The First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for East African Community Affairs Rebecca Kadaga has urged all technical skills’ graduates to reinvent themselves, have sound moral character, have business minds and be conscious of public relations to remain relevant.

She was officiating the third graduation at the Government-supported Nawanyago Technical Institute in Kamuli on September 24, 2022.

 Kadaga observed that the above disciplines keep the skilled artisans in business and interest, thus continuous capacity development and upgrading.

Located in Nawanyago sub-county, the institute is the only government supported technical training facility in Kamuli.

A total of 521 artisans (188 on the Uganda Business and Technical Examinations Board [UBTEB] assessment, 158 on the Directorate of Industrial Training and 175 International Qualification from City and Guilds) were awarded certificates and diplomas.

“You have been prepared through the Skilling Uganda Agenda and coming out to the field where you need to perfect, create a personal brand, win customer trust and market your skills. Ensure you reinvent more skills:  Don’t stagnate,” Kadaga, who is also the District Woman MP for Kamuli, said.

Kadaga urged the residents of Busoga to take advantage of the institution by increasing enrolment and retention of female students.

Focus on skills

UBTEB executive secretary Onesmus Oyesigye, who represented education minister Mrs Janet Museveni, advocated for a focus on skills development as highlighted under skilling Uganda Vision 2040, Second National Development Plan and NRM Manifesto 2016-2021, adding that there should be mobilisation of learners to increase access to vocational and technical education.

He assured that the Government is now focused on the promotion of the girl child education, especially for science and technology-based fields. 

He said over the past 10 years, UBTEB has continuously ensured assessment with a view to producing quality graduates that meet the demands of the world of work.

 “UBTEB competence-based assessment emphasises that learners are assessed on what they can do to meet the principles of training with production, continuous assessment and enabling upward career progression,” Oyesigye said.

Utilise God-given talents

Chairperson Board of Governors of the institute Stephen Kateega lauded the growth of the institute before he urged the graduates to utilise their God-given talents, make sacrifices in honesty, truth as apostles of community development.

“We usher out a quality breed of artisans with employable skills into the world of work to be agents of development and exploits of practical skills to make positive impacts,” Kateega said.

The Principal, Rose Martha Kumwiza  Namuyomba, called upon the graduands to back up their competencies and technical capacity with character and relevant contacts to deliver demand-driven services.

 She reported that the second phase of infrastructure construction has started and the institute has secured an international assessment centre for city and guilds