First Lady Mrs Museveni, Irish Ambassador, seek enhanced skills partnership

KAMPALA - The First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Janet Museveni, has called for strengthened collaboration between Uganda and Ireland, with a particular focus on expanding practical skills training to meet the country’s growing infrastructure and employment needs.

While hosting Ireland’s Ambassador to Uganda, Margaret (Mags) Gaynor, at State House Nakasero on Tuesday, Mrs. Museveni underscored the importance of equipping Ugandan youth with hands-on technical skills, especially in areas such as road and dam construction.

The meeting, held on St. Patrick's Day, reaffirmed the longstanding and cordial relationship between Uganda and Ireland, particularly through Irish Aid programmes that have significantly supported education and community development initiatives in the Karamoja sub-region.

The First Lady expressed Uganda’s deep appreciation for Ireland’s continued partnership, noting the “warm and dependable” relationship Uganda has enjoyed with successive Irish Ambassadors.

A release from her office states that Mrs. Museveni highlighted the impactful collaboration in primary and secondary education, bursaries, and vocational training, among other investments.

“I want to welcome you to Uganda and assure you that you are among friends,” Mrs. Museveni said. “We value our partnership and the consistent support extended to our education sector, especially in Karamoja.”

Mrs. Museveni emphasised the need to expand skills training into critical and high-demand areas such as road construction, dam construction, and other infrastructure-related fields. She noted that while Uganda has several technical institutions, there remains a significant gap in qualified, hands-on instructors.

She also requested for Irish support to provide master instructors who could offer hands-on training for trainers in the many technical institutes in Uganda.

“We have many technical schools, but we lack hands-on trainers who can train people on the job. We would like to explore the possibility of bringing skilled trainers to Uganda to build the capacity of our instructors locally. This approach would enable us to address key skills gaps in the country and empower young Ugandans with hands-on skills currently outsourced to foreign firms,” said  Mrs. Museveni.

The First Lady also recognised the success of the “Teachers Making a Difference” programme, supported by Irish Aid,  and praised the initiative for broadening teachers’ perspectives and strengthening education standards.

She said the programme that provides professional development opportunities for outstanding teachers through exposure visits to Ireland enhances the quality of education and motivates educators across the country. A cohort of teachers is set to travel soon.

“We are building a global village for our children. Wherever we can hold hands together and partner to improve what we are doing, it is for the good of our nations,” Mrs Museveni said.

Ambassador Gaynor reaffirmed Ireland’s commitment to supporting Uganda’s development priorities.

She noted that Irish-supported programmes are increasingly focused on employability, combining skills training with practical work experience and entrepreneurship support, particularly through partnerships with other organisations.

“We want to train people for jobs, not just certificates,” she said, adding that Ireland is open to exploring new innovative approaches, including partnerships with government and the private sector, to scale up skills development in priority sectors.

Over the years, Irish- funded projects include support to the School Feeding Programme in Karamoja, the Karamoja Primary Education Expansion Project and the Skilling Uganda Project - Karamoja. Currently, it supports three vocational institutes in Nakapiripirit - St Daniel Comboni and Kotido.

The Irish Ambassador highlighted ongoing collaborations with development partners, including support for technical and vocational education and training (TVET), as well as initiatives that link trainees to employment and business start-up opportunities.

At the same event, the State Minister for Primary Education, Dr. Joyce Kaducu, stressed that improving trainer capacity would significantly enhance skills transfer to learners.
She also commended Ireland’s contributions to school feeding programmes and infrastructure development.

The Permanent Secretary Ministry of Education and Sports, Dr Kedrace Turyagyenda, emphasised the importance of training qualified instructors to sustain quality in vocational education. She noted that Uganda is currently implementing reforms that encourage greater involvement of industry in skills training.

Both parties reaffirmed their commitment to continued collaboration, with a shared vision of empowering young people through relevant education and skills development.

Dignitaries at the meeting included officials from the Irish Embassy, including Naome Atako Muhwezi - Education Advisor, Angella Athieno, Programmer Executive and Justine Katebarirwe Niyonzima, the Personal Assistant to the Ambassador, plus senior technical officers from the Education and Sports Ministry.