Rwandans in the tertiary sector are set for an upgrade of hands-on skills learning following a new partnership between the Government of Rwanda and German institutions based in Mainz, the capital of Rhineland Palatinate.

Under the partnership, Integrated Polytechnic Regional Centre (IPRC) South will receive support of technical and vocational training in machinery and spare parts production using modern technologies from ReMA, a German company.

Meanwhile, BBS, a technical school of Germersheim, will support IPRC East with different equipment and training of trainers in automotive technologies, construction and entrepreneurial skills.

The technical support deal was signed in Germany, on Monday, between the Minister of State in charge of TVET, Albert Nsengiyumva, and ReMa chief executive Reiner Rudolphi. Also present at the signing ceremony were Rhineland Palatinate deputy minister president and minister for economy, environment and innovation Eveline Lemke; and Rwanda’s outgoing ambassador to Germany Christine Nkulikiyinka.

Further support provided by the Technical School of Kaiserslautern and the Chamber of Crafts in the City of Koblenz will go into training of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) masters’ trainers.

TVET is a hands-on training programme which government has, over the years, emphasised to broaden the country’s skills base and create more jobs, especially for the youth, hence meeting the vision of self-reliance for the population.

Training component

Currently, six Rwandan TVET trainers from IPRC South are undertaking technical training in Kaiserslautern, Germany, while the ultimate plan is to expand the programme to allow a big number of Rwandan trainers to benefit from hands on training and also select the best trainers to become master trainers.

Minister Nsengiyumva acknowledged the importance of public-private partnerships in supporting vocational skills development as a catalyst for German private sector investment in Rwanda, particularly in the productive industry.

He emphasised that because the private sector in Germany is the largest employer, trainers will get hands on skills and enough industrial exposure as a boost in quality of TVET activities.

"Trainers from our institutions will have the opportunity to receive hands-on skills since Germany is among the few countries that have developed a strong TVET programme,” he said.

Nsengiyumva added that for the next year, 40 trainers from Germany will visit TVET institutions in Rwanda while about 50 local trainers will receive training in Germany.

Still through this partnership, at least three Rwandan students from IPRC East will each year be sent to BBS Germersheim Technical School in Germany to be trained as future TVET trainers but will also get opportunity to work in private companies in the region as part of their Industrial attachments.

ReMa chief executive Rudolphi, who expressed interest in establishing a production machine and spare parts company in the country, will travel to Kigali with a team to select Rwandan students who will travel to Germany.

The government’s target is to have 60 per cent of the total student population joining TVET by 2017.

editorial@newtimes.co.rw