Rwanda Workforce Development Authority

View Rwanda Differently

Workforce Development Authority

BUILDING SKILLS FOR EMPLOYABILITY, SELF RELIANCE AND ECONOMIC GROWTH

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CONTENT 5

View Rwanda Differently

Published by The New Times Publications Ltd on Behalf of WDA COORDINATION Kirui Moses, Emmanuel Nuwamanya EDITOR Thomas Kagera MARKETING

H.E Quote

Tom Jack Kakyomya

Minister

STAFF WRITERS

DG Overview

Diane Mushimiyimana, Ian Ford Nkera,

Training

Joseph Mudingu, Thomas Kagera,

DDG Training

Donatah Mbabazi

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Board Chairman

Quality Assurance Curriculum ToT

PHOTOGRAPHY

Assessment and Certification

Sam Ngendahimana

National Employment Program

Nadege Imbabazi

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WDA implementation of NEP SDP WDA Support to Made in Rwanda

DESIGN AND LAYOUT

Prior Learning Recognition (STECOMA)

Yakub ibrahim

IPRCs and other TVET Schools IPRC Kigali

OUTLOOK RWANDA Tel: +250782859324/+250782202058

IPRC South IPRC North/Tumba College of Technology

Email: marketing@newtimes.co.rw

IPRC West

Immeuble Aigle Blanc

Other schools: Musanze Polytechnic,

Opposite MINIJUST Kimihurura P.O. Box 4953 Kigali Rwanda

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IPRC East

Nyundo School of Music, Rubengera, Sports Academies, Africa Digital Media PARTNERS JICA

Copyright©The New Times Publications Ltd

KOICA,

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Others (Chart) INCUBATION CENTERS Masaka BIC Nyarutarama Hospitality HeforShe ICT

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There are various ways to address

the unemployment problem.

One of them is to continue to invest heavily in TVET, so that these programmes touch on people going for education at different levels.

There I saw secondary school level, university level, having TVET programmes touching the secondary and university levels would reduce this problem significantly because it doesn’t help that you graduate from university and there is very little you can do when you are out there on the job market.

So it really raises a question, what was it that you were preparing for, or what were people preparing you for? TVET provides the kind of skills that will help defeat unemployment. We will have to put focus on this. As I said, it is a collaboration, but these young people must also have the right attitude, because a bad one can also create problems. Some people think they should go to university even if they are not acquiring anything from there. If we become more open to other options, and we at other levels encourage them and invest in what gives them these skills, then I think we may make some significant progress.

The only fitting response to this challenge therefore, and other remaining challenges, is to get back to work and figure out how to significantly speed up progress towards the Rwanda we want and indeed deserve.

President Paul Kagame at the launch of the 4th Integrated Household Living Conditions Survey (Eicv4)

Kigali, 14 September 2015

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The only fitting response to this challenge therefore, and other remaining challenges, is to get back to work

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Rwandan Minister of Education Hon. Dr. Papias Musafiri Malimba speaking to participants during the closing ceremony of the 4th TVET Expo at Gikondo Expo Grounds in Kigali

Students in Technical and vocational Education trainings will have to increase for the country to reduce unemployment rate. We want students with hands on- skills which will enable us to create over 200,00 jobs every year. TVET is the way to go.

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Hon. Rwamukwaya Olivier, Minister in Charge of TVET

Skills that define and refine employment, development

A

skilled workforce is the engine that drives a country’s industrial and economic growth. In an effort to make the youth cope with the dynamics of skills’ requirements in the job market, the Ministry of Education through Workforce Development Authority has been promoting Technical and Vocational Education and Training(TVET) with emphasis on creating a workforce with competency-based and employable skills required in the labour market. TVET has emerged as one of the most effective human resource development strategies that Rwanda has adopted to train and modernize the technical workforce for national development.

The 2015 TVET policy has a vision of developing a regional and international TVET system that produces graduates with employable skills that respond to the changes in employers’ demands , the country’s labour market, build them into competent entrepreneurs and engage in life-long learning.

Understanding TVET The TVET policy has been designed in a way that improves understanding of skills needs in priority sectors.

There was limited understanding of the nature or extent of skills shortage faced in society today.

The policy was established with the objective of identifying the current and future skills required, so that both the demand and supply of skills have equilibrium. The TVET policy was established in line with other national documents like the Vision 2020, EDPRS II, ESSP (Education Sector Strategic Plan) II among others.

Horizontal-vertical pathway There used to be no clear pathway in the TVET system (vertical) or a defined way of changing from the general education system to TVET (horizontal) i.e. there was neither clarity on what amount of skills one had to acquire before they get promoted (vertical pathway) nor distinct yardstick on the minimum requirements to move from the general to TVET education system.

The need to have harmonized qualification frameworks for both systems called for establishment of the policy. Currently, there is a National Qualification Framework both in the general and TVET education systems. In 2017,the revised curriculum was implemented.

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Capacity The staff within the TVET system were insufficient in numbers and skills, partly because the TVET sector wasn’t given a lot of importance. The policy looks to equipping staff in TVET with the skills to make them market responsive and pass on these skills to the students. There were Engineers who graduated from the University of Rwanda but did not have TVET pedagogical skills, raising the need to polish their skills so that they can deliver effectively.

Currently, TVET’s partners are supporting training some staff at managerial, pedagogical, curriculum development internship management, among others. A TVET Trainer Institute has been constructed and will soon be inaugurated.

In addition, TVET is co-coordinating with the Ministry of Labour, Private Sector Federation and Sector Skills Councils to identify skills gaps in different sectors. These aid curriculum development.

Coordination of TVET initiatives As the TVET system grows in importance and footprint, there are more interventions from developing partners, the private sector, investors and even the civil society which has called for more co-ordination. The policy was established to design a Partnerships Framework, to guide and serve as reference for all the actors involved.

TVET facilities and sourcing TVET has now gained firm traction because students and parents have realized its importance.

In the past, there were no distinctive budgets for the general and TVET education systems. Currently, there is a portion allocated to TVET. Responsive curriculum The traditional curriculum in Rwanda has always put emphasis on a teacher-based approach whereby the curriculum lists resources, equipment and strategies to support student learning. This approach is entirely timebased and meant to test a student’s ability to recall knowledge, rather than testing skills, knowledge and attitudes.

The policy was established to match the curriculum with skills required on the labour market, making competency-based.

Currently, the curriculum is developed not only by the trainers but also by the industry and the students. Companies are invited to contribute to curriculum development in line with the skills that they need.

Attractiveness There was a general misconception that TVET was for failures. It was believed that TVET was the last resort when a student failed to pursue their dream courses in Sciences or Arts. The policy was put in place to change that perception.

Currently, more students and parents are beginning to understand the importance of technical and vocational studies.TVET uses role models like in the HeForShe Campaign where girls already pursuing technical careers are invited to inspire fellow girls. This plays a big role in changing perception.

Employer engagement In the past, employers simply waited for products from our TVET schools, assessed them to find out if they had the skills or not. The TVET policy ensures increased employer engagement so that students acquire skills both at school and in the workplace.

Todate, the employers are involved in the curriculum development and offer these students Industrial Based Training. Students spend 50% of their time at school and 50% at the workplace which has helped them to have the right skills needed at workplaces and students easily get linked with their future employers.

Equity and inclusiveness The government is giving priority to an equitable and inclusive education system, whether in the general education or TVET. Girls are specifically being encouraged to join TVET. The HeForShe Campaign was established to increase the number of girls joining TVET, targeting to triple girls’ numbers by 2020.So far, there is a growing trend.

In the next five years, the targets of the TVET policy will be met and Rwandans will be enjoying what TVET graduates will be offering in different sectors. There will be suffiency of equipment, trainers will be more qualified and the mindset towards TVET will have changed. The future is bright.

John Bonds Bideri WDA Chairman Board of Governors

TVET, for a skilled workforce

T

he Government of Rwanda established the

Access to TVET, its relevance and quality remain strong

Workforce development Authority (WDA) as a

pillars within a wide guiding policy intended to uphold

strategic response to the skills development

teaching standards. Important also is the role of the private

challenges facing the country across all sectors

sector in TVET. Their contribution brings quality. More of

of the economy.

this support is required to have competent graduates for our region and beyond.

Since its inception in 2009, WDA has intensely worked

Counting on over 300 TVET schools country wide, the

towards realizing its mandate of being the leading driving

development of local skills goes hand in hand with

force of development in Rwanda through the provision of

the enhancement of locally made products, using the

Technical Vocational and Education Training (TVET).The

latest technology. The ‘Made in Rwanda’ campaign is a

ministry of Education has endeavored to develop policies

prerequisite to making all offered programs relevant to

that make TVET more attractive and recommendable for

Rwanda’s needs in terms of demand and supply for the

sustainable human resource development.

labour market.

The success of WDA and all stakeholders marks a

Through working together with different development

milestone in the growth of TVET and contribution to

partners, WDA has directed its focus on policies and

the human resources development that is crucial to the

strategies that are in line with government targets—the

attainment of the EDPRs 2 and the country’s vision at

Vision 2020, the EDPRS 2,ESSP, , Sustainable Development

large.There has been a significant change to our society,

Goals, among others.

as graduates continue to fill some of the gaps in the labor

Creating a strong workforce remains a clear pathway to

market and contribute to the growth of industry and the

Rwanda’s vibrant economy.

national economy.

Counting on over 300 TVET schools country wide, the development of local skills goes hand in hand with the enhancement of locally made products, using the latest technology. The ‘Made in Rwanda’ campaign is a prerequisite to making all offered programs relevant to Rwanda’s needs in terms of demand and supply for the labour market.

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TVET Overview

Building skills for employability, self-reliance and economic growth

T

he government of Rwanda longterm development vision of transforming the economy into a middle-income and operating as a knowledge-based economy which is in line with the country’s Vision 2020 requires a comprehensive economic development through productivity improvements and an economic transformation from subsistence agriculture towards commercial agriculture, manufacturing, and services.

Workforce Development Authority (WDA) was therefore established by Law number 03/2009 to lead the building of vocational and technical skills for competitiveness and employability.

The development of a strong Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) system to produce professional skilled labour in the various sectors is one of the main interventions that WDA has undertaken with fervor to contribute towards realizing the general objective of building a competent breed of human capital for meeting the EDPRS II target of creating 200,000 off-farm jobs per year. The government is targeting 60% enrollment of learners into technical and vocational training centers by 2018.

WDA’s intervention in skills development programs are hands-on, away from the traditional theoretical knowledge passed on by education institutions. That way, a critical mass of Rwandan population have acquired skills relevant with today’s increasingly competitive world.

The development of local skills will, in the long-run, translate into the enhancement of locally made products. WDA is also mandated to provide the latest technology through Building vocation and technical skills has been accentuated in twelve key priority sectors;

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1.

2.

Construction and Building Services Information and Communications Technology 3. Agriculture and Food processing 4. Technical Manufacturing and Assembling 5. Clean and Sustainable Energy 6. Art and Crafts 7. Beauty and aesthetics 8. Mining and Mineral processing 9. Hospitality and Tourism 10. Film making 11. Manufacturing 12. Water Resources management So these programmes have been given utmost priority in the country and Kigali-based vocational training institutions.

WDA has a management arm, based in Kigali, but also oversees Integrated Polytechnic Regional Centers (IPRCs), Technical Secondary Schools (TSSs) and Vocational Technical Schools (VTCs) which also help in furnishing Rwandans with the desired technical skills.

The VTCs provide training for a maximum of one year, while the TSSs train in three year programmes. The IPRCs, at the level of polytechnic, offer ordinary and advanced diplomas acquired after a three-year span of intensive training. These diplomas are equivalent to three years of university education. All this combined, forms the WDA. Some of the courses offered are in different TVET institutions and at different levels are; Information and Communications Technology (ICT), Electrical &Electronics Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Electronic Telecommunication, Automobile Engineering, General Mechanics, Civil Works Construction, Building and Construction, Agriculture, Veterinary Services, Accountancy, Computer Science, Public Works, Masonry, Carpentry and Tailoring. Others are Forestry, Industrial Installation, Hairdressing, Welding,

WDA has had some persua the unemployment proble

Catering, Auto electricity, Body Works and painting, Machine tools, Tourism, Plumbing, ICT (Networking, Hardware) and Driving (Cat.B,C,E).

So, WDA employs normal training programmes using the facilities at hand, but giving special attention to the hands-on integer.

WDA has had some persuasive achievements from the time of its inception to date. In June 2012, the Authority launched the TVET Rwanda Qualifications Framework (RTQF) which is a tool used to measure and define how the learners have to proceed form one year to the other, using the course modules that are universal to all TVET institutions in the country. This was developed to alleviate the mismatch in terms of skills because, before its inauguration, each institution used to follow its own curriculum.

