Editor,

RE: "African ministers renew pledge to promote vocational education” (The New Times, October 9).

TVET schools are certainly not for dropouts; we stand with the ministers in strengthening the TVET movement.

Students not only need to learn vocational skills, but also need to academically push to excel in general subjects as well.

The more well rounded the students—regardless of whether they are coming from a TVET or regular A-level institution – the broader their spectrum of opportunity academically and career-wise.

The new academic standards, as outlined by the Ministry of Education, have the opportunity to be revolutionary in their purpose if implemented correctly. Many students are coming out of O-level programmes not fully prepared for A-level studies regardless of the upper secondary course they opt for. So we must work backwards.

Personally, as a head of a TVET school, I earnestly wish to work with O-level students by giving them six years under our programme to better enhance their overall academic tutelage. Senior 3 students would be well-prepared for the challenging computer science programme that our TVET programme offers.

We hope to continue to do our part to strengthen the TVET programme in Rwanda.

Trice Dorrall