Business, technical, vocational education results released

By John Agaba

KAMPALA - Ugandans still need to change their attitude towards vocational education – that the subjects are for academic failures – if we are to achieve progress in implementing the Skilling Uganda agenda, education minister Jessica Alupo has said.

She said this while releasing the November 2012 and February 2013 business, technical, vocational education and training (BTVET) results at the ministry on Monday.

The six-set results scored by the Directorate of Industrial Training (DIT) show that over 80% of the learners registered and assessed passed in the various occupations and are ready to be employed.

Of the 13, 445 (7, 549 female, 5, 896 male) registered under non-formal assessment, 12, 063 were assessed; 94% were successful, with skills necessary for them to compete in the labour market.

In this group, majority of the learners were senior four leavers (3, 8050), followed by Primary seven leavers (3, 268); 99 learners had attended university education.

The group also constituted inmates.  66 were assessed; 57 passed; 2 unsuccessful, and 7 absent.

In the Northern Uganda Youth Development programme (NUYDC), 5, 806 learners were registered.  Out of the 5, 093 assessed, 85% were successful. 2, 213 were female, 3, 593 male.

In this group majority of the learners were primary school leavers (3, 175), followed by secondary school leavers (1, 617); one learner had attended university. The youth below 39 years constituted 85%.

In the formal assessment, level one, 2, 016 candidates from 97 centres were registered for assessment compared to 1, 799 candidates last year. Of these, 1, 067 were female, 949 male. Out of the 1, 939 assessed in 18 different occupations, 66% were successful.

In level II formal assessment, 2, 967 learners were registered from 108 public and private assessment centres. 1, 130 were female, 1, 837 male. Out of the2, 857 learners assessed in 19 different occupations, 70% were successful.

For the diploma in vocational training instruction (DVTI), 3rd Cycle, 37 in-service instructors (11 female, 26 male) underwent the training in Electronics, Electrical Technology, Metal Fabrication, and Motor Vehicle Mechanics. Of the 37, 34 passed. 3 were referred.

And for the Diploma in Training Institution Management (DTIM), out of the 48 learners - 23 (3 female, 20 male) trainees in 2nd Cycle, and 25 (6 female, 19 male) in 3rd Cycle - 39 passed. 9 were referred.

Alupo said that skilling Uganda, the programme, was still limited because many people still think that when they complete primary they can only join secondary education and then university but that it was time overdue for Ugandans to appreciate that there is another route, and perhaps even a much better route for Uganda's development, in vocational education.  "What does it cost you, even if you are a graduate, to take on some other skill? Nothing, you are only improving yourself. And this is where we should be heading," said the minister.

DIT's director, Eng. Henry Francis Okinyal, applauded the results.

He said: "These learners are assured of jobs. Some of them actually were already working but only needed some polishing, which we have done. And we are going to give them certificates."

He blamed some cases of the learners referred, especially those who were doing electrical vocations, on the lack of a science background, saying: "If you do not have the basic mathematics or science knowledge, it can be hard."