Upskilling in Mali

Mali has no single national umbrella system for continuing education and no National Qualifications Framework. Formal technical and vocational education and training can lead to a recognized qualification, while non-formal vocational skills training and non-formal education often respond more directly to local employment and literacy needs. Informal learning also contributes to skills development. Local terms include formation professionnelle continue for continuing vocational training, formation qualifiante for qualification-oriented training, perfectionnement for skills improvement and reconversion for retraining into another occupation. Training may take place through public vocational training centers, approved private or parapublic providers, companies, nongovernmental organizations and community programs. Examples include training in construction, agro-food processing, hairdressing, tailoring, plumbing and metal construction. The Ministry responsible for employment and vocational training, DNFP, FAFPA, ANPE, APEJ, INIFORP, ONEF, CNR-ENF and CEFORPA have different roles. ANPE provides information, guidance, skills improvement, retraining and employment support. CEFORPA combines training, retraining, financing and employment assistance, including support for graduates and people trained in Arabic. FAFPA provides technical and financial support to eligible training providers and may finance projects or agreements. INIFORP develops training standards, teaching methods and company training-needs assessments. Before training, people can seek information, guidance, literacy support or a pathway into work. During training, providers may offer occupational courses, company training plans or short practical programs; one documented food-processing course in Kati lasted ten days and served about 100 women. After training, ANPE and CEFORPA can support further training, retraining and entry into work. Functional literacy through AENF, meaning non-formal education, is relevant where reading, writing or numeracy support is needed. Adult literacy remains a major concern: UNESCO data for 2022 reported adult literacy at 30.8%, with 22.1% for women and 40.4% for men, and 7,388,321 adults lacking literacy skills. Malian law recognizes a right to vocational training for citizens seeking employment or already active in work, subject to available resources. This does not guarantee a place in a particular course. Admission depends on the cohort, provider capacity, financing and program requirements. The state, territorial authorities and companies share governance and financing responsibilities. Eligible taxable employers contribute 2% of payroll to the vocational training tax, whose proceeds are allocated to FAFPA. No single participant fee, duration or application deadline applies across all programs. Validation of prior learning, known locally as VAE, has appeared in projects such as certification for apprenticeship masters, but a general national system has not been established. Apprenticeship mainly belongs to initial vocational training; it falls within continuing education only when it serves an adult upskilling purpose.