The Government has offered at least 1,911 scholarships in Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) training this year.

The opportunities are to be accessed at a total of 27 TVET institutions across the country.

Three of these are located in Kampala, according to a statement released on Tuesday by the education ministry.

Jinja has two institutions while other districts have at least one institution where students will access the scholarships. 

These include Kayunga, Luwero, Kakumiro, Butambala, Rakai, Mayuge, Kalungu, Wakiso, Masaka, Nakasongola, Mubende, Nakaseke, Gomba, Lyantonde, Mpigi, Alebtong, Oyam, Kitgum and Arua.

Jinja takes the lion's share 
At 84, Jinja district has the most scholarships of any district and these will be available at Kakira Community Technical Institute (43) and Jinja Vocational Training Institute (41).

This is followed by Gomba with 48, which will be offered at St Peters Bukalagi Technical Institute.

Other districts with high numbers are Kakumiro and Mayuge with 43 scholarships, followed by Wakiso and Kiboga which will each have 42 slots.

According to the ministry, students who miss out on the scholarships can apply for private sponsorship, adding that a combined 86,694 slots of such opportunities are available at the 27 government institutions.

The ministry said following the delayed release of UCE results for 2023, the Ministry has provided an extended selection exercise to cater for Uganda Certificate Education 2023 leavers who would like to join TVET institutions.

"Applicants are thus invited to submit their TVET application forms together with photocopies of pass slips, certificates, and a recent passport-size photograph to any public TVET institution nearest to the applicant not later than Friday, 23rd February 2024," the statement says.

It noted that application forms can be obtained from any public TVET institution, city/municipal/district education offices, TVET institutions across the country, Ministry of Education and Sports headquarters TVET operations and management department or the Ministry's website tvet.go.ug or www.education.go.ug.

"The selection exercise will take place on 26 and 27 February 2024 at Ntinda Vocational Training Institute in Kampala capital city for central, St. Kizito Technical Institute, Madera in Soroti city for eastern, Bobi Community Polytechnic for the northern region, Kakiika Technical School in Mbarara City for south Western, " the ministry added. 

TVET policy

Under the TVET Policy 2019, the Government recognises that effective technical skills are vital for the individual, enterprise and the economy since they lead to self-reliance at the family level, increased productivity, profits and higher incomes for the nation. 

This is in a bid to support the creation of needed employable skills and competencies relevant to the national transformational labour market as opposed to just the acquisition of educational certificates.

Under the policy, the government targets all Ugandans in need of skills for employment.