Vocational schools again take lion’s share of education Budget

Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) will again be allocated a huge chunk of the Ministry of Education (Mineduc) budget due to its recognised capacity to promote skills development and bridge the labour market skills gaps, Education minister Vincent Biruta has said. Dr Biruta was on Monday presenting the ministry’s 2013/2014 Budget Estimates and Medium Term Expenditure Plan (MTEF) before the Committee on Budget and National Patrimony. Of the Rwf224 billion Budget, which is set to be allocated to 14 key programmes, TVET is allocated Rwf38 billion. The emphasis on vocational education is also seen from the “doubled” allocation to the Workforce Development Authority (WDA) . In the 2012/13 budget, WDA was allocated Rwf16.4 billion, and in the 2013/14 budget, it has Rwf40 billion, “which is equal to a 144 per cent increase,” the minister told MPs. “This is based on the effort we want to put in TVET, as well as on government’s policy and this is the key development in this new budget,” Biruta said. He said with respect to setting up appropriate infrastructure to enable Rukara College of Education be merged with Kavumu College of Education, in 2014, the budget for the former in 2013/14 was increased by 88 per cent, from Rwf1.68 billion to Rwf3.17 billion. Under key planned activities or projects for the new fiscal year, TVET has Rwf26 billion (17 per cent) meant for infrastructure development. ICT development in schools was allocated Rwf7 billion (3.4 per cent), and boosting higher education Rwf26 billion (11.7 per cent), among others. Mineduc’s overall budget has increased by 8 per cent, from Rwf206.9 billion in 2012/13 to Rwf224.3 billion for the new fiscal year. Under the 2013/14 budget, Mineduc and affiliated agencies will get Rwf132.5 billion, while Rwf91.8 billion will be transferred to districts. However, Dr Biruta said there is a challenge with respect to TVET teachers, and a plan to solve this includes having a local teacher training centre at IPRC in Kicukiro District, and outsourcing from countries such as South Korea. MP Jean Damascene Murara commended the idea of increasing TVET Budget, saying technical and vocational schools have “extensive benefit for the country.” MP Constance Mukayuhi, the committee chairperson, wondered if Asian countries have been outsourced enough for teaching staff. The minister said TVET equipment is expensive and that effort is being made to improve in all areas.