Why Rwanda values technical education

Rwanda has borrowed a leaf from advanced economies by putting Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) at a centre stage of economic and sustainable development.Germany, Switzerland, Korea, Australia and Japan created a great technical and vocational education system, which has promoted skilled labour among the nationals.Before the introduction of TVET in the country, Rwandans had a wrong perception that technical and vocational training was only for academically weak students.The wrong perception has over the years had its toll with students graduating from universities with no tangible skills to create jobs or fit in the labour market.This contributed to unemployment which is presently estimated at eight per cent.In 2008, the country embarked on building a viable and strong TVET to promote skills development among young people and reduce on the importation of skilled labour from other countries.Speaking to The New Times, yesterday, Silke Partner, the skills development advisor at German Development Cooperation (GIZ), said technical and vocational education promotes the growth of skilled labour which leads to job creation.“TVET trains the youth to acquire basic skills relevant for employment and wealth creation. The apprenticeship creates a clear path to gainful employment. Developing countries should put much emphasis on technical training to build a strong skilled labour force,” she said.Partner, who is an expert in TVET, said Germany’s economic success and inventiveness over the past six decades is attributed to vocational education and training system.She encouraged Rwanda to implement technical and vocational education because it ensures that young people are integrated into the labour force with a degree of success.Through TVET, the country is in position to attract investments since there will be a skilled labour force in place to turn the investments into fruits of economic development.“Vocational education often comes with a stigma that discourages students and parents from exploring it as a serious resource. This is a wrong perception which should be ignored entirely,” said Elmojene Hitimana, a second year student pursuing advanced diploma in mining engineering at Integrated Polytechnic Regional Centre (IPRC) Kicukiro.Hitimana believes the skills acquired will enable him get a job easily since they are relevant to the job market.As Rwanda moves to fast track second Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Strategy (EDPRS2), vocational and technical education serves as an engine to enable the country achieve middle income status through job creation and attraction of foreign direct investments.Rwanda annually hosts a week-long TVET expo as part of the country’s campaign to promote technical training among youth to close unemployment gap.The event, that opened yesterday, has attracted exhibitions from the East African region and beyond as part of the awareness campaign to promote technical education in the region.“We want to address unemployment through the promotion of technical education. Economies such as Germany and Korea are strong because of vocational education and training system,” said Jerome Gasana, the director0general of Workforce Development, AuthorityGasana said government targets to increase the number of students joining TVET from 38 per cent at the moment to 60 per cent by 2017. There are five IPRCs, 44 Public Technical Secondary Schools (TSS) and 113 private TSS, 41 Public Vocational Training Colleges (VTC) and 92 Private across the country according to WDA.In 2011, during the first TVET graduation, 16,714 students graduated in various TVET disciplines. A year later, the number increased to 17,223, and, this year, it was 21,778.TVET for global competitivenessToday graduates are facing global competition in the job market, technical and vocations skills lay a ground for fresh graduates to be able to compete favourably in international job market. Germany is one of the most progressive economies today. The European country has several lessons that are worthy of consideration for potential adopting and inspiration for Rwanda.The European country has a long history of adaption to the changing world market. Since industrialisation started in the 18th century in England, German educational system was always adapted to new demands of the industry.In 1882, for example, the first technical high school, “Technische Hochschule of Darmstadt,” established the first specialised institute of electrical technology in the world with a laboratory and workshops for the instruction of the students.Germany’s strong TVET systemThe German education system is modelled on tracks that provide either vocational preparation or entrance to advanced university studies. Therefore each student gets personal skills fitting education.Jürgen Glatthaar, a German technician in the automobile industry said: “we need young people having good technical skills they get through vocational training. But they must be able to react on new demands, not only in the automobile industry but in the whole technical sector.”Technical education is no longer only a tool for industrialisation of the country, but opens a fast developing sector of service and non-productive industries.“The German vocational system is driven by industry, productive and non-productive, and the needs of economy. Based on the training of technical and soft skills, “technical education prepare graduates from Germany to global competition in all sectors,” added Glatthaar.

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Why Rwanda values technical education