This has also enabled WDA to provide National Examinations. For the first time in Rwanda, students who undergo vocational and technical training are examined even in the practical exercises, not on theory alone as it was before.

The setting up of 5 IPRCs is another milestone successfully implemented by the WDA—in terms infrastructure, manpower, rules and regulations.

Other than the IPRCs, there are some other specialized trainings introduced into the country including; the Multi-Media Academy—in partnership with an American Company from Hollywood) .

The introduction of Incubation Centers is helping to bridge the skills and information gaps between the job market and the training schools, acting much like an on-the-job training section. Entrepreneurship Centers are also serving a similar purpose, but concentrating more on the business side of the trainee. If the trainee has got the Carpentry skills, how does he use them to prosper? That is where the Entrepreneurship Centers come in—the business side.

In a Tracer Survey conducted in October 2014 it was established that in the year 2012, 61.4 percent of TVET graduates were employed up from the 38.6 percent that were employed in 2011.

Producing skilled labour with the capacity to apply skills in the various sectors as well as creating jobs to fight unemployment and contribute towards national development is the major rationale behind the government’s effort in promoting TVET. Of the TVET graduates with own jobs, the survey established that 87 percent of the respondents provide jobs to more than six people while 13 percent say they provided jobs to less than 6 people.

Infrastructure Over the last 5 years 49 schools have been constructed and 58 have been supplied with equipment and consumables in order to increase access and quality of TVET delivery. Since 2010, much progress has been made with the overall complement of TVET schools growing from 63 to the current 390schools.

sive achievements m

The TVET Management Information System has been developed and is fully operational, while, so far, 132 TVET schools have been connected with internet and this remains as continuous priority for TVET. African Digital Media Academy has been rehabilitated and equipped with the motion capture, green screen studio and modern modeling and film editing studio.

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TVET Overview

Graphical Presentation of Increase in TVET schools (2010-2016):

Curriculum development Currently, WDA counts 98 Competence Based Training curricula aligned to the new Rwanda Technical Qualification Framework being implemented.

Examination and Certification Since 2011 a total number of 101,846 senior six graduates were examined and certified with a success rate of an average of 90.3%. Practical examinations have been introduced and harmonized in Technical Secondary schools. The national practical exams are done in 109 centers Competence based assessment has been introduced and it is being piloted in 20 schools teaching in agriculture sector. The number of candidates examined and certified has generally risen from 2011 to dates as represented in the table here below.

Annual enrollment of candidates for examinations

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Indicator

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

Number of Candidates

16,714

17,223

21,778

21,305

22,966

24,054

School Candidates

15,681

16,675

21,263

20,832

22,516

23,638

Private Candidates

1,033

548

515

473

450

416

Male Candidates

8,179

8,559

10,897

10,572

12,245

13,340

Female Candidates

8,535

8,664

10,881

10,733

10,721

10,714

Occupation/trades

21

21

20

22

22

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TVET Overview

A critical mass of Rwandan population have acquired skills relevant with today’s increasingly competitive world

Training of Trainers The Training of Trainers (ToT) qualification framework comprising Trainers qualifications is in place reflecting the following fundamental classification: This framework has adopted three complementary approaches to ToT of, pre-service and post experience training. So far 816 of the 4,419 trainers (including those in private schools) have been trained with much emphasis on competence based training. Various initiatives on ToT in competence based training, technical upgrading; ICT and English are being harmonized while awaiting the completion of the ToT centre whose construction has been started at IPRC Kigali.

Currently ToT implementation is focused on delivering training in phases for the Foundation Training Programme and placing all inservice trainers into the system of certification. The associated Technical training will be based in the RTQF; The RTTI will pilot the TVET Trainer Programme (Foundation + Advantaged Trainer Programme) from July 2016. ToT is currently supported by GIZ, NUFFIC, PAFP, SwissContact, KOICA and JICA. It is during the fiscal year 2015/2016 planned that Training of Trainer (ToT) activity for

Adolescent Girls Initiative project (AGI) AGI project aimed to help girls dealing with difficult situations and equip them with employable TVET skills. It concluded successfully from 20112014 after training 2074 girls and young women (effectively surpassing the earlier set target of 2025). The training took place in the four districts of Kicukiro, Gasabo, Rulindo and Nyamagabe. The performance was ranked satisfactory by the World Bank. These AGI schools with 40 staff, are now integrated in National Employment Programme. e.

Remera Hospitality Academy (RHA)/Hospitality Management Institute Tourism and hospitality is regarded as the fastest growing industry in the world, with Africa having a significant potential for developing the sector. Many African countries including Rwanda can achieve sustainable economic development and poverty reduction through tourism. According to the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) and the International Labour Office (ILO), there is worldwide consensus that employment generated by tourism/hospitality industry can be substantial in many national economies, contributing to their economic growth and providing employment and income to people (World Employment Report 1998-1999, ILO, 1999, Geneva).

Consistent with these perspectives, the Government of Rwanda has identified tourism sector as one of the priority sectors in achieving Vision 2020 and as a principal contributor to the eradication of poverty in the country.

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TVET Overview

According similar emphasis to tourism, the WDA has rolled out the following initiatives: • Establishment of the Rwanda Hospitality Academy (RHA) at the WDA Remera grounds. This academy has so far enrolled two cohorts of 178 diploma students. In the last three years, the RHA has served well to offer certified onsite hotel worker upgrading training for over 3500 through short-term 2.5 months intensive courses, in bid to improve the quality of services offered in our country. In the same thrust, a further 695 more Rwandan youths have completed training in a novel initiative of Industry Based Training (IBT) that was planted in the Moriah Hills, Eastland, Urimuri and Virunga hotels and operated in a partnership of the WDA and the respective hotels.

• WDA intends for the RHA to give way to a new planned Hospitality Management Institute (HMI), vis: 1. A signed agreement for the Les Roches to support the GoR through the WDA by providing advisory and support services in Hospitality Education. These services focus on setting up an Associate Degree in Hospitality Management offering institution of international standards in Kigali.

2. While it will upgrade training standards and hospitality staff competencies in Rwanda, the HMI has a broader target of the African Catchment market. It will additionally offer diplomas in Culinary Arts that are also internationally benchmarked.

•

The initial preparatory phase of this project is in progress.

Design work on this project will commence in November 2015.

Subsequent rehabilitation works at the Remera campus are expected to start in December 2015 and end in August 2016, in time for the fully equipped schools to open its doors for students in September 2016.

The HMI will be supported by selected staff of the 26 Rwandans who completed MBA in Hospitality Management from Les Roches. The rest of the staff will be deployed to the 5 recently constructed model hospitality centers in IPRC West, IPRC South, EST Busogo, Musanze Polytechnic and IPRC East. Further support for the national hospitality training offer will obtain from the 7 diploma in Food Production graduates who recently returned from Kenya Utalii College.

National Employment Programme (NEP) and Its achievements Under the National Employment Program (NEP) which started in 2014/2015, WDA is implementing the pillar related skills development by equipping youth and women with adequate handson skills to foster self-employment and harness job creation or own business as a highly prioritized and articulated under EDPRS II. Skills training took five forms of Massive Vocational Training (MVT), Industry Based Training (IBT)/Apprenticeship, Rapid Response Training (RRT), Recognition of Prior Learning and Reconvention Program. All these training offers are aligned to employers’ needs and include entrepreneurship skills to allow graduates to easily start up their businesses.

S/N

Training Schemes

Nr Of Beneficiaries

1

Massive Vocational Trainings (MVT)

10,691

2

Industry Based Trainings (IBT)

2,389

3

Rapid Response Trainings (RRT)

2,324

4

Recognition of Prior Learning

13,305

5

Reconversion Program (Training for unemployed university graduates)

500

Total Skills Development Project (SDP) SDP was a 5 year World Bank Funded project (April 2011March 2016) aiming at TVET infrastructure development and quick TVET skills development, with a total budget of USD 34.5 million. Of this, an amount of USD 22.4 million was dedicated to the building and equipping 6 TVET schools namely IPRC East, IPRC West, EST Busogo, Kinihira VTC, Kirehe VTC and Kabarondo VTC. These have now all been completed.

The supply and installation of hospitality training equipment for 4 occupations namely Culinary Art, Food & Beverage

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3.

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29,209

Service, Front Office Operations, Housekeeping Operations) for 3 of the schools namely IPRC West, IPRC East and EST Busogo has been completed as well as the supply and installation of construction workshop equipment for 3 occupations namely Plumbing, Masonry and Electrical installations for all the 6 schools mentioned above.

Training in these schools started in December of 2014. In addition to this 2 rounds of a nine months (6 for training and 3 for IAP) Industry Based Training (IBT) of students in the 4 hospitality occupations have been completed so far. The above mentioned training was complemented with other trainings in 4 construction and 4 hospitality occupations/trades assume the following profile:

TVET Overview

Training option

Trainee complement

Hospitality IBT Enrollment

Cohort 1 Cohort 2

SDP Schools enrollment

4 Construction & 4 Hospitality Occupations

Through the Skills Development Fund (SDF) with a budget of USD 7.6 million, 108 TVET institutions have were supported with grants worth Rwf 3.6 billion. The fund supported the grantees to provide short term vocational training. A total of 8,057 trainees (where 44% were female) has been enrolled by these beneficiary institutions and 6,854 completed (where 44% were female) trainings.

Percentage of female Enrolled 430

44.8%

Completed 369

43.9%

Enrolled 450

41.3%

Completed 416

44.7%

Enrolled 959

43.2%

to allow students to specialise in particular areas. Courses that are available here include: Video production, Photoshop, computer graphics, advanced 3-D modelling & surfacing, character animation for production and a documentary project.

Africa Digital Media academy The ADMA has signed partnership between the WDA and Pixel Corps, a company that is based in California with over 10 years’ experience preparing people to work across different aspects of digital media. The ADMA has a team of administrators, resident and visiting instructors from all over the world. Visiting instructors interact either directly with the students on site or via Google hangouts. Resident instructors make it easier to deploy basic training. From time to time visiting instructors who are wellrespected specialists in specific areas are engaged.

Nyarutarama Business Incubation Center This recently constructed center that was equipped with a grant from the government of India commenced training in January 2015.

It operates on a hybrid incubation model where incubates are given short course training in any of its 8 production lines and thereafter incubated for a period of in the Centre premises.

Currently there are 36 incubation interns. Of these, 14 are in Bakery and pastries, 7 in Toilet paper and serviette making, and 13 in tailoring.

Another 114 trainees are receiving skilling in fruit juice & tomatoe ketchup processing, toilet paper & serviette making, bakery & pastries, popcorn& ice cream cone making, tailoring, sweets making, mobile phone repairs, air conditioning and refrigeration – maintenance.

ADMA offers a three-tiered training programme with students initially undergoing a set of introductory classes to familiarise themselves with different applications and digital media processes.

The second phase brings students up to industry standards and practices while the third phase consists of master classes designed

Shair Academy The Shair academy commenced operations in March, 2013, training in professional hair dressing working in partnership with Shair Academies Trust, a United Kingdom based charity organisation.

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TVET Overview

Resident instructors make it easier to deploy basic training while from time to time visiting instructors who are well respected specialists in specific areas are engaged

upgrading training of our staff in Nairobi. It also supplied all equipment, tools and training materials (consumables) complete with an on graduation take-home toolkit. This academy offers a 12-month training programme in which 5 months are spent training in industry under a carefully monitored Industrial Attachment Programme (IAP).

It has so far graduated 2 cohorts of trainees (38 and 35 trainees in the first and second cohorts respectively) in its one year training.

The current third cohort has enrolled 40 trainees, of whom 24 are girls.

TVET promotion and knowledge sharing In collaboration with ADEA (Association of Education Development in Africa), the Ministry of Education has organized a Ministerial Conference of Inter-Country Quality Node on Technical and Vocational Skills Development (ICQN / TVSD) on 8th October

2015 at Serena Hotel, Kigali, Rwanda. The theme of the Conference is “Promoting investment in Skills and Competencies acquisition by trainers and entrepreneurs in African countries”. This theme was agreed on during the Ministerial Conference on “Youth Employment” that took Place in Abidjan, July 2014.

The October 2015 Ministerial Conference was part of a “TVET week” which was organized by the Ministry of Education in collaboration with its public and private Partners from 2nd to 8th October 2015 and focused on quality, innovation and employment program. The TVET week included various activities notably field visits on 5th October, a symposium from 6th to 7th October and TVET exhibition from 2nd to 8th October 2015. Conclusions and resolutions of the Ministerial conference will be implemented closely with ADEA, Private sector federation and PAFP (Belgian Common Support TVET Programme).

