Ministry of education and sports Discussion paper on RELEVANCY OF THE CURRENT SKILLS DEVELOPMENT PROCESS TO THE WORLD OF WORK IN UGANDA PRESENTED TO THE

THE ANNUAL EDUCATION AND SPORTS SECTOR REVIEW (AESSR)

AT HOTEL AFRICANA, KAMPALA. BY: SARAH NAMULI- TAMALE AG. COMMISSIONER, BUSINESS, TECHINICAL AND VOCATIONAL EDUCATION TRAINING, MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND SPORTS, KAMPALA

24 -25 SEPTEMBER, 2014 th

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1.0

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The Ministry of Education and Sports developed the 10 – year BTVET Strategic Plan dubbed “Skilling Uganda” emphasizing a paradigm shift in the BTVET subsector. Prior to the implementation of the plan, existing technical and vocational training programmes were theoretical and not relevant to the world of work and hence students acquired certificates and not skills. The sector is moving from the issuance of educational certificates to provision of skills and competences relevant in the labour market, low achieving school leavers to provision of skills to all Ugandans; school system to a flexible workplace oriented environment, government to private/ public partnership. During the initial stages of implementation of skilling Uganda, Government introduced competence based Education and Training hinged on a modular curriculum that ensures that the content is relevant to the world of work and assessment is based on industrial work standards. The Qualifications framework provides the occupational and assessment standards in the word of work, vocational qualifications for learners who meet the standards of the different studies and the guidelines for modular training and assessment. Private providers with more than 300 institutions are being supported under BTVET to expand further and foster a market led expansion of BTVET supply under the Non –formal Education programme. Through the Uganda Private Vocational Institutions (UGAPRIVI) and the Directorate of industrial Training (DIT) a number of private sector institutions have been accredited as training and assessment centres. The BTVET sub sector has trained technical teachers in order to develop their skills while technical teachers from UGAPRIV institutions embarked on a one year Kyambogo University Program in the field of Technical Teacher training. Government has reduced the number of districts without a technical institution to 26 districts through establishment of technical institutes in 17 districts without a

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technical institution. Governments has also constructed health and departmental training institutions and are at different levels of completion. Counterpart funding amounting to UGX 2,218,164,232 was included in the annual budget for the FY 2013/14, for civil works at the nine (9) OPEC and three (3) IDBfunded sites. Another 4.5m USD has been provided by the Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) for the construction of a Vocational Institute

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2.0

RELEVANCY OF THE CURRENT SKILLS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES TO THE WORLD OF WORK

In order to attain the objectives of skilling Uganda, the Sector is implementing a number of strategies/interventions. These include among others; (i) Competence based Education and Training (CBET) (ii) The Uganda Qualifications Framework (iii) Recognition of prior Learning (RPL) (iv) the Public- Private Partnership (PPP) (v)Strengthening the programme for instructor training;(vi) Strengthening existing BTVET institutions and instructor training; and(viii) Establishment of the requisite infrastructure. 2.1

Competence based Education and Training (CBET)

Government has introduced competence based Education and Training hinged on a modular curriculum that ensures that the content is relevant to the world of work and assessment is based on industrial work standards. We have approved curriculum which are demand driven and the practitioners in the world of work have been involved in the development of this curricula. They are categorized into Health, Business and Technical as shown below. S/N 1.

Area Health

2.

Technical

3.

Business

Composition Diploma in clinical medicine and Community health, Diploma in medical laboratory, Certificate in medical laboratory, Enrolled mid wifery. Welding, Refrigeration and air conditioning, Tailoring and garment Design, Electronics, Brick laying and concrete practice, Agricultural mechanization, Pottery, Painting, Shoe making, Ceramics, Electrical installation, Motor vehicle engineering National Diploma in Business management, marketing, accounting, Catering and Secretarial

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The Sector also has linkages with the industry and they are involved in curriculum development, training (apprenticeship and internship) and the development of Assessment and training packages (ATPs). Relevance to the World of work (Examples) (i) Business students at certificate are exposed to real life projects in a retail laboratory” supermarket” and at the end of their training, they are able to do face to face selling, E- selling, packaging of materials, distribution of facilities, assessment of customer attitudes, annual market budgeting, branding packaging and labeling, media marketing, market consolidation, order processing and product distribution, market links and new product updates. (ii) For the diploma in business management, students are exposed to modular assessment in financial accounting, business economics, information and communication technology, business communication skills, business ethics, business law, entrepreneurship management, cost and management accounting, business organization and management, financial management, principles of auditing, strategic management, business Kiswahili, public sector management and elements of taxation. By the close of their modular training, they are able to perform the respective tasks above. (iii) Students for a diploma in clinical medicine are able to perform general medicine, minor surgeries, first aid, management and entrepreneurial skills and also provide pediatric care, sexual and reproductive health services, ear nose and throat care, eye care, oral and dental care, palliative care, community health services and research and manage nutritional conditions.

(iv) Upon completion of their modules, mechanical students are able to make maize mills among others, construct houses for those who done brick laying and concrete practice (technical) and domestic wiring for techinicians.

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2.2

The Uganda Qualifications Framework (UQF)

The Qualifications framework provides the occupational and assessment standards in the word of work, vocational qualifications for learners who meet the standards of the different studies and the guidelines for modular training and assessment. The implementation of UVQF follows the principles of competence based education and training. It supports flexible modular training and corresponding assessment and certification that is modular based. It recognizes prior learning and promotes self-paced individual learning and workplace learning. Relevance to the World of Work Directorate of industrial training provides students with the workers pass, transcripts and certificates after completion of their internship and apprenticeship with performing companies like Toyota, BMK among others. 2.3

Recognition of prior Learning (RPL)

Through a mix of non- formal and formal BTVET training, the Sector is implementing the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL). Under this component, the Sector through the private providers of BTVET identifies what learners know and can do. Matches the knowledge, skills and experience of the learners against the standards and assesses the learners on the basis of their competencies. It entails the crediting of the learners for the skills, knowledge and experience already acquired and issuing a record of qualification often referred to as a workers pass. Relevance to the World of Work (i)

Upon completion of training in professional health training bodies like UNMEB, UAHEB among others students are registered with the relevant professional bodies like the Uganda Nurses council and the Uganda Allied Health professional council among others.

