A new policy for the education sector that will aim at catering for people with disabilities in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) schools is in the offing.

This was disclosed by the State Minister in charge of TVET and ICT, Claudette Irere, saying that the new policy that will boost inclusivity of learners with different disabilities will be ready in the coming month.

"The new policy aims at making sure that the existing programmes cater for the people with disabilities. We have made changes to the curriculum so that we can put programmes like knitting, culinary arts, shoemaking among others and it will ensure that centres or schools can cater for their needs as well,” she added.

She added that the policy will also help equip people with disabilities with employable skills so they can be able to be employed or create jobs of their own.

Meanwhile, in line with empowering young people with disabilities with employable skills, the Government of Rwanda in partnership with USAID and Education Development Centre (EDC) among other partners, implemented Umurimo Kuri Bose project (UKB).

At Masaka Resource Centre for the Blind and Masaka Business Incubation Centre, the first cohort of 25 young people with disabilities is expected to end their course in December, where they have been trained in culinary arts, shoemaking, mobility and braille among others.

Among the students at the centre three of them who are visually impaired, and are studying agriculture where their home-gardens have been named as the best at the district level.

Irere hailed the efforts being invested in reinforcing the skills of these young people with disabilities so they can be able to turn them into business ventures, adding that the centre will set an example to show other centres how to improve inclusivity for people with disabilities in their lessons.

Emmanuel Ndayisaba, Executive Secretary at National Council of People with Disabilities said that the most challenging thing for young people with disabilities is finding jobs, which brings more problems to them like stigma and depression

"But by having inclusivity in the training programs then we can teach them and equip them with the right skills so they can also be able to work and be economically independent” he said.

Marie-Yvonne Mukeshimana, who is blind said that she came from Muhanga District to study mobility and braille, adding that the fact that now she will be able to study another program like knitting which caters for her condition will help her start a business with the skill she will acquire.