“Promoting investment in Skills and Competencies acquisition by trainers and entrepreneurs in African countries” 16

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TVET Overview

Summary of ongoing activities with other public institutions Ministry of Infrastructure The ongoing cooperation of MINIFRA & WDA to develop market relevant CBT/CBA curricula in energy under AfDB financing has taken off and all curricula have been developed and pilot phase is ongoing.

Ministry of Natural Resources The DACUM Charts, Occupational Standards for 4 Machine Operator, Recovery Operator and Mines Captain are available and the curricula for mining related occupations is completed.

Ministry of Health There is an initiative of helping Ministry of Health to develop curricula of Palliative Care, Community Health Workers and Noncommunicable diseases. The curricula are now completed and training manuals are under development.

Ministry of Trade and Industries WDA is under the process of establishing training centers in different integrated craft production centers to especially enhance quality of woodwork to lead to reduction of import starting from the one of Gisozi. Specification of standards machines to be used have been developed, the association of woodworkers called ADARWA is at an advanced stage of negotiating with BDF to buy the needed dryer. There is still discussion on how the training center will be built, roles of key players in buying machines and their management.

WDA will provide required curricula and trainers.

In line with the Made in Rwanda Initiative and the process to reduce the second hand clothes coming from outside Rwanda, there is an initiative to establish a Fashion Design School. IPRCs Kigali has been identified to host this training center and is expected to start by March 2017.

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Trends of TVET from 2011 to 2015

Trends of TVET from 2011 to 2016

Year

2016

Total number of Students

116,292

Male (55%)

63,960

Female (45%)

52,332

Vocational Training Centers

18,585

Male

10,948

Female

7,637

Special Programs under NEP (IBT, RRT,RPL,MVT,etc)

18,394

Male

9,273

Female

9121

Technical Secondary Schools

70,323

Male

38,502

Female

31,821

Polytechnics

8,990

Male

6,922

Female

2,068

MAJOR ACHIEVEMENTS (CONT’D)TVET enrolment ( from 2010 to 2015)

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Achievements (Cont’d)

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1

TRAINING 20

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For quality training, employable skills the Unit has to establish and ensure that students who enroll in those schools acquire quality training, adapted to the needs of the labor market.

T

he mission of AQA Unit is setting standards of accreditation quality assurance standards and regulate TVET providers through quality audit and therefore plays a supervisory role in education and training offered by Rwanda’s technical and Vocational schools.

“After carrying out the school audit, and the school found to be meeting the minimum standards then WDA guarantee accreditation In case they fall below minimum standards, they get recommendation for improvement and advised to re-apply for accreditation when they meet the said requirements”, she says.

Rehema Mukankubito who is the acting director of AQA (Accreditation and quality assurance) at Workforce Development Authority (WDA) says that the Unit has to establish and ensure that students who enroll in TVET schools acquire quality training, adapted to the needs of the labor market. “Requirements for accreditation mainly focus on documents which include; an Application letter submitted at WDA offices, a letter tp WDA recommended by the district where the school will be located, , land title and master map approved by legal authority and Statute of the owner of the school approved by legal authority.

As a way of improving the quality of TVET education, WDA requires that the schools have to set up training programs referring to the TVET Rwanda Qualifi¬cations Framework (RTQF).

For quality enhancement, all accredited TVET schools are visited regularly and advised in those areas where improvement is seen to be needed.

“After analyzing the document submitted by the applicant then we and found to be eligible for site visit, the unit carries out the audit to verify if the school is eligible to start or not.

During the audit of the school/ TVET provider requesting accreditation, the following are the mains areas of focus; the infrastructure which involves the number of classrooms and their dimensions ,Standard workshops and stores related to qualifications to be offered; administration block ( number of offices ) and social facilities (number of toilets, number of bathrooms, dormitories(dimension), dining room(dimension), among others.

The audit also looks at the Learning aspect involving the list of learning materials related to qualifications to be offered the number of trainees expected as well as the information regarding trainers their qualifications and experience.

Major achievements The unit has contributed to the increment of TVET schools from 63 in 2011 to 392 to-date ,of which 64% are privately owned.

The number of students rose from 51,773 in 2010 to 116,292 in 2016. Employer satisfaction and the entrepreneurship of graduates is another indicator of her Unit‘s success and WDA success in general. The assessment carried out by the WDA indicated that employer satisfaction stands at 75 per cent while 9% of TVET Graduates create jobs with 90% of graduates getting jobs only after six months.

However, there are some challenges to work on such as the inadequate infrastructure and shortage of qualified trainers. This is being addressed with the establishment of a Rwanda Technical Teacher Institute. The school is expected to boost competence for in-service vocational and technical trainers as well as increase the number of professional trainers.

She adds that school management and leadership skills of school managers are another challenge in technical and vocational education and training.

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21

Curriculum

TVET competence-based curriculum focuses on results

C

omprehensive human resources development is considered to be one of the necessary pillars to reach the status middle income.

“As embedded in the RTQF, the competency based curriculum has

different

levels

or

qualifications. So far, we have 7 .From level 1

to level 5 we

give certificates .From level 6-7 we give diplomas and from level 7 upwards, advanced

The Workforce Development Authority (WDA) through its curriculum development unit in collaboration with development partners developed the Competency- based curricula which focus on priority sectors as identified by the government. Over 90 CBT curricula were developed and organized trainings that are work-oriented with emphasis on employable skills.

The present curriculum consists of three sections. The first section is of general interest and shows the nature and goals of a program and the key concepts and definitions used in the document. The second section deals with the qualification the learner will achieve at the end of training. The last section is the actual training package containing all the modules of the qualification.

diploma which is the highest qualification we offer now, ”

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According to JMV Muhire , the director of Curriculum Development Unit at WDA, the competency-based curricula is aligned with the Rwanda TVET Qualification Framework (RTQF). A qualifications framework is a tool that describes the main purposes and learning expectations for each qualification in a particular education system. It establishes the relationship between the different qualifications, and assists in comparing one’s own standards with those in other education systems, whether for purposes of study or work elsewhere.

Curriculum

“As embedded in the RTQF, the competency based curriculum has different levels or qualifications. So far, we have 7 .From level 1 to level 5 we give certificates .From level 6-7 we give diplomas and from level 7 upwards, advanced diploma which is the highest qualification we offer now, ”says Muhire Muhire explains that in Levels 1 and 2 students who were not able to complete Ordinary level Studies (O-level) are enrolled; level 3up to level 5 for O-level certificate holders and Level 6 and 7 can be compared to University studies.

Competency-based curriculum was officially launched in 2012. It differs from the previous one as it focuses on specialization in a certain discipline rather than learning many subjects at once and graduate without competency to practice them all effectively.

Muhire adds that the modules of the curriculum include a description of the expected results at the end of training. There is a direct link with the choice of the learning activities. The competences are the targets of the training upon which one will be expected to confidently enter the labor market. The curriculum is also the reference to carry out the assessment of learning.

“This new curriculum is expected to anchor the transformation of TVET delivery in Rwanda as graduates will have capacity to offer ready-to-use industry skills, generate technical solutions and applications to the identified needs of industry and those of the country at large. For instance if one wants to be a plumber ,he will undergo training that focuses only on plumbing at each level until he gradually becomes a professional plumber ”, explains Muhire.

The course structure describes the learning outcomes for each learning unit. These learning outcomes are the essential skills and knowledge to be acquired. The contents to be covered for each learning outcome are prescriptive. The Learning Activities contain a series of suggestions, usually with several options, that guide the learner and the trainer.

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23

Exam and Certification Unit

Trained and examined for a purpose “The assessment has been improved to meet the competency standards that students will be examined to prove their competencies in one area of specialization than previously when they were doing more than one discipline at a time.”

T

he main responsibilities of the TVET Exam and Certification Unit at the Workforce Development Authority ( WDA) is to work with other stakeholders to prepare the exams monitor the registration process ,releasing the results, handling claims and other related

tasks .

“Thanks to close collaboration with other stakeholders, a lot has been improved in examination since I came in to make sure the students who sit for exams are eligible and will come out to serve the purpose. Before, we had many issues of malpractices and forgery of documents, especially for private candidates who would claim to have undergone certain trainings. We closely scrutinize those who sit the examinations. Previously the requirements were not as strict,”

The main responsibilities of the TVET Exam and Certification Unit at the Workforce Development Authority ( WDA) is to work with other stakeholders to prepare the exams monitor the registration process, examining learners, releasing the results, handling claims and other related tasks.

WDA took over the responsibility of conducting national technical and professional exams from the former National Examination Council (now REB) in 2011.

Rose Mukantabana, the head of TVET Exam and Certification Unit at WDA says that formal assessing and examining students is a very important component as it proves whether the candidates (future workers) are competent and certified to go out and carry out a standardized labor activity “Thanks to close collaboration with other stakeholders, a lot has been improved in handling examinations, making sure students have acquired, internalized and therefore will practice and or translate their skills into profitable work. Before, there were issues of malpractices and forgery of documents, especially for private candidates who would claim to have undergone certain trainings. Today, there is close scrutinizing of those who sit the examinations,” she says.

Mukantabana says that setting standards for national TVET exams has a great impact on the performance and certification of graduates who have proven their competencies and ready to make positive changes at the labor market with the knowledge acquired.

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Exam and Certification Unit

Indicator

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

Number of Candidates

16,714

17,223

21,778

21,305

22,966

24,054

School Candidates

15,681

16,675

21,263

20,832

22,516

23,638

Private Candidates

1,033

548

515

473

450

416

Male Candidates

8,179

8,559

10,897

10,572

12,245

13,340

Female Candidates

8,535

8,664

10,881

10,733

10,721

10,714

Occupation/trades

21

21

20

22

22

23

Tools of assessment have been updated to meet the rapidly advancing technology. WDA shall keep the momentum of making sure students get the right training, preparing them well to be competent at the labor market .

“Starting this year we shall consider levels contrary to the TSS system where students had to sit in TVET classes for 3 years doing general courses. For instance from level 3 ( equal to senior 4 in formal education),a student who passes the September ( practical exam and November( theory) will be awarded a certificate for the one year completed. The process will then continue for the following years. Practical exercises are given 70 % priority as usual, ”

To get a certificate a candidate must get nine points in theory and grade E in the practical exams.

The numbers of candidates, examinable disciplines, schools and the overall pass rate have all been growing in the recent past.

At least 23,153 candidates sat for TVET exams in 2015, growing to 24,086 in 2016. For 2016, 24,074 (44.51% girls and 55.49% boys) and 21,283 passed. Compared to 21,305 candidates of the year 2015, there is an improvement of 9%.

According to Mukantabana the quality of TVET education also registered a major improvement with the introduction of competency competencybased curriculum in 2012. After pilot phases, starting with the year 2017, examinations and certification have new guidelines aligned with the new curriculum.

“The assessment has been improved to meet the competency standards.

Students will be examined to prove their competencies in one area of specialization, unlike previously where they trained in many trades at a time.”

“Starting this year we shall consider levels contrary to the TSS system where students had to sit in TVET classes for 3 years doing general courses. For instance from level 3 ( equal to senior 4 in formal education),a student who passes the September ( practical exam and November( theory) will be awarded a certificate for the one year completed. The process will then continue for the following years.

Practical exercises are given 70 % priority as usual, ”she says .

The increment of TVET enrollment, Mukantabana says, is a success attributed to quality training assessment, certification and labor market impact of graduates.

The WDA recent figures indicate that as of last year, the enrolment rate stood at 55 per cent while the targetis to have 60 per cent of learners enrolling for TVET by 2018.

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25

ToT

Training of Trainers’ program boosts TVET quality

T “The TVET Trainer program is one of the biggest achievements of WDA.The passing rate of trainers stands at 98.9%; and activities of the development partners have been harmonized unlike in the past when they used to work independently.

However,there are some challenges like mindsets of the trainers. Many of them believe they already know more than what the program is offering them. Efforts to educate them about the program have been emphasized. In addition, lack of equipment, expensive consumables and funds constraints have been some of the challenges.WDA is working with more partners to solve this.”

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raining of Trainers unit at the Workforce Development Authority (WDA) was instituted to upgrade the quality of training in TVET institutions in Rwanda by polishing knowledge of trainers and school managers with specific emphasis on pedagogical, managerial and technical skills.

The ToT unit works in line with the goals and objectives outlined in the WDA TVET Policy and Strategy to ensure high quality trainers and school managers.

