KIGALI - In a bid to bridge the gap between the labour market and the institution, Tumba College of Technology (TCT) yesterday held its third annual Electronic and Telecommunication forum with its stakeholders.

The function held in Kigali, brought together over 15 local electronic and telecommunication companies, among them; Artel, Rwandatel, Tele 10 and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

JICA is one of the major supporters of TCT with a five-year programme that ends in 2012. It supports TCT in the establishment of basic management system, course management cycle, improvement of technical, pedagogical, managerial skills of TCT staff and enhancement of management capacity, including employment promotion and income generation activities.

Pascal Gatabazi, the Principle of TCT, said that the annual forum helps the college to showcase its activities and get feedback from the labour industry which helps them to update and upgrade the college’s curriculum in training people who will address issues in the labour market.

"It is a forum whereby the labour market gains confidence of what we are doing so that our students get employment easily,” Gatabazi said, adding that it also helps the students to learn from the labour market how they can create their own employment.

Gatabazi said that the college has registered tremendous success, with 72 percent of its graduates currently employed.

He outlined the increased student population which stands at over 500, producing students who compete favourably on the labour market.

The principal revealed that the college is now supervising skills development in the Northern Province "which gives an indication of our good contribution to skills development in this country.”

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