IER's Dr Jamelia Harris has recently published an article titled "Not for us? Vocational training in the social and policy space in Sierra Leone". The paper explores the attractiveness of TVET in Sierra Leone, a post-conflict West African country.

It unpacks structural factors which contribute to the low repute of TVET, using qualitative interviews with employers, government and third sector organisations, focus group discussions with young Sierra Leoneans and analysis of key government policy documents.

The paper argues that TVET is in low repute due to low prioritisation by the national government in terms of policy focus, budgetary allocations and provision of training facilities; the proliferation and continuation of post-war style TVET programmes by development partners which initially targeted ex-combatants and thus carry reputational baggage; and colonial legacies of preferences for university education and white-collar jobs.

The research contributes to the academic and policy discourse by providing new empirical insights from an under-studied country (and region), and arguably one where evidence-based policy is much needed.