Challenges

Over nearly three decades of civil war, 1975–2002, Angola was left with economic and social challenges, the displacement of millions of people and the destruction of its entire infrastructure. To rebuild the country’s infrastructure and re-boot its economy, skilled workers are in high demand in various industries. However, most Angolans had never lived in a peaceful, stable environment during the prolonged civil strife, nor had access to education and employment opportunities. Specifically, none of the potential of the young generation, who were trapped in unrest and poverty, was developed.

To address this problem, vocational education is proved an effective approach to reintegrate youth into the work force based on BN Vocational School’s (BNVS) good practice in China.

Toward a Solution

This initiative aims to provide youth aged 17–24 from impoverished families in Angola with access to charitable, vocational education and employment opportunities. By mastering vocational skills and obtaining employability skills, they can help lift their families out of poverty and shape their own future. 

BN Vocational School (BNVS) was established in Beijing in 2005 as China’s first tuition-free, non-profit vocational school at the senior secondary level. It is also the targeted school subsidized by the Project Hope of the China Youth Development Foundation and the Project Hope’s Vocational Education Fund. Since established, BNVS has been experimenting with a holistic approach to whole–person education and an innovative curriculum development. The focus is not only on technical skills to ensure immediate employment, but also on life-long, development-oriented soft skills to help youth fully integrate into society and succeed as citizens.  

In 2014, BNVS Angola was established in Luanda with the sponsorship of CITIC Construction Co. Ltd., a Chinese company, China Youth Development and BNVS School Board. CITIC Construction provides financial and material support, and BNVS provides an effective system that integrates its charitable management model and education concepts.  

BNVS works actively with the Angolan Government and public sector to promote local participation and engagement. It also cooperates closely with local enterprises to provide employment-oriented training to students with courses designed according to market demand, which also helps ensure immediate employment after graduation. At the very beginning, only electrical, mechanical and construction engineering training sessions were offered at the school. However, a course on hospitality services was later offered to engage further students and empower them to be independent and change their own fate through education and training. 

The teaching and management teams have also been established through close collaboration with multiple channels in the business sector. Only two out of the entire full-time staff of 12 in the Angola campus are Chinese; they are mainly in charge of school management and communication with headquarters. The integration of local talents and resources ensures the localization of BNVS practice to suit the needs of targeted groups and effectively contributes to community development.  

In addition to cooperation with government and private sectors, BNVS actively approaches local philanthropic organizations and volunteers to ensure sustainable development and an extensive impact. The school has established a good cooperative relationship with Lwini Foundation, founded by the First Lady of Angola.  

For continuous improvement of the quality of replication, BNVS has been developing the ‘BN Tree’ online information system, covering all school operations using a comprehensive database and applying the blockchain philosophy on education management. Annual training and administration meetings are also organized to provide the team with up-to-date knowledge and support. 

To date, BNVS has replicated its best practice worldwide, with campuses established in Beijing, Chengdu, Dalian, Sanya, Wuhan, Yinchuan, Zhengzhou, Lijiang, Meizhou and Leishan in China and in Angola in Africa. The practice in Angola is a joint effort by BNVS and the Angolan Government, enterprises and local communities. As of March 2020, 380 youth graduated from BNVS Angola, 95 percent of whom obtained employment in their localities. 

BNVS, which has been in operation for 15 years, was recognized as one of the “Best Practices in Global Poverty Reduction” by the 2018 campaign jointly hosted by the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the International Poverty Reduction Center in China (IPRCC) and four other international non-governmental organizations (NGOs). 

Also available in: Arabic | Chinese | French | Portuguese | Russian | Spanish