A $9 million TVET Quality Management (TQUM) project, launched in 2021, concluded at the TVET Conference 2024 in Kigali on November 15. This collaborative effort between the Government of Rwanda, the Republic of Korea, the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), and Rwanda’s Ministry of Education (MINEDUC) has made significant strides in enhancing Rwanda’s Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) sector. Themed “Competency-Based TVET for Employability,” the conference brought together 160 participants, including government officials, TVET leaders, private sector representatives, and development partners, to reflect on the project’s achievements, which include the development of a competency-based curriculum and trainer certification framework. Since its inception, the TQUM project has transformed Rwanda’s TVET sector by establishing frameworks for competency-based curriculum, training, assessment, and trainer certification. ALSO READ: Rwanda, Zimbabwe sign pacts on TVET, Gender In her address, Claudette Irere, Minister of State for Education, highlighted the initiative's success in improving Rwanda’s TVET sector over the past four years through enhanced curriculum, training, and assessment practices. She stressed the importance of building on the resources and skills developed through the project to ensure TVET institutions deliver quality education. “Such efforts directly enhance our institutional capabilities and ensure our students are well prepared as they engage in hands-on learning and practical industry investments. I am confident that the legacy of the TQUM project will serve as a model for both current and future initiatives,” she said. She also noted that the project’s success underscores the impact of strategic collaboration, sustained investment, and a commitment to quality digital education. ALSO READ: Let quality education cement the path to Africa’s development – First Lady Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Rwanda, Jeong Woo Jin, emphasised the importance of continued collaboration between Korea and Rwanda to sustain the outcomes of the TQUM project, highlighting that both countries share a commitment to overcoming challenges posed by limited natural resources by focusing on human capital development. “Korea and Rwanda share a common goal of overcoming challenges posed by limited natural resources by investing in human capital. Rwanda’s National Strategy for Transformation (NST) continually highlights the importance of TVET, and Korea has been a dedicated partner in supporting Rwanda’s TVET sector for over a decade. The Korean government will remain a steadfast partner in Rwanda’s development priorities, ensuring the continued growth of a skilled workforce and a thriving economy,” he stated. Sylvie Mucyo, Vice-Chancellor of Rwanda Polytechnic, highlighted that the TQUM project arrived at a crucial time, aligning with Rwanda’s efforts to implement competency-based training and assessment in technical education. Mucyo also emphasised that the project included a tracer survey to assess how graduates of competency-based programmes perform in the labour market. “The project focused on three main areas; training educators and leaders, developing tools for assessing quality implementation, and reviewing and creating training programmes and manuals for teachers; however, I believe the ongoing need for continuous training, particularly for teachers to gain pedagogical skills and stay up to date with new teaching methods and technologies, including digital learning and blended teaching approaches,” she explained. She pointed out that while significant progress has been made, there remains much work to be done to fully equip educators for the evolving demands of modern teaching. ALSO READ: Africa must prioritise improving quality of education – Minister Joseph Nsengimana KOICA Rwanda Office Country Director, Kim Jinhwa, commended how remarkable the initiative was in helping teachers improve their teaching and assessment methods, adding KOICA’s commitment to not only ensuring quality education but also focusing on the career paths of graduates. “We all know the impact that this project has had by enhancing teacher training across all levels of TVET institutions and KOICA’s support in establishing a formal TVET certification for teachers through ITTI, which greatly improved their teaching skills,” she said. She also added that KOICA’s next step would be to focus on ensuring that graduates not only receive quality education but also have clear career paths that lead to good job opportunities. Aloys Minani, a TVET trainer, shared how the skills he gained through the TQUIM project improved his ability to carry out his teaching responsibility, noting that the training helped him develop essential skills such as preparing session plans, creating schemes of work, and conducting both formative and practical assessments.
