Officials at the Workforce Development Authority (WDA), the government agency tasked with transforming the country’s Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), will receive a financial boost of about US$35 million.

A large portion of the funding will go into the upgrading of the infrastructure and training capacity for several technical and vocational schools around the country, particularly in the Eastern and Northern provinces.

The initiative is part of a new ‘skills development project’ which, if well implemented, will set the stage for fast-tracking the implementation of the integrated TVET system, which aims at creating a critical mass of a hands-on workforce, equipped with the entrepreneurial and employable skills that are necessary for the realization of the country’s development agenda.

The funding will, in particular, facilitate in strengthening the construction and hospitality sectors, by training as many Rwandans in the corresponding technical skills. These sectors are critical to the country’s sustainable development and addressing the capacity challenges they face means a lot to the economy.

The government should use the new skills development project to create pilot TVET centres that provide a complete picture of an ideal training provider, which can serve as a benchmark for potential investors.

It is urgent that WDA and other stakeholders adjust TVET training curricula to suit the needs of the labour market. That will go a long way in tackling unemployment.

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