KAMPALA – Uganda is a youthful country with 77% of its population being under 25 years of age and over 7 million from the ages of 15–24.
Just like other developing countries, the country still grapples with rising rates of unemployment, especially amongst the youth.
According to the Uganda Bureau of Statistics – UBOS, the Employment to Population Ratio (EPR) in the year 2021 was 43 percent, implying that less than half of the Working Age Population was employed.
With over 53 universities churning out at least 30,000 graduates every year in the country’s subsistence economy, the parents’ dream for their children to find a job after graduation remains indeed a dream.
The unemployment rate for Uganda’s post-secondary graduates is 80%, which is one of the highest in the world, according to BrighterMonday, a recruitment and HR platform.
This is, however, largely attributed to the poor university education system that prepares their students to be job seekers with even fewer skills.
To end this, the Government has embarked on Technical Vocation Education Training – TVET as the game changer for its uniqueness of real-life projects that equip the trainees with good knowledge to develop competencies and also be able to have hands-on skills.
According to the Uganda Business and Technical Examinations Board – UBTEB – all their programmes are focused on equipping the learners with hands-on skills necessary in real life.
In an exclusive interview with PML Daily, Dr. Tukamushaba Alison Rwakanuma – Senior Assessment Officer, Biological Sciences at UBTEB says they have science-related programmes like wildlife, fisheries, food science and nutrition, ecological agriculture and forestry.
“Our assessment is so unique and we are championing skilling Ugandans which calls for training and assessing students practically which makes it a bit expensive but worthy.”
“Like in Wildlife, we have the formal setting whereby a student finishes one module and goes to another one. A student can finish one module, go to work and come back at their convenience,” he noted.
He explained that, for instance, in wildlife, people handling practical and real-life are the ones working in the wildlife setting.
“They come and set the real practical questions and are the ones again I call to assess the students as we are retooling the lectures. It puts confidence in the students.”
He says that in all their courses, after one module, a student is given a certificate of competence and goes to work or they decide to continue.
Dr. Tukamushaba encouraged those who have completed their primary, Ordinary and Advanced levels of education to join TVET because “with this, you shall not find any person on the street because you have a skill.”
Mr. Tumusiime Benard, Academic Registrar, Uganda Wildlife Research and Training Institute, one of the government institutions assessed by UBTEB said they offer a Certificate in Wildlife Natural Resource Management, a Certificate in Wildlife Tourism Management and the same at diploma level. The institution is situated in Queen Elizabeth National Park, Kasese district.
He says for a Certificate and Diploma in Wildlife and Natural Resource Management, they consider biology whereas for a Certificate and Diploma in Wildlife Tourism Management, one must have passed English language because they become tour guides.
“Our certificate students can upgrade to a diploma and thereafter, they can join public universities for bachelor’s and those who perform very well they get government sponsorship in public universities.”
He revealed that upon completion of the diploma, those who do science-based can do all programmes at universities that are related to conservation biology or environmental sciences, and agricultural-related programmes.
“Some of our students have been admitted to do veterinary medicine using our diploma.”
The other group, he says can do all programmes related to tourism but they are at liberty to branch and do programmes like social work, and development studies, among others.
Mr. Tumusiime noted that the institution is the only one of its kind offering those two programmes and their students are exposed to different experiences. “For instance, we have paramilitary which might never be found anywhere else.”
“Also, someone could have not gotten minimum points to do veterinary at the university medicine but using our diploma, they can. We have made our curriculum competence-based which equips our students with relevant skills needed in the world of work. Our institution is located in the national park which is our laboratory,” he said.
The school has two intakes, February-March for certificate programmes and August for diplomas.
Mr. Kambaho Narasi Anyijuka, Principle Communications Public Relations at UBTEB gave us the TVET progression which starts after P7 whereby anyone graded by Uganda National Examinations Board – UNEB can join to pursue Uganda Community Polytechnic Certificate – UCPC for three years which is equivalent to Ordinary Level.
After, a student qualifies to do a national certificate programme for two years together with those from O’Level.
“S.4 leavers must have 3 passes in any subjects,” he said.
Thereafter, one qualifies to offer a national diploma together with Advanced Level students for two years.
“After each stage, our students possess skills, they can work, that’s why TVET is highly premised as a key sector that can support the development of a country.”
After a national diploma, Kambaho noted that a student can do a bachelor’s degree at the university and those who have obtained a distinction diploma, can join a degree in the second year.
“Those with a higher diploma in areas of mechanical, electrical and civil engineering, can join the university in the third year and study for a period of two years at Kyambogo University.”
He revealed that TVET has other specialised areas like Meteorology, Fisheries, Lands and Survey Management at Lands and Survey Institute in Entebbe, Oil and Gas at Kiggumba in Masindi, Hotel and Tourism, Agriculture at Bukalasa Agriculture College in Luwero and Alapayi College in Eastern under Busitema University, Wildlife at Uganda Wildlife Institute in Kasese.
They also have nursing and midwifery and allied health at the Uganda Institute of Allied Health and Management Sciences at Mulago, and ICT at the Uganda Institute of Information Technology in Nakawa, among many other courses.
Kambaho, however, said a student who failed UNEB (not graded) does not qualify to join TVET but can either repeat and get grades or do a non-formal programme which is a skill-based that is awarded by the Directorate of Industrial Training – DIT.