According to Ms. Maria Bernadette M. Ramos, the Senior Expert-Training of Trainers, WDA sets the standards which development partners and other stakeholders adapt to when carrying out their trainingprograms. For example, APEFE which is one of the development partners has adapted to all the programs designed by WDA in pedagogical courses.

Pedagogical courses are based on the TVET Qualifications which include TVET Trainers, Master TVET trainers among others. WDA’s main objective is to ensure that trainers become certified TVET trainers in either pedagogical or technical courses. In order to upgrade the standards of a TVET trainer, they should have a technical competency based on the Rwanda Qualification Technical Framework which is equal or greater than 5. In addition, they should have trained for more than three years in a technical institution or had industrial exposure for a minimum of 2 months. This program is run through Rwanda Teachers’ Technical Institute (RTTI) and APEFE, a development partner that participates in the training program. About 98.9% of TVET trainers have been registered to have passed under the program piloted by RTTI and APEFE. In a bid to establish a professional or upgraded TVET ToT system, WDA detailed specific steps or strategies to be implemented for this to become reality. Currently, WDA has already undertaken significant work towards improving the technical and vocational system in Rwanda providing significant improvements in quantity and quality of TVET

ToT

provision. The strategies are aligned with WDA activities prior to implementation. Some of the main strategies being implemented include: 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

Developing Trainer Competencies Developing TVET Trainer Qualifications Developing Modules for TVET Trainer Skills Upgrading Developing Trainer Assessment System Developing TVET Trainer Registration/ Licensing system Developing Administrative/ Governance Procedures for Successful Delivery of Training Programmes of IPRCs, within Decentralized WDA framework 7. Developing specialised advanced TVET Trainer Programmes and Programme in TVET School Management and Leadership 8. Developing Industry Experience Programme for Trainers 9. Data Collection, Analysis and Dissemination 10. Support the Establishment of TVET Trainer Institutes When upgrading skills for TVET trainers, like technical upgrades, modules are developed basing on the CBT curriculum while pedagogical courses are based on the one developed

by WDA. A range of vital modules like Labour Market Relations which facilitates workplace learning and the Industrial Attachment program for trainers that engages them professionally in an industrial setting have been incorporated in the curricula.

According to Ms. Ramos, WDA works with development partners in different areas of intervention. For example, GIZ (Germany Society For International Cooperation Ltd) supports technical training like carpentry and hospitality so it will train the TVET trainers in that area. Since WDA coordinates both pedagogical and technical training, WDA will have TVET homegrown Master Trainers in the long run. This will increase the sustainability of the program and reduce the reliance on foreign Master trainers.

WDA is ensuring the harmonization of all trainings that are being conducted at different levels in different areas by different stakeholders. There are various development partners like AFEPE (association Francaise des Entreprises Pour l’Environnement), EDC (Education Development Center), GIZ (Germany Society for International Cooperation LTD), JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency) among others that have offered their expertise to the Training of Trainers unit. The certified TVET Trainer program, together with the RTTI and AFEPE program were launched in July 2016.

About 91 trainers have been passed out as Certified TVET trainers since the program was started. They have been trained in areas like Topographic Data Collection, Terraces Creation, Fruit cropping, carpentry, and plumbing, among other competencies.

Ms. Ramos says that, “The TVET Trainer program is one of the biggest achievements of WDA.The passing rate of trainers stands at 98.9%; and activities of the development partners have been harmonized unlike in the past when they used to work independently.

However,there are some challenges like mindsets of the trainers. Many of them believe they already know more than what the program is offering them. Efforts to educate them about the program have been emphasized. In addition, lack of equipment, expensive consumables and funds constraints have been some of the challenges.WDA is working with more partners to solve this.”

She adds that, “The plan of WDA is to have all TVET trainers certified in the next two years.”

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National Employment Program WDA | OUTLOOK | ISSUE 2017

29

Support to NEP

WDA IMPLEMENTATION OF NATIONAL EMPLOYMENT PROGRAMME CREATES HOPE AMONG YOUTH, WOMEN

T

he unemployment problem has become a global concern especially among the youth; it slows down development, affects welfare and has a direct bearing on the environment since the unemployed resort to crude harvesting from nature.

Reports from the International Labour Organization indicate that global unemployment has risen to above 200 million; a scenario that posses a big threat to development.

Among other measures taken to tackle unemployment in Rwanda, the government established the National Employment Programe (NEP) articulated under EDPRS2 as a tool to strengthen the coordination of employment programs through better planning, implementation and coordination from different stakeholders engaged in job creation and employment promotion, all of which feed into the target of annual creation of 200,000 jobs for Youth and Women, the most affected groups by unemployment.

The NEP key objectives are; Creating sufficient jobs that are adequately remunerative and sustainable across the economy; Equipping the workforce with vital skills and attitude for increased productivity that are needed for the private sector growth and Providing a national framework for coordinating all employment and related initiatives and activities in the public, private sector and civil society.

NEP was approved by the cabinet meeting of 14th December 2014.

Under the coordination of the Ministry of Public Service and Labour (MIFOTRA), NEP is jointly implemented by; Ministry of Trade and Industry, Ministry of local Government, Ministry of Education through the Workforce Development Agency, Ministry of Youth and ICT (MYICT) and the Business Development Fund (BDF) among others. It is estimated that annually, about 125,000 youth join the labour market. However, the government is not able to employ all entrants.

NEP has four pillars each with an immediate implementer, coming together through the coordination team to avoid duplication of activities as well as ensuring effective monitoring and evaluation.

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The pillars include; Pillar 1. Skills Development, led by Ministry of Education and implemented through the Workforce Development Authority (WDA) Pillar 2: Entrepreneurship and Business Development under the Ministry of Trade, Industry and East African Affairs Pillar 3. Labour Market Intervention, led by MINALOC Pillar 4: Coordination and Monitoring and Evaluation under MIFOTRA. WDA interventions under NEP • Rapid Response Training; targeting companies and projects that need workers with special skills, this promotes made in Rwanda products.

• Massive short-term vocational training(MVT); Training programs taking place in our TVET schools to equip youth and women with employable skills.

• IBT/Apprenticeship; training taking place in the industries or in companies or application of duel system through apprenticeship • Recognition of Prior Learning, process of acknowledging prior learning acquired in different contexts especially at work without considering how, when or where the learning occurred • Reconversion Program, training for fresh university Graduates with high probability of remaining employed to equip them with hands on skills to be more competitive on Labor market.

Through the Ministry of Education, the role of WDA in implementing NEP objectives lies within its mandate.

This, officials say, has enabled it to effectively carry out its responsibilities aligned with other national programmes including; Vision 2020, the Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Strategy (EDPRS 2) that is also highly expected to contribute towards the government’s target of transforming the economy into a middle income class by 2018. The government of Rwanda financially fully supports the training costs at each level for all the participants and for all training schemes. .

Massive Short Term Vocational Training According to Abdalllah Nzabandora, NEP Coordinator at WDA, the Authority was able to implement NEP under intervention of Massive Vocational Trainings which has been ongoing for 3 years now.

“So far, 10,691 girls, boys and women from across the country have benefited from massive vocational

Support to NEP

trainings in different fields including food processing, agribusiness, machinery repair and carpentry, welding, mechanics, veterinary, hair dressing, tailoring and leather tanning among others,� Nzabandora explains.

Rapid Response Training As a means scaling up job creation, WDA through NEP has introduced Rapid Response Training, an initiative where it partners with investors and big projects that need special skills but not available on the market, to train Rwandans in these specific skills.

WDA has so far partnered with C&H Garments Ltd to train 900 Rwandans in garment manufacturing and employed them after a six-month training. In April 2017, more 750 trainees will be enrolled for training in the same factory.

In partnership with NPD Limited, 545 people have also been trained in cobblestone technology for improved road network.

WDA has partnered with Agasaro Organic Ltd in Nyamashekye to train individuals in pineapple processing to produce jam and biscuits. This initiative has so far benefited about 22 people and over 100 farmers are benefitting since they have an already market for their fruits.

So far, 1,824 people have benefited from Rapid Responsive Training, contributing to creation of jobs and skills development among the youth in the country.

Industrial Based Training/Apprenticeship Industrial Based Programme/Apprenticeship (IBT) is one of the interventions WDA has made compulsory as it builds competence for the trainees since they are given a chance to practice in their respective fields of work in line with the work-place learning policy.

WDA through NEP organized an Industrial Based Training/Apprenticeship (IBT) that was conducted in four hotels across the country from which 2,389 youth have so far benefited.

Some of the companies that supported efforts to implement the work-place learning programs in the hospitality sector include; Eastland Hotel in Kayonza, Urumuli Hotel in Gicumbi, Moriah Hotel in Karongi and Virunga Hotel in Musanze. where trainees received both theory and practical knowledge in hospitality.

Reconversion Program Nzabandora says that according to the EICV4 report that was conducted by National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda, 14% of university graduates are likely to remain unemployed after completion of their studies.

It is for this reason that NEP has introduced another component called Reconversion Program for a training period not exceeding six months mainly focusing on university graduates who would otherwise have a high probability of remaining unemployed for a long time.

This program is aimed at equipping the graduates with technical skills, enabling them find employment or come up with their own projects that can generate income instead.

So far, 500 university graduates have benefited from the Reconversion Program and more are encouraged to join these trainings taking place at IPRCs in Kigali, East, West, South, Musanze Polytechnic, Mpanda Vocational Training Centre and Ecole Agricole and Veterinairi (EAV) Kabutare in fields like multimedia, plumbing and welding among others.

Incubation centers revive hope WDA has also come up with Business Incubation Centres (BIC) with two main mandates; transferring and conversion of technology to be relevant in the labour market and building on the capacity and knowledge for human skills to further impact the labour market. Currently, WDA has two BIC’s; Nyarutarama and one in Masaka, Kicukiro district operating under the NEP framework.

RRT was conceived and implemented as a facilitation mechanism to subsidize training costs up to 70% for foreign and local investors investing in special areas that require highly specialized skills.

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31

SDP

Supporting TVET system development for up-skilling, employability and national development “They eloquently designed and articulately planked the ceiling of the school’s dining hall and painted the administration bloc; it is all the work

L

ambert Bavumiragira studied up to senior four and started doing casual jobs in the building sector. He has been practicing masonry and carpentry for close to five years, gaining some rudimentary skills on-the-job over time, but, in general terms, his skills had stagnated and his general income had reached a maximum altitude at about Rwf 50,000 a month.

In October 2015, however, the 32-year old Lambert heard a radio announcement, inviting individuals interested in strengthening their skills in; house finishing, ceiling—concrete and planking, painting and tiling.

He, and 35 others applied, recruited in the first intake and were trained at Doctrina Vitae College, Ndera sector of Gasabo district, equipped with skills in; house finishing, painting, ceiling making and tiling.

After three months with their skills polished and knowledge in finishing upgraded, they were passed out, given certificates and sent out to build the nation. But not before leaving an indelible mark at the school. “They eloquently designed and articulately planked the ceiling of the school’s dining hall and painted the administration bloc; it is all their work,” says Abahamuteze Gaspard, the school director who explains that after the first intake, the second one that comprised of 72 trainees was brought on board, noting that the numbers surged because the youth had observed how individuals in the first cohort had realized a long jump in their lives in so short a time.

Lambert is one of the 10,946 individual beneficiaries and Doctrina Vitae College one of the 108 implementing institutions of SDF (Skills Development Fund) which was component 3 of Skills Development Project (SDP) that started in 2011, under Workforce Development Authority (WDA). It was a USD 34.5 million project, implemented in 28 districts across the country.

According to Wilson Muyenzi, the SDP Coordinator, the project was “conceptualized to contribute to the achievement of Rwanda’s longterm development vision of becoming a middle income, exportand service-oriented knowledge-based economy by developing an appropriately skilled labor force. The primary objective of the SDP is to improve access to quality and demand-responsive vocational training.”

This was achieved through 3 SDP components which are: Component One This component had an objective of Delivery of Quality and Relevant Vocational Training, designed to strengthen quality of vocational

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Under SDP, trainees have been equipped with culinary science skills to strengthen service delivery in the hospitality sector

training through interventions that improve quality and relevance of training delivery in 7 public vocational training centers. The component sought to pilot the delivery of new curricula at vocational level in the 7 selected vocational training centers, including industrial attachments.

