Vocational training programs are set to shift to a higher gear with the introduction of comprehensive, third-level courses.

WDA boss Jean Damascene Gatabazi. (photo Abraham Rumanzi)

The Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) policy, for instance, aims to enroll vulnerable people enroll in vocational schools so as to acquire skills to help them to create their own jobs.

According to Jean Damascene Gatabazi, who heads the Workforce Development Authority (WDA) which is in charge of implementing the policy, the existing training centers need to be equipped with proper learning materials and skilled trainers. He added that this would be achieved with the establishment of five Integrated Polytechnic Regional Centers (IPRCs), where trainees would be able to follow both long- and short-term courses.

And according to Fatina Mukarubibi, the WDA deputy director general, two centers are already operational, one in the former ETO Kicukiro and the other at  Kavumu vocational school in Southern Province. She explained that among the short-term courses are bakery, hairdressing and tailoring, while long-term programs include Information Technology (IT). To ensure high-quality trainees, the latter program for instance offers courses in various aspects of IT such as computer repair, software programming and web designing.

Given the importance of agriculture for the economy, specific programs have been designed for that sector. This includes teaching of irrigation techniques, commercial cultivation and application of fertilizers.

However, the TVET policy does not only focus on quality training, it also aims to accompany graduates. Mukarubibi noted that WDA has plans to create a fund to help trainees to start their own business.

The WDA also tries to increase the employability of graduates by making sure the skills offered meet the demands of the market. The deputy director general pointed out that a market survey was being carried out to ensure that the courses are demand-driven, whereby some companies will offer trainees internships.

“This helps them to compete effectively once they finish their studies,” Mukarubibi said.

Moreover, the WDA also tries to make the centers more accessible, for instance by offering scholarships to some of the most vulnerable students. The academic fee at the centers ranges from Frw 15,000 to 30,000 per term, and only a minority of students is able to pay on time.

The TVET has been modeled after a similar highly-successful program in Singapore, and it has also been actively supported by that Asian country. For instance, the Singapore Cooperation Enterprise (SCE) is working closely with WDA and has provided experts to form trainers and managers who will spearhead the TVET system.

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