The Minister of State in charge of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), Albert Nsegiyumva, has warned businesses intending to establish TVET schools against flouting procedures.The minister, who was visiting TVET schools operating without the greenlight from relevant officials in the districts of Gatsibo, Rwamagana and Kayonza, said it was wrong for businesspersons or companies to put profit making ahead of quality.He warned that any business venture should be preceded by acquisition of a licence and later on accreditation by the competent authorities.Citing the recent closure of Kayonza Community College, the minister wondered how such a school was allowed to admit students without the approval of Workforce Development Authority (WDA). “It is unimaginable that the school in Kayonza had admitted hundreds of students, and opened various branches across the country without accreditation. There are procedures set by WDA that must be respected. We have halted the activities of the school and others forthwith,” he said.The WDA was set up by government to provide a strategic response to the skills development challenges facing the country across all sectors of the economy.The minister said that the mushrooming TVET institutions should be able to balance profit making and quality, adding that all institutions must meet the standards set by WDA before they start constructing buildings.No compromise “Building a TVET school is not the same as building a high school. TVET is more specialised with specific tools and structure designed to conduct certain activities. It also goes with safety precautions, so it is wrong to take it for granted,” the minister said reacting to Gatsibo district’s demands to turn a secondary school into a TVET centre.“There is one thing we cannot compromise. That is quality education that provides competitive skills and knowledge. We cannot allow a situation where public-private partnership works, when the schools are only meant to make profits”.Odette Uwamaliya, the Governor of Eastern Province, said gone are the days when everyone gambled in establishing technical and vocational schools.“In fact, all technical schools should be evaluated and those that don’t meet standards closed forthwith. We cannot allow schools that produce half baked people. We shall pave way for scrutiny of the already existing schools too,” she said.