Through this component SDP financed an integrated package of inputs or “building blocks” to improve the relevance and quality of training programs, targeting: • Curriculum Development: Designed and saw the implementation of competency-based, demand-driven curricula; • Assessment: Designed and implemented summative assessments of trainees to ensure they meet industry standards; • Infrastructure, Equipment, and Materials: Infrastructure rehabilitation and construction, provision of equipment and materials; • Training of Trainers: Designed and delivered training to upgrade trainers related to technical skills and appropriate pedagogical methodologies; • Industrial Attachment Program: Developed and implemented industrial attachment programs to promote trainee’s hands-on experience and exposure to a relevant work environment; • Institutional-based Management & Development: Provision of management and leadership capacity building.

SDP

“We got professional skills in hospitality from the training environment similar to where we would be working from after graduating. We killed two birds with one stone: we got the theory and practical experience right from the start,”

to eligible applicants to raise the quality and volume of their training in demonstrated areas of skills shortages. A total of 12,857 individuals of whom 48% were female benefited from this component, well above the targeted 12,000 trainees.

Why SDP The Skills Development Project (SDP) was under the Workforce Development Authority (WDA) financed through a Credit from the World Bank to the Government of Rwanda of US$ 30 Million and Counterpart funding of US$ 4.5 Million. The project development objective was to improve access to quality and demand-responsive vocational training.

The Skills Development Project (SDP) under WDA focused on improving access to quality and demand-responsive vocational training as the project development objective. It aimed at alleviating long-term skills constraints and in so doing contribute to Rwanda’s transition into a middle income, export and service-oriented knowledge-based economy by 2020.

The project therefore contributed to both improving the enabling framework for training provision (private and public) through systems development and capacity building, and finance the provision of quality and relevant training.

This component again improved on the available skills and aimed at enhancing the employability of trainees by ensuring those enrolled obtain practical experience and exposure to relevant work environments.

The project applied Industrial Based Training program (IBT), focusing on the hospitality industry. This program trained secondary school graduates in trades like housekeeping, front office operations, foods and beverages, and culinary arts.

Component Two The second component focused on TVET System Strengthening, aimed at monitoring and evaluating training delivery, in particular the implementation and performance of the SDP; inform strategic policy decisions and policy reforms by providing sound analyses concerning key aspects of the training system and the labor market; and build capacity for monitoring and evaluation and for conducting relevant research within the WDA and TVET providers.

Component 3 This one focused on Rapid Skills Delivery with the key objective of reducing skills gaps by rapidly increasing the supply of skills in high demand on the labor market. It was delivered through the Skills Development Facility/Fund (SDF) that provided competitive sub-grants

What Impact SDP supported implementing vocational institutions with financial facilitation which was used to buy assets/equipment and consumables and any other needs for good training in the process of training, built classroom structures from where training takes place and labour compensation for the trainers.

SDP supported Doctrina Vitae College with Rwf26 million among other qualifying institutions with different amounts, used to buy consumables, experimental materials, rehabilitation of classrooms and facilitating trainers among other training needs.

“All the plywood and boards, paint and other accessories we used in teaching and learning how to design and build ceiling structures were provided by the SDP. And we did not just render them to waste because we curved them into ceiling designs used to build two ceilings; of the administration bloc and the school dining hall,” explains Gaspard, Doctrina College director.

Lambert and his cohort are also counting benefits, with better appreciation of the building sector, tending to professionalism while their incomes have more than doubled.

“Before acquiring these skills, I could only make about Rwf50,000 a month. When we completed the training however, things changed for the better. We formed a cooperative—CPPT, through which we network, market and get contacts. When we get a big sub-contract, we execute it as a team, a cooperative, observing all building ethics to detail. That way, we produce quality work, build a good name and some clients have become our ambassadors. Today, I make an average of Rwf200,000 a month,” says Lambert, married and father of one, resident of WDA | OUTLOOK | ISSUE 2017

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SDP

Rwembo village, Kibanga cell, Ndera Sector, Gasabo district who proudly says he has bought a cow and is in the process of putting up his own house, a place he will call home.

IBT boosts hospitality skills Industry-Based Training (IBT) was initiated in December 16th, 2013 with registration, induction and orientation of trainees drawn from the hospitality sector only, after which it will be scaled to other sectors. The actual training commenced in January 2014 where trainees underwent classroom training for a period of 6 months in the hotels after which they did 3 months of industrial attachment in different hotels, guesthouses and restaurants before graduation. A total of 801 have benefited from the IBT program.

Nkurunziza Jean Dean, the Managing Director Eastland Motel-Kayonza, Eastern Province where hundreds of hospitality service providers trained from says it simply and clearly.

“We train these youths here, equip them with hospitality skills to serve as if the hotel belonged to them and to count every client as if their very own life depended on them.”

Bagire Edward, 29, who trained from Eastland Motel appreciates the knowledge and skills acquired through IBT under the auspices of SDP. “We got professional skills in hospitality from the training environment similar to where we would be working from after graduating.

We killed two birds with one stone: we got the theory and practical experience

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WDA | OUTLOOK | ISSUE 2017

right from the start,” explains Bagire who specialized in Front Office Operations, and retained by the hotel after graduating.

“It is a vigorous programme that involves coaching and mentoring. The ultimate goal is to have hospitality professionals on the market that serve with dedication and passion.Besides the occupational skills, in this training we offer extra soft and people-skills; English language, computer and customer care skills and personal grooming.”

Mr. Nkurunziza, the Eastland Motel Managing Director, says WDA-supported trainers offer more than just training. “It is a vigorous programme that involves coaching and mentoring. The ultimate goal is to have hospitality professionals on the market that serve with dedication and passion.Besides the occupational skills, in this training we offer extra soft and people-skills; English language, computer and customer care skills and personal grooming.”

In the hospitality sector, IBT programs focused on 4 training occupations: Culinary Art; Food & Beverage Service, Housekeeping Operations and Front Office Operations.

The trainees were given a good foundation, direction and focus, and they did not pay anything; WDA through SDP footed all the training bills, but as they graduate and get employed, they can sponsor themselves into acquiring advanced skills. The ultimate goal is meeting the international hospitality standards.

Besides equipping the implementing institutions with hard facilities and tools, the consumables used in training were also provided in addition to trainers.

Ms. Assumpta Muganwa, the Implementing Officer of SDP/SDF at WDA says it’s good the efforts of up-skilling are beginning to bear fruit. “I am glad skills development is taking precedence in Rwanda, addressing the grave challenge of unemployment and enhancing real development of our country. I am impressed with the success stories that have been registered since 2011.” The project closed in December 2016.

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Support to NEP

WDA support to Made-in-Rwanda takes right direction

T

he Government of Rwanda has put in place a strategy to reduce on imports through boosting the locally produced products and consumption. Initial efforts have been directed towards strengthening the garment and textile industry, wood and metal products.

This has seen the establishment of Integrated Crafts Production Centers (ICPCs-Udukiriro ), across all districts. After establishing

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a critical mass of people with wood and metal products skills, it is planned that importation of the said products will be drastically reduced. “WDA through National Employment Program is therefore strengthening the ICPCs by training existing artisans operating in those ICPCs from all districts across the country in order to equip them with required technical skills, o, enabling them to make products that meet local and international standards,� says Abdallah Nzabandora, the NEP Coordinator at WDA.

Support to NEP

To further strengthen the Made-in-Rwanda program, WDA through National Employment Program is also supporting emerging investors in textile and garments by training workers in the textile technologies. WDA has so far supported the training of 900 workers of C&H Garments Ltd, a Chinese company based in the Kigali Special Economic Zone. In April 2017, a batch of 750 people will be trained for six months under the Rapid Response Training (RRT). After training all successful graduates will be employed by C&H Garment Ltd. Negotiations are also underway between WDA and Albert Supply Ltd, a garments manufacturing company, to have its workers trained under the RRT once it sets in motion.

Under the RRT arrangement, WDA is, as well, working with NPD Cotraco to promote cobblestone roads technology, equipping individuals with skills of producing and laying cobbles on Kigali roads.

More companies are being encouraged to work with WDA to promote the Made-in-Rwanda program in collaboration with Rwanda Development Board and Ministry of Trade, Industry and East African Affairs.

Industrial Based Training (IBT) and Apprenticeship models have too, been undertaken , implemented as a w Work Place Learning Program supplementing the conventional school-based approach.

IBT has been successfully piloted in the Hospitality sector where, under the auspices of WDA through National Employment and Skills Development Project , trainees have received training in hotels as training centres including; Eastland Motel, Kayonza, in the Eastern Province, Urumuli Hotel, Gicumbi, Moriah Hill Resort, Karongi and Virunga Hotel, Musanze.

Focus of the IBT was on 4 ccupations: Culinary Art; Food & Beverage Service, Housekeeping Operations and Front Office Operations.

“WDA through National Employment Program is therefore strengthening the ICPCs by training existing artisans operating in those ICPCs from all districts across the country in order to equip them with required technical skills, o, enabling them to make products that meet local and international standards,”

Ms Hortence Mazimphaka, the General Manager Moriah Hill Resort Karongi, says with IBT, Rwanda is building a competitive breed of young professionals with skills that are needed to match with the rapidly growing hospitality industry. “The trainees are being given a good foundation, direction and focus. At the moment they do not pay anything; WDA foots all the training bills, but as they graduate and get employed, they can sponsor themselves into acquiring advanced skills. The ultimate goal is meeting the international hospitality standards. We have started from somewhere and we shall eventually get there,” she enthusiastically promises.

David Nziza, a Hospitality trainer who is a visiting master instructor to different training sites, says the programme produced very competitive young hospitality personnel that will significantly bridge the existing skills gaps. “There is a concomitant imparting of skills; theory and practice. Every topic introduced to the learners is backed with real time demonstrations and practices. At the end of the day, we have trained all-round hospitality professionals that have both technical and soft skills,” explains David Nziza. .

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STECOMA

Formalization, certification and up-skilling

for better technical services delivery

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STECOMA

“There are many people with technical and vocational skills but they need to be measured through assessment and certification. When investors import labor, citizens lose out on jobs, money is lost,” says Nzabandora.

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here are quite a number of people that do excel in technical jobs in which they have not undergone formal training. This is a situation that Edris Habyarimana, 42, effortlessly demonstrates in the affirmative. With over 20 years of experience in the construction sector, Habyarimana’s skills and experience are embedded in the walls of many structures in the City of Kigali.

“I have actively participated in the construction of leading shopping malls and strategic government buildings in this City; we have changed the skyline of this city,” Habyarimana says with an aura of great satisfaction.

Despite these accomplishments, Habyarimana has little formal technical education. At a tender age of 15, he enrolled in a local technical school in the Southern Province only to drop out after a short stint.

“Due to unavoidable circumstances, I dropped out of school to start construction work. I have never looked back, it has been over 20 years now, and counting,” he says.

Habyarimana is one of the estimated 48,000 uncertified workers in the construction industry according to figures from the Trade Union of Construction Workers, STECOMA. There are thousands more such uncertified workers in hospitality, iron works, plumbing, and interior designing among others.

The presence of many uncertified workers has offered solutions to the glaring need for technical personnel in different sectors but also posed a challenge.

“Employers get a problem in identifying the right technicians to employ, they have no proof of their competences,” says Abdallah Nzabandora, the NEP Coordinator at WDA. In addition, it has become increasingly difficult for uncertified workers from Rwanda to get employed in other countries because they have no proof of competence.

Certifying skilled, experienced workers Recognizant of the large number of uncertified workers in different technical fields and the important role they play in the economy with their skills and experience, the Work Development Authority has moved to regularize their operation through a Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) program under the National Employment Program framework.

Recognition of prior learning of current competence is a formal recognition for vocational knowledge or skills, done through assessment and certification.

It is an acknowledgement of a person’s current skills and knowledge, no matter how, when or where the learning occurred.

“This program targets highly skilled people who are not recognized, they are highly skilled but their major undoing is that they lack certification,” says Nzabandora.

Francois Xavier Vumiriya, in charge of information and technology at STECOMA says RPL program means a lot to members.

Composed of over 48,000 members now, STECOMA, started in 2008 as a trade union that caters for the rights of construction and building workers who never received formal education but acquired on-job competencies. WDA has partnered with STECOMA to pilot implementation of RPL in the Construction and Building services to address skills’ recognition challenges.

“Through this program WDA staff reach out to workers at construction sites to assess their skills and competences. Those who are found to be competent get certified and those who underperform get advice to further upgrade their skills through TVET training programs available,” Vumiriya explains.

The assessment exercise considers; Identification of what the person is capable of doing, alignment of his/her current competencies (skills, knowledge and attitude) to the Rwanda TVET Qualification Framework.

According to the NEP Coordinator at WDA, so far 13,305 former casual workers across different districts in the construction and building services underwent assessment, exhibited competence and the certification process is underway.

