Directorate of Industrial Training decries inadequate funding

 

During a visit by the state minister for primary education Rosemary Sseninda to the Directorate, Byakatonda reported that DIT is critical for National Development but the funding incapacitates its operations.

 

"Our roles are very huge based on practical aspects but when considering the funds given, it's not enough to do the required work," he said.

 

Byakatonda observed that expanding practical training and assessment is very critical and very expensive, adding that if some impact is to be felt, more money has to be injected in the directorate.

 

"Conducting practical assessment is twenty-five times more than one theory, meaning all the assessment can take all the budget of UNEB and multiply it by 25 because it is practical oriented," he asserted.

 

 The Minister of State for Primary Education, Sseninde emphasising a point during her visit to the directorate. PHOTO: Agnes Nantambi

 

He applauded the minister for supporting skills development through the Sseninde Foundation saying it has empowered thousands of young people with different skills which have greatly boosted employment.

 

He asked the minister to market the directorate saying visibility is still a big problem in realising intended goals.

 

"Many people do not know us and where we are located, yet we are mandated to do a lot especially in ensuring that people get employed based on competence, "he said.

 

He gave an example of a similar directorate in Kenya which has done a lot in promoting skills development for employability.

 

Other mandates of DIT include identifying the needs of the labour market for occupational competencies that fall under the Uganda Vocational Qualification Framework (UVQF).

 

In addition to that, DIT is also mandated to regulate apprenticeship, promote entrepreneurial values and skills, accredit training institution as UVQF assessment centers, assess and award Uganda Vocational Qualifications and promote on the job training for apprenticeship among others.

 

The state Minister for Primary Education Rose Mary Sseninde in her response advised the managers of DIT to strengthen efforts to ensure that all vocational institutions are assessed and certified to ensure that the learners get the best competence.

 

"It is very unfortunate for the parents to struggle and pay tuition for their children to study and come out half-baked and cannot put what they learned into practice,

Ugandan students must be very creative to avoid this business of studying and end up looking for jobs instead of creating them," she added.

 

She explained that since the directory trains and assesses based on hands-on skills, this will help in reducing the level of unemployment especially among the youth.

She observed that many people have been shunning vocational institutions due to claims that it's only failures that join them.

 

"We want to change the attitude towards skills training in vocational institutions, but this must begin right from the nursery sections with the teachers being ambassadors in implementing them before integrating them in the curriculum, "she said.

 

She said that as a member of parliament, she has embarked on skilling the teachers in Wakiso district to empower them with the necessary skills which can be transferred to the young ones right from the lower levels.  

 

"In our campaign, we allow all the teachers to enroll for the training during holidays and we support them throughout, ‘she said.

 

Sseninde advised the management of the Directorate of Industrial Training to ensure that all the vocational institutions are assessed under it and given a certificate of competence to enhance employment.