economies with effective manpower with professional and operational abilities that can function to attract investors and why the system produces so many unemployed graduates. To answer these questions, this chapter will first analyze the TVET system in West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU) countries, Benin, Burkina Faso, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Mali, Niger, Senegal, and Togo to then compare it with Canadian Community Colleges. The comparison is made because there are strong similarities between the Francophone African economies and the Canadian economy, both of which are based essentially on small and medium enterprises.