While there remains significant work to change public attitudes towards technical and vocational education and training (TVET), officials say perceptions are improving among Rwandans. Technical and vocational education and training (TVET) is understood as comprising education, training, and skills development relating to a wide range of occupational fields, production, services and livelihoods. Rwanda has prioritised TVET since 2008 to offer hands-on skills and educate a generation of Rwandans who are fit for the job market. However, the uptake of TVET was until 2017 low given the negative perception that was associated with these training institutions. But figures show that this is slowly changing. TVET enrolment increased from 31.1 per cent in 2017 to 43 per cent currently, according to data from Rwanda TVET Board (RTB). Paul Umukunzi, RTB Director General, attributed this to efforts in place to directly engage with students at a critical decision-making stage and offer financial support, especially to girls from low-income backgrounds aim to shift perceptions and boost enrollment in TVET. “By revising curricula to align with market needs and collaborating with the private sector, RTB is taking significant steps to ensure TVET graduates are well-prepared for the job market,” he said. “The focus on workplace learning and establishing centers of excellence further supports the goal of enhancing both the quality and relevance of TVET education in Rwanda.” he added. The growth in TVET enrollment partly reflects ongoing efforts to shift perceptions andaccelerate invest in vocational training, though challenges likely remain to reach the final goal within the remaining timeframe. Rwanda seeks to transform into a knowledge-based economy that will have the capacity of creating 214,000 productive jobs annually. The government envisions TVET has to absorb 60 per cent of 9 years basic education graduates to address the challenge of mismatch in labor market demand. At the centre of this are opportunities that technology present. Technical and vocational institutions are integrating technologies into their curricula as a step in the right direction towards ensuring that students are equipped with skills that match the demands of the modern job market. By incorporating technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), internet of things (IoT), robotics, and immersive technologies like virtual reality and argumented reality (VR/AR), officials believe TVET graduates will be better prepared to thrive in a technology-driven world. Jean de Dieu Hakizayezu, the Principal of SOS Technical High School, highlighted that the perception of TVET as a last resort whereby many people used to view TVET as an option for students who are not academically strong or who failed to qualify for traditional academic tracks is outdated. “There was a lingering belief that university education leads to higher social status and better career opportunities, while TVET is associated with manual labor or low-skilled jobs. As a result, families often prefered their children to pursue university degrees even if they may not align with the job market’s needs,” he said. This, he added, rose out of the fact that many students and parents were not fully aware of the diverse career paths and lucrative job opportunities that TVET can provide, especially in fields like technology, healthcare, and engineering. “There are signs that perceptions are improving, especially as more TVET graduates find success in technical fields with good salaries and opportunities for growth,” he noted. While the perception of TVET schools as inferior to academic pathways still exists, ongoing efforts by the RTB, the government, and development partners are slowly shifting attitudes. As TVET continues to demonstrate its value in addressing Rwanda’s skills gap and improving employability, especially among youth, likely these perceptions will further improve over time. The National Strategy for Transformation (NST2) focuses on developing skills through TVET to meet the needs of the labor market.
