Handover of the SMVTI Vocational Training Institute to the Myanmar Government

The SMVTI Vocational Training Institute (SMVTI) was officially handed over from the Singapore Government to the Myanmar Government today, in a ceremony witnessed by Singapore's Minister for Education Mr Ong Ye Kung and Myanmar's Minister for Education Dr Myo Thein Gyi at SMVTI's campus in Yangon.

2 Speaking at the ceremony, Mr Ong reaffirmed Singapore and Myanmar's warm and longstanding bilateral relations, underpinned by growing economic ties and strong people-to-people links.

3 On the institute, Mr Ong said: "What gives me the deepest impression is that SMVTI continues to be focused on helping students acquire practical skills that are industry relevant. Beyond that, the institute also holds job fairs and facilitates internships, similar to our own institutions in Singapore. As a result, I understand that quite a high percentage of graduates are able to secure jobs. It is now at a new milestone, and we are glad that Singapore has contributed to this effort."

Background on SMVTI

4 SMVTI was officially opened by Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in June 2016. Singapore designed SMVTI's curriculum and training environment with the aim of providing Myanmar students a hands-on practical learning experience. SMVTI's workshops simulate real-world workplaces through close collaboration with companies in Myanmar.

5 Since commencing training in 2015, SMVTI has trained over 3,000 graduates in the faculties of Engineering and Technology, and Hospitality and Tourism, with a graduation rate of about 95% for each of its eight cohorts. Since 2018, the Myanmar Government gradually began taking over the funding and management of SMVTI, while Singapore continued to provide staff training and management advice to equip and prepare SMVTI personnel to run the Institute independently by 2020.

6 Singapore will continue to support SMVTI to ensure its continued success. Singapore's Ambassador to Myanmar, Ms Vanessa Chan, will remain on SMVTI's reconstituted Board of Institute. Singapore has also prepared a handover package for SMVTI that includes: (a) competency training for SMVTI staff; (b) sponsorship of Myanmar senior officials to participate in training courses on Technical and Vocational Educational Training (TVET) in Singapore, and (c) a study visit for new Board members to Singapore to familiarise them with Singapore's TVET structure.