Members of the private sector have been urged to work closely with Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) schools to help promote technological innovations and hands-on skills in the country.

The call was made on Friday  at the closure of a 10-day TVET expo held in Huye District. Over 120 exhibitors, including 45 TVET schools, took part in the exhibition.

Speaking at the ceremony, the Southern Province executive secretary, Jeanne Izabiriza, commended the exhibition, noting that it is a platform for businesses, the public and schools to share skills and best practices.

She said TVET schools are a source of relevant skills and urged private businesses and the public to embrace this form of education.

"Innovation will keep our products highly competitive on the market,” Izabiriza said, urging businesses and TVET schools to remain creative.

She also urged businesses to ensure high-quality products and keep improving the quality of their services.

Cyprien Ndindiyeho, one of the exhibitors, said: "This was a wonderful opportunity to showcase our products and learn from others as we keep improving our skills.”

Meanwhile, the best exhibitors in various categories were awarded to encourage quality service delivery.

The categories included; TVET schools, craft-making and service providers.

Officials said an evaluation exercise was carried out during the course of the fair, and the indicators included customer care, innovation, orderliness at stands, and capacity to explain services offered to visitors.

VTC Mpanda, Nyereka ibiganza byawe cooperative and Kenya Commercial Bank emerged the best exhibitors overall.

It is the second time such an exhibition is taking place in the province and this year’s event was organised by the Integrated Polytechnic Regional Centre (IPRC-South) in partnership with the Belgian Support Programme for Vocational Training (PAFP).

Among the products that impressed visitors at the expo include a wardrobe that can be converted into a bed, a wooden sofa that can be used as a single bed and several eco-friendly and energy-saving stoves as well as automated technologies with the potential to heat or cool houses, cook food, conduct irrigation schemes, as well as open or close gates using a mobile phone device.

Others include a ‘regenerative charger’, a kind of a power generator that uses car battery to generate up to 600 watts with an output voltage capacity of between 175 and 230VAC. Initiators of the technology, who described it as eco-friendly, affordable, innovative and powerful, believe it could replace fuel-powered generators in the future.