KIGALI — Rwanda officials in charge of technical and vocational education have said that the country has run out resources to fund the construction of at least one Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) facility in each of the 416 sectors in the country to pave way for the creation of 1.5 million jobs by 2024.
The Rwanda’s New Times quoting Dr Valentine Uwamariya, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor in Charge of Training, Institutional Development and Research at Rwanda Polytechnic (RP) reported that the current percentage of TVET absorption by ordinary level graduates is still low, at 33.1 per cent (with 60 per cent as the target by 2024), there is an urgent need to establish more TVET training facilities across the country.
To address the financial resources gaps, a new ‘TVET funding model’ is being developed, she said.
The main aim of enrolling more youth into TVET programmes is to have enough skilled workforce in the labour market.
Uwamariya was quoted in the media said that, without adequate infrastructure and appropriate training equipment, the target of having more youth in TVET, improved quality and access would be infeasible.
“If we have target to have 60 per cent of ordinary level graduates joining TVETs and that we are at 33.1 per cent, we need extra-ordinary measures to fix the gap of 26.9 per cent remaining in the next four years which requires more resources,” she is quoted by The New Times.
Rwanda’s five-year TVET schools expansion plan, every sector requires at least one TVET training facility but they have run out money.
Only 58.1 per cent of TVET schools meet quality standards according to a recent audit by Workforce Development Authority.
Rwanda’s TVET schools have no accommodation facilities for students and, therefore, don’t attract many students from different corners in need of TVET.
At least 60 per cent of TVET schools are owned by private players who do not always invest in equipment needed to train students, with most not meeting minimum standards.
“We need to construct and equip new TVET schools within the next 5 years. To build a TVET school is very costly in terms of equipment, and consumables used for training students,” she said.