“Through this program WDA staff reach out to workers at construction sites to assess their skills and competences. Those who are found to be competent get certified and those who underperform get advice to further upgrade their skills through TVET training programs available,”

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IPRCs and other TVET Schools

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IPRCs Profile

IPRC Kigali Impacting Development of Industrial Sector

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IPRC Kigali intends to start permanent partnership with different institutions. Based on the Public and Private Partnership positive contributions are being realized in the quest for Rwanda to have knowledgeable and skilled human capital, supporting in training students, curriculum development as well as research.

TVET in Rwanda is being delivered by different providers (Public institutions, Faith-based organizations, and Private sector) at various qualification levels. Strategies indicated in the TVET policies include augmenting access to TVET programs and involvement of the private sector in the provision of TVET.

From 2009, IPRC Kigali has graduated more than 2,000 in both Diploma and Advanced Diploma, 624 have completed Technical Secondary School and 1,328 obtained their certificate of achievement in different Trades in Vocational Training.

he Integrated Polytechnic Regional Centre (IPRC Kigali) is offering technical and vocational training at different levels. The institution is equipped with modern equipment and tools for different workshops and laboratories.

As TVET is expected to contribute towards creating 200,000 off-farm jobs annually by 2018 as projected in the second Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Strategy (EDPRS II), IPRC Kigali management have visited some of the industry sites to inspect graduates’ performance and performance and generate feedback from industries.

A big percentage of IPRC Kigali graduates are being employed by different companies in Rwanda and others have created their own jobs. Some who are still pursuing their courses have already started their own businesses while others are employed by different companies in the country. IPRC Kigali has provided a big number of academic staff to sister IPRC’s.

Most of the instructors and teachers in different Technical Schools are graduates from IPRC Kigali.

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Hands-on skills Cimerwa Ltd has employed over 15 graduates from the fields of Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Mining, electronics, ICT and Electrical Engineering. Positivo BGH, a Latin American multinational, which assembles laptops, computers, tablets, and other electronic gadgets in Rwanda for the first time has employed many IPRC Kigali graduates in the field of ICT, Electrical and Electronics.

Rwanda Energy Group (REG) has also employed many IPRC graduates while companies like Rwanda Civil Aviation, Rwanda Air, Kinazi Casasava Plant, Serena Hotel, Real Contractors, King Faysal Hospital, Kigali Convention Centre Project, NDP Cotraco among others have been fed by the institution,

IPRCs Profile

Speaking to some of the graduates, it has been established that they are very proud of the skills that they have gained at IPRC Kigali. Hitimana Aminadabu, a graduate working with Positivo BGH, says he is very confident with the skills he has and very proud that he contributes towards the development of Rwanda’s industrial sector and promoting

recruited as an employee by firms/organizations and starting your own line of business.” She is very happy now as she can support her family and being employed by a big cement factory in the country makes her more proud and believe that her life will continue changing.

‘Made in Rwanda’ products. Another graduate, Uwimana Shadrack says that the skills they have are suitable to for their performance at Positivo.

“We were well trained to work professionally and we are capable of assembling 600 computers per day. All employees in the production department, except two are from IPRC Kigali,” he revealed.

At Nyabarongo Hydropower plant, The New Times met Uzarerwa Jean d’Amour a Kigali IPRC graduate who is working as Electrical Technician.

He says he is very proud of the skills he has got from IPRC Kigali that helped him to work at the biggest Hydropower plant in the country.

Another graduate, Ntenzimana Jean Bosco, says he is proud of what he has achieved so far.

Uwase Denise, the best female student during the 4th Graduation started working at Cimerwa Factory as Control Room Manager as a paid internee. Today she is full-time employee. She says, that “the difference with being a TVET graduate is that you do have high chances of being

Community out reach program; addressing labour market needs Being able to bridge the gaps in the labour market through responding to challenges in communities for self-sustainability and socio-economic transformation process, is one of the major reasons why government is

putting much effort to promote TVET. IPRC Kigali in collaboration with Niboye Sector through students practices have supported construction of a house for two old women living in the campus.

IPRC Kigali community of students visited the two old women and donated 65.000 Frw to each.

Through the partnership with Engineers without Borders (EWB)Germany/Bridge Chapter and Bridges to Prosperity (B2P), an American NGO, IPRC Kigali students in the Civil Engineering department have so far constructed 12 footbridges.

the difference with being a TVET graduate is that you do have high chances of being recruited as an employee by firms/ organizations and starting your own line of business.

During the 21st Commemoration of Genocide against the Tutsi, IPRC Kigali staff and students constructed houses worth Rfw 20 million to a Genocide survivor living in Nyakabanda cell, Niboye Sector/Kicukiro district WDA | OUTLOOK | ISSUE 2017

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IPRCs Profile

IPRC East: Training for growth

Inside IPRC East Mechanical workshop

The core function of the IPRC East is to implement technical and vocational training courses at all levels focusing on skills for the unskilled and unemployed population as well as students who have completed nine years of basic

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n November 2012, the former ETO Kibungo facility was upgraded to an Integrated Polytechnic Regional Center (IPRC) by the Government of Rwanda.

Located in Ngoma, Kibungo, Karenge cell at Agatare village in the Eastern Province, IPRC East is comprised of three constituent campuses; a Vocational Training Centre (VTC), a Technical Secondary School (TSS) and a College of Technology.

It acts as WDA’s base for supervision, implementation and coordination of technical education and vocational training courses and TVET activities in Eastern Province.

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Today, IPRC East has a total enrollment of 805 Trainees following VTC and TSS Programs among who 101 are female. The IPRC East mission is to implement technical andvocational training courses at all levels focusing on knowledge, technical and entrepreneurial skills for school leavers, unskilled and unemployed population.

According to the IPRC-East Principal Eng. Ephrem Musonera, the Polytechnic aims at being a renowned institution that excels in providing technical, vocational and innovative education for sustainable development of Rwanda and in the region.

“The core function of the IPRC East is to implement technical and vocational training courses at all levels focusing on skills for the unskilled and unemployed population as well as students who have completed nine years of basic education,” Musonera explains.

IPRCs Profile

ICT Department The ICT department delivers training in Information Technology through a Competency Based Training at three levels; short courses at VTC level, Computer Science at Technical Secondary School level and Information Technology at the Advanced Diploma program of the College of Technology.

All trainings are delivered in day program so far with projections to start evening program at Advanced Diploma level.

The objective of the department is to produce adequately skilled and more practical graduates needed by industries and who can compete in the wider world.

The department trains students with skills and knowledge in the areas of IT hardware, Networks, Software and other common fields like Entrepreneurship.

The Department makes use of four main Computer Laboratories accessible for students, and the teaching staff, with full time internet connection.

Civil Engineering Department The Civil engineering department offers marketable programs in Engineering Technology.

The Department offers technical and vocational training courses at all levels, for freshmen , school leavers, unskilled and the unemployed focusing on knowledge, technical and entrepreneurial skills to excel in problems solving, design, build and maintaining people’s living and working spaces. This will enhance Job creation , competitiveness and employability.

Mechanical Engineering The department of Mechanical Engineering at IPRC-East has an enrollment of 140 undergraduate students in Diploma program pursuing course s through theoretical and hands-on training , in two courses; Automobile technology and Production/Manufacturing technology.

The educational objective of the undergraduate program in Mechanical Engineering is to prepare graduates so that, within three years of training they are expected to excel as automobile technicians with solid technical skills, leading to competencies in the automobile domain to standout as production and manufacturing technicians with strong practical competencies in manufacturing and maintenance in mechanical engineering and similar industries.

Automobile Department Automobile students take motor vehicle engine mechanics, painting and body works and auto wiring.

It is aimed at producing technicians with knowledge and hands-on practical skills leading to competencies in the automobile domain; automotive engine and engine system, automotive electricity and electronics, automotive transmission, automotive chassis, automotive suspension and automotive body Applicants to diploma programs in automobile technology must be in possession of the Advanced Certificate of Secondary Education (A2), with at least two principal passes in the relevant subject combinations.

Hospitality Department The Hospitality unit in IPRC East has objectives of equipping students with all necessary skills and competencies that they need in order to enhance creativity, competitiveness and employability through strong and dynamic TVET system.

The department is building capacities of professional hospitality managers and leaders by providing excellent education and career enhancing opportunities.

The department offers training in; Front office, Housekeeping, Food and beverages services and Kitchen management.

Department of General Courses The Department of General Courses at IPRC East is a supporting department towards other departments delivering trainings which enable students to acquire all necessary skills to understand technical courses.

The disciplines taught there include Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Entrepreneurship, English and Communication Skills.

English and Communication Skills The target in this option is teaching English for technology and communication skills to get improved verbal presentation and analytical research skills, to use logic and critical thinking skills to discuss a variety of scientific and technological topics with peers and get a good grasp of issues and concerns of new businesses in emerging technologies.

Entrepreneurship The overall end of the General Courses Department is to implement technical and vocational training courses at all level focusing on knowledge, technical and entrepreneurial skills for school leavers. It is in this regard entrepreneurship is taught to enable students to acquire entrepreneurial skills which they can apply in running their businesses.

Technical Secondary schools (TSS) IPRC EAST’s Technical Secondary School provides training in six different trades: General Mechanics, Motor Vehicle Mechanics, Carpentry, Electricity, Construction and Computer Sciences Polytechnic.

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IPRCs Profile

IPRC South: Providing Skills for Production and Development “The institution supervises and coordinates with private education providers, NGO-run technical and vocational schools and industry-run training centers on the delivery of technical and vocational training in Southern Province”

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ntegrated Polytechnic Regional Center (IPRC) South is found in Southern Province, Nyanza District, Busasamana Sector.

In 2010, MINEDUC and MINADEF signed an agreement of establishing Integrated Polytechnic Regional Center (IPRC) South in ESO because Kavumu ground were no longer large enough to host such big institution that was expanding; MINADEF started its rehabilitation using engineering regiment team and WDA provided needed equipment. In 2012 December the school started to offer its training programs and it was inaugurated in June 2013.

According to the principal of IPRC South Dr. TWABAGIRA Barnabe, the main objective of the institution is to implement TVET training courses focusing on skills for the unskilled and unemployed population as well as students who have completed nine years of basic education.

“The institution supervises and coordinates with private education providers, NGO-run technical and vocational schools and industry-run training centers on the delivery of technical and vocational training in Southern Province” says Barnabe.

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He says the IPRC has the mandate to supervise and coordinate with all public TVET institutions on the delivery of technical and vocational training in Southern Province and to provide CompetentBased Training (CBT) curriculum developed by WDA HQ to all TVET institutions centers delivering training in Southern Province.

The institution also provides quality assurance on all TVET training delivery by ensuring that all curricula are CBT, the integrity of examinations is protected and that all TVET lecturers and instructors are adequately trained, to organize technical train-thetrainer programs for all TVET institutions and centers located in Southern Province o organize pedagogic train-the-trainer programs for all TVET institutions and centers located in Southern Province.

VTC programs The polytechnic offers many programs in different areas and also assists schools in the implementation of CBT curricula through exchanging ideas and practices on Entrepreneurship clubs with other TVET Centers. Another important aspect is linking the Private Sector with the students during their study and after graduating.

IPRCs Profile Carpentry & Wood Technology Carpentry is a skilled trade in which the primary work performed is the cutting, shaping and installation of building materials during the construction of buildings, ships, timber bridges, concrete formwork, furniture etc.

Here, students are taught to be creative and innovative in order to come up with unique stuff on the Rwandan market.

One of the unique innovations done here is space saving wall bed and a chair bed furniture, which are designed to make the best use of an existing space.

According to the instructor Jean Felix MUTUYIMANA space saving furniture in the home is likely to take the form of multi-purpose furniture. “The technique is to make the furniture more vertical, such as with bunk beds. While this technically takes up the same amount of space, it does save floor space, which is usually the concern,” said Felix.

Hospitality Hospitality Industry has several fields within the service industry that include; lodging, event planning, theme parks, transportation, cruise line and additional fields within the tourism industry.

At IPRC South, not only are students instructed and advised in ways of caring for customers, they are also encouraged to be innovative and to invent ways of improving the service they offer.

ICT This department is involved in developing the students’ knowledge in the theory and practical learning. This is done in the electrical, electronics and telecommunication fields.

Labaratories are equiped with basic materials and equipments that enanble students to aquire practical knowdge and skills in computer sceince and technology.

Masonry The masonry department at IPRC South is composed of boys and girls who believe in the profession. Student are taught how to use mortar, laying bricks and metal.

Agriculture Agriculture is the main economic activity in Rwanda employing about 86 % of the total population and contributing 47 percent of the national domestic goods and exports.

