(GB.346/INS/4:Skills and Lifelong Learning,9th November 2022)

Chair,

1. China has the honor to take the floor on behalf of ASPAG. We thank the Office for preparing the document.

2. ASPAG strongly supports ILO to play a proactive and pivotal role in promoting skills development and lifelong learning by following the guidance of the ILC resolution to develop the ILO strategy on skills and lifelong learning for 2022-2030 and a plan of action for 2022-2025.

3. ASPAG fully acknowledges that skills development including upskilling and reskilling and lifelong learning are crucial enablers to advance human development, full, productive and freely chosen employment and decent work for all. They also have the great potential to contribute to the labour market transformation and the realization of SDG 4, 5 and 8.

4. ASPAG endorses the five pillars outlined in the Strategy as the short- to medium-term outcomes to develop an inclusive and efficient skills and lifelong learning system. We stress that impactful engagement and efficient coordination at global, regional, national and local level is key to ensure policy coherence in implementation.

5. ASPAG welcomes more efforts to be devoted to skills identification and anticipation based on social dialogue and informed by the needs on the ground across regions and member states.

6. ASPAG is of the view that the inclusive access to skills development and lifelong learning with particular attention given to women, young people, migrants and other persons and groups in vulnerable and disadvantaged situations.

7. ASPAG takes good note of the ongoing ILC discussion on a proposed recommendation regarding a framework for quality apprenticeships and would request the Office to closely follow the guidance of this standard-setting process in promoting quality apprenticeships and work-based learning systems.

8. ASPAG agrees to develop a plan of action. In its implementation, we invite the Office to enhance its efforts to providing technical assistance adapting to member states’ national circumstances, conducting evidence-based research, knowledge management and dissemination. Furthermore, we encourage ILO to actively outreach to other key actors and stakeholders with a view to building an impactful engagement in this area.

9. ASPAG believes that the viability and success of the Strategy and plan of action relies on the availability of adequate resources that could match our shared ambition. As stated in our intervention of the P&B preview, we reiterate that though we agree to reintegrate skills and lifelong learning at the output level of P&B, this should by no means to be understood as a compromise for resources allocation on this subject. Meanwhile, we also request the Office to step up its efforts in extra-budgetary resources mobilization including through South-South and Triangular cooperation.

10. For purpose of clarity and transparency, ASPAG would seek more information regarding the ILO Global Programme on Skills and Lifelong Learning to better understand the rationale behind the resources allocation mentioned in para 32 in the document provided by the Office.

11. Chair, with all the comments submitted, ASPAG supports the draft decision proposed by Office on this agenda item.