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The French Development Agency (AFD) has signed two agreements to finance a combined EUR25 million for vocational training in Vietnam.

The signatories included Michel Sapin, French Minister of Labour, Employment, Vocational Training and Social Dialogue, Vuong Dinh Hue, Vietnamese Minister of Finance, and Jean-Marc Gravellini, Country Director of the AFD in Hanoi.

The funding is expected to support the development of five vocational training schools in Vietnam.

The programme has a total value of EUR29 million, with EUR25 million coming from AFD commitments and another EUR4 million from the Vietnamese Government. The AFD included a EUR500,000 grant to provide for long-term technical assistance, and a EUR24.5 million loan to finance equipment and short-term expertise.

One of the project's aims is to turn Lilama Technical and Technology Vocational College 2, in Dong Nai Province, as well as the Vocational College of Agriculture Mechanics in Vinh Phuc Province into institutions with international credentials.

It will also provide support to three other training and vocational centres, Viet Xo Electromechanical Construction Vocational Training in Tam Diep, Dung Quat Vocational College of Engineering and Technology, and Nghi Son Vocational Training Secondary School.

Under the plan, six more training courses will be developed, which could help approximately 3,000 people annually.

Vietnam currently has around 1,200 vocational training schools and centres. The number of students at these institutions reached over 1.9 million students last year.

The Government has targeted to train 45% of its working force by 2015, and 55% by 2020.

To this end, the Government has been co-operating with the AFD for years to carry out several educational projects. The first project, funded by the AFD, with a total capital of EUR12.8 million, was aimed at supporting four vocational training schools in HCM City, Dong Nai, Haiphong and Vinh Phuc in 2009.