At least 45 per cent of all outstanding O’Level performers have been placed in TVET schools during the 2022/23 academic year, The New Times has learnt.

Results for O’Level indicate that among the 126,735 candidates who sat for national exams, 108,566 passed which represents 85.66 per cent.

Selected students started to go to their respective schools on Tuesday October 4, 2022.

Paul Umukunzi, the Director-General of Rwanda TVET Board (RTB), told The New Times on Thursday that the placement of a big number of outstanding performers into technical education aims to pave the way for job creation and self-employment opportunities.

Rwanda seeks to create 1.5 million off-farm jobs by 2024.

"Only 31.9 percent of ordinary level exam winners would continue technical education in the previous years. This time we had to invest a lot in building new TVET schools, rehabilitating and expanding others as well as building dormitories so that the intake of students into technical secondary education increases,” he said.

So far, he said 21 new TVET schools have been constructed across the country.

Umukunzi said that the government is also working with private TVET schools so that they receive students sponsored by the government.

"We signed agreements so that these private TVET schools become government-aided schools. We have to help these schools to get teachers, get consumables and expand buildings. So far, we have signed agreements with 35 private TVET schools,” he said, adding that the schools also get caption grants.

Under the current academic year, he said, Rwf5 billion has been invested in consumables for TVET schools.

114 sectors that have no single TVET school

Government has pledged to construct a TVET school in every sector of 416 sectors across the country.

"As of now 114 sectors have no single TVET school. In order to address the issue, the government is planning to construct TVET wings along secondary schools in partnership with stakeholders and sponsors because it requires between Rwf1 billion and Rwf5 billion to construct one standard TVET school,” he said.

So far, the government has built 81 TVET wings and seeks to set up at least 56 of them in secondary school premises every fiscal year across the country.

TVET wings are classes that the government is putting in place at all 12-year basic education schools where those done with senior three can immediately proceed with technical education.

"This initiative will help students easily access TVET schools and reduce the cost,” he said.

He said an assessment is being carried out to know where to construct workshops and identify programmes to teach depending on each district and sector as well as number of youths.

"We hope that by next academic year in September 2023, all 114 sectors will have TVET wings. This will ensure that 60 percent of ordinary level exam winners go to technical education,” he noted.

The official said that they are also urging girls to join male-dominated trades.

"The mindset is still a challenge. However, in some programmes such as IT, hospitality and tourism, 40 percent of students are girls. However, the girls are few in construction, manufacturing programmes. We want to balance so that they occupy at least 50 percent in each programme,” he said.

Reforms in school programmes

Umukunzi said that reforms have been carried out in programmes taught in TVET schools.

One example is computer systems and architecture, software development among many others.

"All programmes this academic year are new as we have reviewed them to match them with demand in the labour market and technology to create opportunities for youth,” he said.

The programmes include construction and building services, energy, technical services, hospitality and tourism, ICT and Multi-media, Arts and crafts programme, agriculture and food processing, transport and logistics, manufacturing and mining, beauty and aesthetics.

Each programme has specific modules and combinations.

What TVET schools and parents say

Pie Nambajimana, the Manager of College La Lumiere de Gashonga TVET School, told The New Times programmes have been reviewed adding they are ready to receive more students.

However, he expressed concerns over ordinary level exams winners who might not report to the school despite being deployed by the government.

He said that the school had requested 160 students but since October 4, "not even 1/3 of them has reported to the school.”

"Some might find the school far from them and others might not afford school fees or change the school. Others have a mind-set to other things that are not related to TVET. We are still assessing the situation,” he said.

"My son was deployed to St. Paul Murwa Technical secondary school in Burera district. It was good news because it is what he had requested for. He was even planning to change if not given TVET,” said Donathile Mukeshimana, a parent from Musanze district.