By KT Reporter
The Ministry of Education and Sports is set to reform Uganda’s employer-led Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) system to better match skills training with labor market demands.
Speaking at a stakeholder engagement event where the British Council and the Ministry of Education unveiled two programs aimed at transforming education, skills training, and employability, Loy Muhwezi, the Commissioner of TVET under the Ministry, said the reform will allow employers to actively participate in institutional training activities. It will also enable timely curriculum reviews to produce graduates fully prepared for the job market.
David Mubiru from the Ministry emphasized the importance of establishing an innovative research center that can track rapidly changing technologies and equipment, noting that TVET is not static. Muhwezi explained that a similar reform was implemented in Uganda from the early 1970s to the early 1990s but was later abandoned. She added that the initiative was pioneered by the British Council, which funded scholarships for Ugandans pursuing master’s degrees in technology, though the qualifications were not recognized by local universities at the time.
She further highlighted that skills development is a critical part of education, capable of reducing unemployment by equipping learners with job-relevant expertise. Muhwezi recommended that employers be represented on governing councils and assessment boards of both government and private institutions, allowing them to guide the skills learners acquire to stay relevant in the labor market. Lucy Pearson, the Regional Director of the British Council, emphasized that education has long been central to the Council’s mission in Uganda and across Sub-Saharan Africa. She noted that the launch of the British Council’s TVET program under the “Going Global Partnerships” initiative will create opportunities for youth to acquire skills demanded by today’s dynamic economy.
Mary Frances Atima expressed appreciation to the British Council for supporting the TVET program, noting that Uganda now has a well-documented TVET policy. She also highlighted challenges in the delivery of O-Level and A-Level curricula by teachers and called for a mindset shift alongside the rollout of Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) teacher support videos, which were handed over to the Ministry during the event.
Atima stressed the importance of repackaging information to help teachers and parents better appreciate the Competency-Based Curriculum. Delivering a message on behalf of Permanent Secretary Dr. Kedrace Turyagenda, Atima conveyed gratitude to the British Council for its continued support of Uganda’s education sector. Turyagenda underscored TVET as a national priority and a critical pathway for addressing youth unemployment, bridging the skills gap, and advancing industrialization. The event also marked the official handover of the National Teacher Qualification Framework (NTQF) and CBC teacher support videos to the Ministry—key resources that set national standards for teacher training and equip educators to implement the curriculum effectively. Additionally, the Learning, Innovation, and Transformation (LIT) Programme, funded by the Mastercard Foundation, was launched. The program focuses on equipping young people with industry-ready skills for employment and entrepreneurship, emphasizing inclusivity and innovation.
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