KIGALI - The World Bank is set to support Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET).

The World Bank support comes in to alleviate current and long term skills constraints to contribute to Rwanda’s transition to a middle income, export- and service-oriented knowledge economy by 2020.The Skills Development project has the objective of improving access to quality and demand-responsive vocational training.

The project will be implemented by the Workforce Development Authority (WDA). The institution is in charge of regulating, promoting and guiding the implementation of TVET, which covers vocational schools, technical schools and polytechnics.

According to the WDA Director General, Albert Nsengiyumva, negotiations into the support with World Bank have been finalized and await approval.

"The total amount for the project is $34.5 million with $30 million from the World Bank and $4.5 million from the Government,” said Nsengiyumva.

Nsengiyumva explained that the bigger portion of the total amount (around 70 percent) will support the Strengthening of vocational training delivery. He said that seven selected Vocational centers will be rehabilitated mainly in the Eastern and Northern Provinces.

Another portion will facilitate training, focusing on Construction and the Hospitality sectors.

The project is expected to benefit students and graduates through improved vocational training in selected priority occupations in targeted training institutions and Recipients of training funded through the Skills Development Facility.

The project further seeks to strengthen the capacity of the TVET system to align training programmes with employer demands for technical and catalytic skills. It will raise the quality of service delivery and increase the employability and performance of training graduates.

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