Govt licenses 195 TVET institutions ahead of qualifications framework launch
Kasakya said institutions seeking licences must demonstrate that they have adequate training facilities, equipment and qualified trainers before they are allowed to enrol learners.
TVET Council officials (front row, from left) Zachary Kasiime, Ritah Alupo, Executive Director Moses Kasakya, Dr Ronald Mutebi and Emmanuel Mac pose for a group photograph after a press conference at the Uganda Media Centre in Kampala on Wednesday, November 11, 2026. Photo by Francis Emorut.
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The government has so far licensed 195 technical and vocational education and training (TVET) institutions as it tightens regulation of skills training ahead of the launch of a new national qualifications framework.
The Uganda TVET Qualifications Framework (UTQF), due to be launched on November 13, 2026, at Serena Hotel in Kampala, will establish a common system for assessing, certifying and recognising skills acquired through formal training, workplace experience and informal apprenticeships.
The reforms, provided for under the TVET Act 2025, also introduce the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), which will enable experienced artisans and other workers to obtain nationally recognised qualifications after demonstrating their competencies.
Moses Kasakya, the executive director of the TVET Council, said institutions seeking licences must demonstrate that they have adequate training facilities, equipment and qualified trainers before they are allowed to enrol learners.
He said licensing would depend on an institution's capacity to deliver particular programmes rather than the number of students it wishes to admit.
“We verify whether the institution has the physical capacity, sufficient equipment and adequate trainers. We do not approve arbitrary enrolment numbers,” Kasakya said during a media briefing at the Uganda Media Centre on November 11, 2026.
He said institutions offering highly technical programmes would be required to observe a maximum trainer-to-trainee ratio, with some classes limited to 30 learners.
“If you cannot prove you have the capacity to train in a specific technical programme, your intake will be limited. We will not allow a situation where learners are crowded into rooms just to claim they are being trained,” he said.
Skills acquired outside classrooms
Under the arrangement, mechanics, welders, tailors, construction workers and other artisans will be assessed and awarded qualifications based on demonstrated competence.
However, he said, years of experience alone would not guarantee certification. Candidates would have to undergo practical tests, workplace demonstrations, portfolio assessments or professional interviews.
Those who demonstrate competence in some areas but fall short in others could receive partial recognition and be referred for additional training to address the gaps.
“The mechanism to validate non-formal learning has been missing. We have highly skilled people in tourism, manufacturing and construction who are locked out of formal employment or contracts simply because they lack a piece of paper,” Kasakya said.
Eight levels of qualifications
The framework provides for eight qualification levels, ranging from basic competency certificates to a Doctorate of Practice for chief technologists.
The levels cover different categories of workers, including artisans, craftspeople, technicians and technologists, providing a progression route for those seeking to advance their skills and qualifications.
Under the system, learners will be able to progress from basic vocational training to higher technical qualifications, subject to performance and the relevant entry requirements.
Employers to shape training
Kasakya said this would help address the mismatch between the skills produced by training institutions and those demanded by employers.
He said graduates should be able to perform their assigned duties upon recruitment instead of requiring employers to retrain them.
“Employers need people who can perform. By the time someone is certified, they should already be able to execute the job, not present a certificate and then start learning on the employer's dime,” he said.
Kasakya added that training should produce workers with both technical competence and the right work ethic.
The TVET Council has established a National TVET Qualifications Register to enable the public to check whether institutions and their programmes are licensed and accredited.
Kasakya urged parents and prospective students to verify the status of an institution and its programmes before paying tuition fees.
He warned that qualifications obtained from unrecognised programmes would not have official standing for employment, further education or professional recognition.
The framework is also intended to align Uganda's vocational qualifications with standards in the East African Community and other international systems, making it easier for Ugandan skilled workers to seek opportunities across borders.
The TVET Council, which has worked with the TVET Policy Implementation Working Group on the reforms since 2021, is finalising separate guidelines for RPL. The guidelines will provide for assessment centres, costs and support for vulnerable groups.
Kasakya cautioned assessment bodies against compromising standards, saying the framework's success would depend on institutions, employers and regulators fulfilling their respective responsibilities.