(ii)

Recognition of prior learning creates of a certified skilled workforce that can participate in the movement of skilled labor across boarders in the East African region.

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(iii) (iv) (v) 2.4

Recognition of prior learning increases employee retention because of the reduced time required to attain a qualification; Based on their experience, learners gain entry to a programme without the normal entry qualifications The entry qualification of learners is variable and the main emphasis is placed on acquisition of practical skills for employment; The Non – Formal Education and Training Programme.

Private providers with more than 300 institutions are being supported under BTVET to expand further and foster a market led expansion of BTVET supply under the Non –formal Education programme. With the availability of resources more than double the current number are willing to work with Government to implement the programme. This implies that the proposed target of 10,000 in the strategic is attainable in the medium term. Relevance to the World of Work (i) Non – formal Education and training provides short and modular courses whose attainments are readily applicable in the world of work. (ii) The courses target competences in communities that would have remained idle if not identified and exploited under the programme. 2.5

The Public- Private Partnership (PPP)

Through the Uganda Private Vocational Institutions (UGAPRIVI) and the Directorate of industrial Training (DIT) a number of private sector institutions have been accredited as training and assessment centres. Relevance to the World of Work (i) (ii)

(iii)

The private sector is one of the biggest consumers of the products “human resource” produced by the sector. Human resource being the most valuable asset in any organization, the private sector has to be involved in its development. The private sector is involved in policy formulation, curriculum development and assessment of the students. Page 7 of 7

(iv) (v)

It is therefore responsible for the quality of the human resource available to the users. The private sector is involved in policy formulation through the Industrial Training Council where they are represented by the Federation of Uganda Employers (FUE), the workers body and the Uganda Investment Authority (UIA) among others

(vi)

In the real world of work, the private sector is at the rudder of curriculum development, training (apprenticeship and internship)and the development of Assessment and training packages(ATPs) and implementing the training levy.

2.6

Strengthening the programme of instructor training

The BTVET sub sector trained a total of 20 technical teachers in order to develop their skills while 25 technical teachers from UGAPRIV institutions embarked on a one year Kyambogo University Program in the field of Technical Teacher training. 242 instructors were trained from the Northern, Eastern, Western and Central regions covering 24 districts. The Sector has also conducted externally supervised instruction practice for BTVET instructor and Manager Qualification for 24 instructors in DTIM, 24 DVTI in and 30 in CVTI. Relevance to the World of Work (i) The quality of the students/graduates from any institution is directly determined by the quality of the instructors (ii) The instructors trained will cascade the knowledge/skills attained for a better quality output in terms of the human resource in the world of work. 2.7 Establishment of the requisite infrastructure; Government has reduced the number of districts without a technical institution to 26 districts through establishment of technical institutes in 17 districts without a technical institution. Government has also constructed health and departmental training institutions and are at different levels of completion in Hoima School of Nursing, Jinja school of Nursing, Butabika Psychiatric School, Gulu School of clinical Officers, Fort Portal Page 8 of 8

School of Clinical Officers, Lira School of Nursing and Mulago Paramedical School. Counterpart funding amounting to UGX 2,218,164,232 was included in the annual budget for the FY 2013/14, for civil works at the nine (9) OPEC and three (3) IDBfunded sites. Another 4.5m USD has been provided by the Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) for the construction of a Vocational Institute at Nakawa. Relevance to the World of Work (i) The current Education system is training so many supervisors (Degree holders) compared to middle managers and technicians who are supposed to work under the supervisors. (ii) If Government established more technical institutions, it would increase access to technical education thereby increasing the number of technicians at the lower hierarchy of the pyramid of employment in Uganda today. (iii) Government is focusing on increasing access to BTVET and hence on the right track of implementing Skilling Uganda. Focus should be on increasing access and the quality at a later date when we have attained the numbers. (iv) Establishing more technical institutions especially covering those sub counties without any form of Government BTVET institution and the centres of excellence is in the bigger picture of marketing BTVET and removal of the stigmatic tendencies related to it. 3.0 Challenges and remedy to address the challenges Challenge: High cost involved in formal BTVET training limits access to the formal BTVET education often leading to a low enrolment numbers;

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Remedy All formal BTVET programmes should be restructured into short courses concentrated on practical work. All programmes will be based on the occupational standards developed by the employers under UQF. This will in a way reduce the cost of formal BTVET training.

Challenge: High cost of CBET and assessment (equipment and facilities). Remedy Post primary technical schools and community polytechnics should be converted into skills development centres to offer modular programmes with flexible entry and exit points along with short term community oriented non – formal programmes

Challenge: Inadequate budgetary provisions to have a technical school constructed in every district without one. Remedy The beneficiary institutions under the USD 75M project should be those that have never benefited from any support since the implementation of the skilling Uganda strategy. If this is implemented 17 vocational training institutions (centres of excellence) with four courses can be established in 17 districts thereby reducing the number of districts without any form of Government BTVET institution from 27 to 10 districts.

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Challenge: The Examination Boards i.e. UAHEB, UNMEB and UBTEB lack permanent homes and a printing facility to effectively handle the examinations.

Remedy Resources should be identified for this noble cause.

TOGETHER WE SKILL UGANDA THANK YOU FOR LISTENING MERCI BEACOUP

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