The government through the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources has improved agriculture through sensitizing farmers to engage in modern farming methods and supporting them as a means through which agriculture production can be improved.

IPRC South is now running an agriculture faculty that is expected to produce personnel with skills that will play a great role in boosting the agriculture sector through addressing challenges farmers face.

The faculty which is the latest at IPRC South is offering four courses with plans to have more as the school builds its institutional capacity. Courses

being offered include; crop production, agriculture mechanization, agriculture irrigation and veterinary medicine. Some of the students undertaking the four courses were recruited from the University of Rwanda, according to the Principal.

“These students have acquired theory; so what they actually need is retooling and equip them with practical skills; and its exactly why we found it necessary to start this faculty to ensure that they are able to apply what they have learnt. This is very crucial as it builds efficiency that will contribute to existing labour-force in addressing challenges in the agriculture sector,” says Twabagire.

Supporting communities Besides polishing skills of learners, different departments at the polytechnic support local communities in their respective areas of specialization.

Th electronics department in partnership with REG recently installed solar energy systems in 200 households; 100 houses in Gisagara District and 100 houses in RuhangoDistrict.

Staff from the department of Crop Production, on the other hand, have trained farmers from different cooperatives in Southern Province in different agricultural practices.

According to Ferdinand Mudatenguha, the head of Department of Crop Production, 60 farmers from 9 different cooperatives have been trained in agricultural mechanization, trained 60 farmers from 12 different cooperatives in the methods, use and importance of irrigation.

The head of Crop Production department says that the main target of this training is to transform subsistence farming to diversified and sustainable agriculture to achieve food security and socio-economic growth.

The assistance provided to the cooperative farmers include integration of agricultural mechanization in their farming activities.

“We have equipped farmers with skills in water harvesting techniques, conservation of rain water to be used in farming activities, efficient use of irrigation water, soil and water conservation for sustainable agriculture, use of crop residues as composts for soil restitution, cropping pattern and technics, planting time and better way of doing intercultural activities,” explains Mudatenguha.

IPRC-South Civil Engineering department has helped in the construction of a modern house donated to a genocide survivor in Huye District The Information Communication Technology (ICT) department offered short courses in video editing to17 young Genocide survivors, provided solar energy to 20 households of Genocide survivors in Gisagara District, a package that included a solar panel, a TV set, a radio, 3 installed lamps and one portable lamp for each household.

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IPRCs Profile

Tumba College of Technology: building IT workforce for a knowledge-based economy

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echnical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) is an important component in Rwanda’s development agenda in the aspects of building skills, boosting youth employment opportunities, increase productivity and ending poverty.

Establishing and developing technical and vocational training (TVET) institutions providing technicians to the industry and encouraging entrepreneurship is regarded as key engine of economic transformation of the country.

Tumba College of Technology (TCT) is one of the higher learning technical institutions with a vision of becoming a leading technical education center of excellence contributing to the scientific and technological development of Rwanda and the region, creating new values through the activities of in-school venture and of entrepreneurship.

Located in Northern Province /Rulindo District, TCT was established in 2007 with 150 students as the first technical and vocational higher learning institution to produce highly skilled workforce to meet industry and social needs.

According to the College officials, the institution’s curriculum focuses on 3 main areas of specialization through the faculties of; Alternative Energy , Electronics and Telecommunication and Information Technology for an Advanced diploma level completed in two years and a half period .

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The institution also offers short courses and professional trainings of between 3 and 6 months up to one year period, under the National Employment program (NEP).

John Bosco Nkuranga, the acting vice principle in charge of Academics and Training says the school aims at producing highly skilled demand-driven technical personnel and entrepreneurs able to make positive changes in the economic transformation of the country.

Nkuranga says that TCT is proud of how its graduates excel at the labor market as indicated in different tracer surveys the latest of which, conducted in 2012, indicated that employment rate of TCT graduates after 12 months is at 77.5% and employer satisfaction is at over 97%.

Also, 9% of TCT graduates became entrepreneurs with excellent local and international companies.

“This is made possible through an enabling study environment at the college where we provide enough equipment, well equipped laboratories, qualified teaching staff and strong relations with key players in the ICT industry among others,” he explains.

The TCT curriculum is constantly attuned to be relevant and meet ICT sector needs. Practical studies take 60% and theories 40% of the learning time.

“I like the way we were trained at the college. The fact that IPRCs Profile practical learning is given priority at TCT is what enabled us to go out with hands-on skills to start our own company especially through internships, industrial attachment, career Since its establishment in 2007, TCT has produced 1,527 graduates at advanced diploma level and 2,248 in short courses training program.

This year, the college has an intake of 641 at Rulindo TCT, 1028 undertaking short courses training program at the two branches of Kigali ICT Training Center and Musanze Satelite Center.

Industrial attachment “A cultivation of partnerships between private sector actors and education institutions is vital if TVET is to succeed. We have partnerships with different local IT, energy and telecommunication companies (Positivo BH, Vision Technologies, EDCL and industries such as MANUMETAL where our students do industrial training,” explains Nkuranga.

The private sector also provides opportunities for internship and potential employers of TCT students after graduation.

Research Every teacher at TCT has to sign a research contract and assist students to work on a project that should produce results as a solution to a given problem in the society.

The College has so far, through research, come up with such projects as; a Solar Water Heater, Solar Alternative Energy , Biogaz (used at Gisenyi and Mageragere prisons ), PC Refab Project, Online Students Results Software, Courses and Teacher Evaluation System, Sensor-Based System among others.

The College has also a project of computer refurbishment that helps the government to recover a lot of computers that are broken. They design electronic devices and high frequency circuit technology for radio receivers and television sets.

Facilities The college has ample equipment and facilities that facilitate teaching and learning.

The college has tow electronic machines workshops, 3 Server Rooms, Cisco Lab networking, Fiber Optic long distance controlling equipment, Electronics and Telecommunication Lab,six computer laboratories equipped with 210 computers in total, among others.

TCT has a satellite center in Kigali offering short course trainings in CISCO program, advanced network, software designing and plans to introduce Oracle training are underway.

Recently, TCT has established an incubation and career guidance center to bring young graduates together with industry experts on real client projects. They are also supported with entrepreneurship skills to start their own business.

guidance,” explains Hirwa adding that in one year they have achieved a lot from creating partnerships with other companies and government institutions and hiring short term employees. ”We see a bright future of our company,”

Community outreach The College provides technical services to the residents around the school environs as part of its community outreach activities, providing ICT training to local government officials in Rulindo District and allows those interested to use the computer lab within the institution.

The college has recently worked with the Rwanda Energy Group to connect over 200 households with solar energy.

Under PC Refab Program, the college in partnership with Rwanda Education Board has refurbished 600 computers which were distributed to secondary schools to boost the quality of education through ICT use.

We see a bright future—TCT Alumni Hirwa Jean Luc graduated from TCT in Feb 2016 from the Faculty of Information Technology (IT). He says that he started working as a software developer even before graduating and saved the money he got there-from. After graduating he and two of his former classmates were joined by two other friends, raised capital of Rwf2.5m and started an IT Company.

The company, 5 Clicks, offers different IT solutions such as content management software, web based applications and design among others.

“I like the way we were trained at the college. The fact that practical learning is given priority at TCT is what enabled us to go out with hands-on skills to start our own company especially through internships, industrial attachment, career guidance,” explains Hirwa adding that in one year they have achieved a lot from creating partnerships with other companies and government institutions and hiring short term employees. ”We see a bright future of our company,” he enthuses.

Awards TCT has been recognized as one of East Africa’s center of excellence.

In 2010 it was named the best CISCO local academy, 2011 a regional academy and in 2012 received an award of CISCO center of excellence.

The college has also been performing well in robot technology competitions organized by WDA in collaboration with JICA. WDA | OUTLOOK | ISSUE 2017

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IPRCs Profile

IPRC WEST DELIVERS COMPETENT

TECHNICIANS INTO THE LABOR MARKET

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n November 2012 the Government of Rwanda upgraded ETO Kibuye to an Integrated Polytechnic Regional Center (IPRC) consisting of a College of Technology awarding Advanced Diploma, Technical Secondary School and Vocational Training Center Today IPRC West offers Motor Vehicle Mechanics (Advanced level), General Mechanics (Advanced level), Electricity (Advanced level), VTC (Engine & Domestic Electrical Installation) Technical Secondary School The technical Secondary school at IPRC West dates from 1990.It has been well known in the country for producing competent technicians into thelabor market. IPRC WEST Technical Secondary School comprises three trades that include Motor Vehicle Technology, General Mechanics and Electricity.

The school has churned out innovative students that scooped numerous awards in exhibitions and other competitions.

Vocation Training Center IPRC West Vocational Training Center comprises two main occupations including Hospitality Management Sector as well as Construction &Servicing .This is in the framework of increasing Services to the Community and enabling young Rwandans to be self-employed and to be able to contribute to the development of the community and the country.It is also to implement the government policies related to poverty eradication,creation of off-Farm jobs for youth and developing self -reliant citizens.

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Inside IPRC West workshop: IPRC West has scooped awards because of its innovations and the use of well-equipped workshops and , laboratories

At IPRC West, there are books on different technical subjects in the library of the college and the number increases every other day and help to facilitate students with different curriculums.

Laboratories & Workshops IPRC West has scooped awards because of its innovations and the use of well-equipped workshops, laboratories and dedicated trainers that are led by qualified technicians and instructors to acquire skills effectively and efficiently.

Rules and regulations are put in place to in the handling and safe usage and maintenance of these workshops and laboratories Electrical and Electronics Workshop and Laboratory Initially this Lab was constructed to teach the Electrical and Electronics Basics for students at the IPRC and to provide a strong base for all kinds of Engineers that pass through this department.

The mission of the Electrical and Electronic Engineering Department is to enhance the position of the institution as one of the top ranked teaching and research departments in Rwanda by providing the highest quality teaching and learning environment for the students and thus producing competent and professional graduates fully equipped to achieve the highest personal standards.

General Mechanics Workshop The workshop is used by TSS,VTC and Advanced Diploma students to acquire hands-on skills and apply them by producing machines, machine parts and other equipment and materials used by people in daily life.

Other services provided include Welding, technical, maintenance, bending, and quality control just to name few. A lot of machines have been produced by the institution and many more are still being manufactured.

Motor Vehicle Mechanics Technology This department is equipped with machines that help students learn how to work on wheel and Tires, automotive electricity and electronics, steering and changing brake pads, car body spraying, engine testing, motor Vehicle Inspection, smoke testing, wheel alignment test and spark cleaning Plumbing Workshop IPRC West backed by World Bank through Skills Development Program (SDP) built a plumbing workshop at the school equipped with tools that students use depending on their specialty, interests and level of experience.

ICT Laboratory Research is of core importance for trainees to keep updated with new world information but also to refer to others whom we are in competition. IPRC West disposes 2 ICT Laboratories fully equipped and connected with internet and open to students most of the time.

Learners are trained in, among others, Welding, technical, maintenance, bending, and quality control

Hospitality Centre This is a new training centre offering multiple services to people living around the campus and for students joining the institution.

Here students are equipped with skills and knowledge to offer hotel services and to improve services provided by hotels in the area.

Library

Culture, Sports and Leisure At IPRC WEST, students are encouraged to do sports and to be part of the many development programs at the campus. IPRC WEST has a variety of sports and cultural activities such as games, traditional dance, movies and the institution has adopted a participative approach by working in partnership with students.

At IPRC West, there are books on different technical subjects in the library of the college and the number increases every other day and help to facilitate students with different curriculums. There is proper sitting arrangement in Library for students to study course books as well as reading newspapers and magazines in their free time.

Access to Information and Relaxation Television sets with different channels and newspapers are put at the disposal of students to access news during break time and any other free time for students to escape from boredom as they relax and get informed. It is also to not that some TV stations has infotainment crucial for students WDA | OUTLOOK | ISSUE 2017

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IPRCs Profile

Musanze Polytechnic: Delivering for vocational skills demand

M

usanze Polytechnic is a government training institution of higher learning established to offer all levels of training in TVET operating under Workforce Development Authority (WDA).

According to the principal of Musanze Polytechnic Abayisenge Emile, Musanze Polytechnic was supposed to be a second campus of IPRC North but now it is a separate institution with a separate management.

Located in Nkotsi sector in Musanze district, the polytechnic started with the first intake on 30th march 2015 with 170 students but toady the number has increased to 850.

HOSPITALITY AND HOTEL MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT Hospitality is also known as the act of generously proving care and kindness to whoever is in need. Hospitality institutions and activities in the industry include hotels, restaurants, transportation companies, attractions, events and other service for travelers and tourists.

