The Integrated Polytechnic Regional Centre (IPRC) Kigali emerged the best exhibitor following a week-long fourth Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) expo at Gikondo grounds, on Thursday.

IPRC-Kigali’s innovations in irrigation technology, transport and construction, among others, won them the top accolade.

Gishari Integrated Technical School and Sinhgad Technical Education Society emerged second and third best exhibitors, respectively. They showcased laboratory technologies, electronics, technical drawings, as well as innovations in the fields of mechanical engineering and information technology.

The winners and partners in the expo were rewarded certificates of recognition.

Among the partners were; Water and Sanitation Corporation (WASAC), Nyundo School of Art and Music, Jolin from Italy, Rwanda National Police and the German Development Agency (GIZ).

The expo, attended by private entities and various vocational and technical training institutions, was held under the theme "My Skills, My Future.” It was jointly organised by the Workforce Development Authority and the Private Sector Federation (PSF).

Speaking at the closure, the Minister for Education, Dr Papias Musafiri, emphasised the importance of TVET in addressing unemployment among the youth.

Commending partners, the minister noted that technical and vocational skills development is key to achieving the government’s goal of creating 200,000 off-farm jobs annually.

"This is the human resource development training we need to achieve national sustainable development goals,” he said.

The minister pointed out that the recently published fourth Integrated Household Living Condition Survey (EICV4) indicated that 9 per cent of secondary students neither join high school nor the labour market, while 13 per cent of university graduates do not get jobs, at least in one or two years of completion of their studies.

"We want at least 60 per cent of all secondary students to join TVETs from the current 40 per cent,” he said.

Gérard Mukubu, the chief of advocacy at PSF, said they are committed to promoting homemade products and would organise another expo in December for this cause.

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