Over 20,000 sit national technical, vocational exams

A total of 23,942 technical secondary school students from across the country, yesterday, kicked off their national examinations, beginning with practical papers that will end on September 30. The exams, which are administered at the school level and supervised at the national, provincial, district and sector levels, are being conducted in 113 centres for 168 schools and examined by 1,032 assessors from schools and industry, grouped into 344 panels. Of the candidates, 10,656 (46.7 per cent) are girls, while 13,286, representing 53.3 per cent, are boys. A total of 23,563 are school candidates, while 379 are private candidates. The Minister of State for Primary and Secondary Education, Olivier Rwamukwaya, officiated at the launch of the exercise by touring examination rooms at Integrated Polytechnic Regional Centre (IPRC)-Kigali in Kicukiro District, where 1,029 candidates from nine schools around Kigali are sitting their papers. Rwamukwaya said he was encouraged by what he had seen, adding that the students were being prepped to contribute to develop themselves and their country. Pacifique Sibomuremyi, a student of IPRC Kigali, defends his project of computer electronics during Technical and Vocational Education and Training exams that started yesterday. “I am happy because from what I have seen in their practical examinations it is encouraging because we can now see that when they are done here, they will contribute to the development of the nation when they get employed or even when they employ others,” the minister said. Rwamukwaya also commended the use of English language in the exams, which he said strategically places the students in job markets locally and beyond borders. “We are also happy that they can explain what they are doing in English, which is the standard language used in all schools in Rwanda and that, too, should be applauded because they can navigate more markets anywhere in the world,” he said. TVET students under the section of construction lay a foundation of a building at IPRC Kigali during their examinations. The Principal of IPRC-Kigali, Eng. Diogene Mulindahabi, told The New Times that the number of females has been increasing over the years and more efforts were being put into encouraging more to join. “We are always encouraging them. We invite them, talk to them and take advantage of females who are already pursuing technical education to share their stories with them. We started with 3 per cent females (of the total student population) but we are now at 20 per cent,” he said. Theoretical examination of the candidates will follow, from November 9 to 18. A TVET student under the survey section mesures the topography of land at IPRC during his examination. editorial@newtimes.co.rw

News

Over 20,000 sit national technical, vocational exams