A/71/358 B. Technical and vocational education and training through an overall lifelong learning framework 70. The Special Rapporteur welcomes the perspective developed in looking at technical and vocational education and training through an overall lifelong learning framework. 31 He considers that the provisions in the ILO Human Resources Development Convention, 1975 (No. 142) remain relevant at present. Article 4 of the Convention stipulates that “each Member shall gradually extend, adapt and harmonize its vocational training systems to meet the needs for vocational traini ng throughout life of both young persons and adults in all sectors of the economy and branches of economic activity and at all levels of skill and responsibility ”. The Convention enjoins on Member States the obligation to adopt and develop comprehensive and coordinated policies and programmes of vocational guidance and vocational training, which shall encourage and enable all persons “to develop and use their capabilities for work in their own best interests and in accordance with their own aspirations, account being taken of the needs of society” (art. 1 (5)). C. Making technical and vocational education and training professionally coveted and valorising its social esteem 71. The Special Rapporteur notes that quality is at the heart of the European Union programme Education and Training 2020. Underpinned by the lifelong learning concept, this covers learning in all contexts, whether formal, non -formal or informal, and at all levels. Relevant and high-quality skills and competences for employability, innovation, active citizenship and transparency and recognition of skills and qualifications are part of six new priority areas for Education and Training 2020. 7 72. Technical and vocational education and training is especially important for developing countries, where, instead of being an integral part of education, vocational training remains a separate stream. Such education and training is least coveted and does not enjoy social esteem. Moreover, in most countries the collaboration of industry with the technical and vocational education and training system is very weak, with feeble links between industry and technical and vocational education and training institutions systems. 73. The Special Rapporteur therefore deems the establishment of lasting links between technical education and training institutions and enterprises essential for the system to better respond to skills demands and to make it better able to contribute to industrial development. He also deems the approaches in developed countries, especially regarding the “dual system” of apprenticeships (in schools and in companies under an agreed framework), highly relevant to the developing countries. The developing countries need to place a strong focus on policies that are oriented towards replicating rather than duplicating such approaches for skills development. IX. National qualifications framework 74. The Special Rapporteur notes the considerable attention being given to developing “a national qualifications framework” for “the assessment, certification 16-14910 17/26