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enrolled was recorded at 22,940.4 However, the directory did not identify all institutions at that time and the total number of institutions is likely to have increased since (in particular in the private commercial training market). Furthermore, company based training and traditional apprenticeships (mastercraftsman training, see table 6.1), account for a significant number of young people and workers in training. Hence, the overall access to TEVET in Malawi is presumably much larger than indicated in the TC enrollment estimates under the MOEST. It is worth noting that TEVETA, with its private sector and informal sector training programs, appears to be increasingly integrating non traditional target groups (for example employees, workers, informal sector operators) and TEVET provider systems into the TEVET system. TEVETA provides incentives for levy paying companies to invest in staff training, supports industry with training needs assessments, and subsidizes the special training initiatives of business associations and companies. Within its informal sector training program, it has tailored skill development programs to informal sector operators and workers.
Equity Data allowing for some analysis of equity in the access to TEVET are again available only for selected segments of the entire training supply, primarily for the formal TEVET provision. Female Participation
Data on the gender equality of access to TEVET show that girls are underrepresented in all segments of the system for which records are available. As shown in table 6.2, less than 30 percent of girls are enrolled in TCs. However, the participation rates of girls clearly show an upward trend. Figure 6.3 indicates that an increasing number of girls are participating in the Malawi Craft and Advanced Craft Examinations (from 11 percent in 2003 to 23 percent in 2007). The growth is more pronounced in the lower level Malawi Craft Examination and reached a 25 percent participation rate in 2007. The lower share of female examination candidates for the higher level Advanced Craft Certificate can be explained by the fact that girls are more likely to fail in the lower level Malawi Craft Certificate. As indicated in figure 6.4, less than 50 percent of females pass the examinations. In comparison, the overall pass rate of males from 2003–2007 was above 70 percent. At 10.2 percent, female participation rates are even lower for the trade testing system. However, pass rates are more or less the same for both sexes in this examination system. Considering that the recorded participation rates refer to provider and testing systems that are all dominated by traditional “male” occupations, the absolute rates as well as the positive trends indicate an encouraging development. In fact, disaggregated data from Malawi Craft Examinations and the trade testing system show that girls have now made it well into core technical trades, such as painting and decoration, machine woodwork, electrical installation, auto electrical, sheet metal work, or plumbing (see also table 6A.15 in Appendix 6.2). One explanation for this is the systematic “affirmative action policy” TEVETA has employed over the years in the recruitment of apprentices. Through pro active recruitment of girls, TEVETA has continuously managed to raise the female participation rate well above the application