Musanze Polytechnic’s mission is to produce high competitive and self-employable technical human resources with excellent hands-on skills and reliable entrepreneurship abilities.

Today, the Polytechnic provides students with technical and vocational training for professionalism in Agriculture and Food Processing, Construction, Irrigation, Hospitality and Management as well as Electronics.

Students in different practical Exercises

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Musanze Polytechnic, given its well trained staff, training equipment and a well-designed curriculum, has contributed to meeting the needs of the labour market in hospitality industry.

The Advanced Diploma in Hospitality and Hotel Management offered

by Musanze Polytechnic is a three-year (six semesters) full time program that equips students with skills, knowledge, and attitude required for the Hospitality industry.

IPRCs Profile

It involves in-depth practical work of international standard using modern and well equipped hospitality facilities including a training Hotel.

The program covers all the major operational areas of the hospitality industry as follows: food production, food and beverage services, front office operations, housekeeping, and hotel management.

The curriculum was developed with a closer working relationship with key stakeholders to produce graduates that meet market needs.

Career opportunities Graduates will be able to work or own hospitality establishments such as: Hotels, Tented camps, Transportation companies (Airlines, Travel agencies), Events Management companies, and Tour operators among others.

IRRIGATION AND DRAINAGE TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT This departmentfocuses on equipping students with technical knowledge and skills mainly in irrigation and drainage, water harvesting and supply, irrigation systems and hydraulic Structures related projects.

The training is delivered through lecturing, lab experiments, site visits, industrial attachments, technical projects and workshop practice.

The program is designed to enable its graduates work on irrigation and drainage related projects. They should be able to plan, design, implement, supervise and maintain irrigation schemes in their prospect jobs.

The graduate of this program can work with both private and public institutions and NGOs supporting agricultural production, environment impact assessment mainly in feasibility studies, planning, design, execution, supervision of irrigation and drainage projects and services.

AGRICULTURE AND FOOD PROCESSING DEPARTMENT The Department of Agriculture and Food Processing deals with Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs)/techniques of crop and animal production, and the value addition of the production by processing, i.e. transformation of produce into edible value added food products.

The Department offers a three years Advanced Diploma Program in Agriculture and Food Processing. It is delivered through a combination of classroom teaching, practical studies at farms, laboratories and workshops as well as industrial visits.

It also encompasses an 8 weeks industrial attachment; and a technical research project under appropriate academic supervision. The department offers an integrated curriculum, combining both an agricultural aspect and a food processing aspect.

The department aims at developing knowledge, competences and skills required by those who will be involved in agriculture, food processing industry, and associated regulatory services.

The core objective is to train technicians who will contribute to sustainable and efficient agriculture; efficient post-harvest handling; harvest processing & nutritional value addition; and to new food product development.

Career Opportunities: The Agriculture and Food Processing (AFP) program at Musanze Polytechnic is unique; it is intended to prepare students for numerous job careers. The graduates will play a key role in technical divisions for a wide range of organizations such as: the agriculture industry, farm and agriculture companies, food processing plants, food safety and regulation boards, community development initiatives, food security, and educational institutions.

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IPRCs Profile

Students are introduced to theory and practice

CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT At Musanze Polytechnic, the Construction technology program is aimed at training students to become technicians able to deal with most of civil engineering projects from planning to management of built environment specifically in construction industry.

The program is delivered via a combination of teaching, lab experiments, site visits, industrial attachments, technical projects and workshop practice to get practical skills in most areas of civil engineering.

The program is designed to impart understanding of the fundamental concepts, principles and theories of civil engineering and use them to solve problems and contribute in the construction industry.

The graduate of this program can work for both private and public institutions, Non-Governmental Organizations and in other agencies, and on projects requiring planning, designing,

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implementing, construction.

supervising,

managing

projects

related

to

ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT Rwanda has a huge need for technicians/engineers in different domains to sustain the development of its industry. To achieve its vision of being an industry and knowledge-based economy, Electrical energy and related technologies are needed in all economic areas.

The department of Electrical Engineering at Musanze Polytechnic has a program issuing Advanced Diploma in Electrical technology that will produce technicians/industrial engineers needed to drive and support the Rwandan economy.

The Advanced Diploma in Electrical Technology is meant to prepare students to acquire and apply knowledge and skills in electrical technology necessary and motivate them to develop their careers and meet the challenges of a changing Rwanda with entrepreneurial skills that will allow them to establish spin-off enterprises.

IPRCs Profile

A class of lumbering students in a practical exercises WDA | OUTLOOK | ISSUE 2017

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Nyundo School of Music

Nyundo School of Music and Arts: For professionalization of performing arts

Students perform during the graduation event

N

yundo School l of Music in Rubavu district at Ecole D’Art De Nyundo was the first public music school in Rwanda, commissioned in March 2014 by the government through the Ministry of Education under the Workforce Development Authority.

The government put the school in place to professionalise the entire music industry and create jobs for many young talented Rwandans in various fields of music and hone talents to enable them compete with other countries in the entertainment industry at international level. The emphasis of the international market was in light of the many prestigious festivals and other music platforms organized worldwide where Rwandans could showcase talent. Nyundo School of Music currently partners with the internationally renowned Selkirk College in Nelson BC, Canada.

The partnership is meant to expose Rwandans to other cultures of music and prepare them for the international market. Currently, the School recruits students after a rigorous countrywide talent search.

According to Jacques Murigande, the Director of Nyundo Music School , to qualify for enrolment one has to have a minimum of Ordinary Level certificate music and related talents and a positive attitude towards performing arts.

The school admits 30 learners per intake and currently has a population of 83 students. Until recently, the students were initially admitted at the School under full sponsorship of WDA.

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Effective 2017, however, students are required to pay for themselves.

The School curriculum is enriched with a variety of course units designed to build music faculties of learners into professional artistes.

These include, among others; vocal training, music production, instrument fundamentals, events and music management all attuned to meet prevalent market dynamics.

The tutors and instructors are sourced from Rwanda, Kenya and Canada including guest lecturers from the internationally acclaimed Berkeley College of Music in Boston, USA and Selkirk College.

Murigande explains that all the pioneer students, but one will graduate in 2017. “But even before graduation, the students have been highly sought after by different stakeholders in the music industry and they can now be sure to put the different skills they acquired to use. Many of them are already members of a band that is booked over the weekends; some are music producers at reputable studios and events managers among other exciting jobs like teaching,” he enthuses.

The main challenge the school has faced is training space at the facility as it has only two classroom . Plans are however underway to expand with three or more classrooms with a performance hall in the future with the support of KPW..

“Nyundo music school, by all means, will shape the future of the next generation of Rwandan musicians and build a creative breed of musicians that will enrich the experience of revelers and the hospitality industry in general,” considers Mrigande.

Nyundo School of Music

Jacques Murigande, The WDA Chairman BoD addressing graduands

WDA Director General, Jerome Gasana during a recent Nyundo School of Music Graduation

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Building a breed of young professional sportsmen

T

he idea to establish the sports academies is founded on the Memorandum of Understanding between MINISPOC and MINEDUC/ WDA signed in December 2015 followed by another MoU between WDA andRwanda National Olympics and Sports Committee in May 2016, where it was agreed to sports academies in football, volleyball, cricket, tennis, handball and swimming.

According to Abdallah Nzabandora, the NEP Coordinator at WDA, currently, there are seven academies that are up and running. “ This program, in the long-run aims at promoting young professionals in various sports disciplines. The academies are integrated in TVET programmes with enrolment accorded to those that have successfully completed the nine-year-basic-education who are then taken through a 3-year programme under Technical Vocational Education and Training program covering levels 3, 4 and 5,� he explains.

The learners in the academies do follow sports subjects across the levels on top of making practice in a specific discipline. Students are however, allowed to pursue any additional trade in TVET on a part time basis, e.g. a football student can undertake training in food processing.

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Football

EAV Kabutare

Volleyball

Integrated Polytechnic Regional Center(IPRC) East

Athletics

Integrated Polytechnic Regional Center (IPRC)South

Cricket& Tennis

Integrated Polytechnic Regional Center (IPRC) Kigali

Basketball

Musanze Integrated Polytechnic

Handball

Integrated Polytechnic Regional Center (IPRC) West

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“ This program, in the long-run aims at promoting young professionals in various sports disciplines. The academies are integrated in TVET programmes with enrolment accorded to those that have successfully completed the nine-year-basic-education who are then taken through a 3-year programme under Technical Vocational Education and Training program covering levels 3, 4 and 5,�

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Support to NEP

Rubengera Technical Secondary School: A model in carpentry and wood technology

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ubengera Technical Secondary School (RTSS) was established by the religious congregation of Abaja ba Kristu, a Protestant Sisterhood that was founded in 1984. It is a private accredited school located in Karongi district (Western Province) and offers courses in carpentry and wood technology.

The school started on 4th February 2013. According to the school’s Director Sr. Marie Louise Niyonsenga, their vision is to empower youth with technical skills that lead to job creation.

Students at RTSS are trained to make modern furniture. Tim Bluthardt, a Director of the project that establishment RTSS and a trainer as well, says that products made by students meet market standards but the school had to first concentrate on making furniture currently used in school offices and class rooms.

The school offers 3 years of dual integrated training in

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carpentry and wood technology with high quality wood products at RTSS-production unit and different courses.

Carpentry and Wood technology trainees get their skills polished working with timber to construct, install and maintain buildings, furniture and other objects.

RTSS trains young people to believe in future for their lives and families through lifelong –learning opportunities, based on a firm foundation of Christian values. The school is set to become a model in carpentry and wood technology through such special skills not seen in many of the existing TVET schools around the country.

For some students who fail to get school fees, the Director of RTSS Sr. Marie Louise Niyonsenga says, management has come up with a strategy to put up a workshop for them (students) to raise money for school fees. Each student pays Rwf 95,000 per semester. The workshop is used as a production unit where part of the income has to be given to a student to pay school dues.

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Support to NEP

Over 60 graduate from Africa Digital Media Academy

Graduates pose for a photo

A

t least 66 students have graduated in the first cohort of the Africa Digital Media Academy (ADMA).

The students who graduated completed their courses in different disciplines of multimedia with competencies in graphics design, motion graphics, 3D modeling, 2D animation, video production and documentary film making.

ADMA was established by Workforce Development Authority (WDA) in partnership with Pixel Corps, a world-class film making company based in the United States of America.

Speaking during the official graduation ceremony, Jerome Gasana, the director general of WDA congratulated the students and urged them to be the pioneers of employment solutions that Rwanda is trying to create.

“What we want is to make sure that all Rwandans get jobs or create their own jobs to address the unemployment problems that we are facing today. As government, we are investing in TVET and it is through providing these skills that we shall be able to achieve what we want,” he told the graduates.

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“We also want to see you as the first pioneers of Hilllywood (the first community of filmmakers) as well as be at the helm of the development journey of the media and entertainment industries,” he added.

He mentioned that the government is working hard to continuously tap into the potential of the Industry-Based Training (IBT).

On the other hand, John Bonds Bideri, the chairman board of directors, WDA, said that the establishment of the academy has presented opportunities to many local people and that there are efforts to continue identifying skills that are required to prepare students for the market.

“It wouldn’t have been easier to send all these students to the US to acquire these skills, but with the establishment of this academy we managed to benefit more Rwandan students.

More efforts are in place to continue identifying skills that are required to compete at the global market,” he noted.

According to the school administration, of all the 66 graduates 65 per cent have already been employed or created their companies. Those who graduated include 15 Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) staff. Throughout their academic period, students interacted with some of the highly professional trainers and got access to high standard equipments.

Christopher Marler, ADMA director, said the graduation is a special moment to celebrate what has been achieved, but also a reflection of what needs to be done to shape the future of young Rwandans.

“This is critically a satisfying moment to me and the rest of the team, but also the courage to strengthen our existence and respond to the prevailing employment challenges. What I’m so interested in is seeing students getting and creating jobs equally. We are preparing them to become the best storytellers,” he noted.

Meanwhile, Lievain Rucyaha, one of the graduates ADMA, said that the skills have already facilitated them in establishing their own initiatives.

“As I graduate today, I have been able to co-found an audio and video production company with another colleague. The skills we acquired from here are so important that we opened our eyes beyond seeking jobs. Today, we are actually running our own film school,” he said.

“It wouldn’t have been easier to send all these students to the US to acquire these skills, but with the establishment of this academy we managed to benefit more Rwandan students.

More efforts are in place to continue identifying skills that are required to compete at the global market,”

Rucyaha, who’s also the technical director of MOPAS Film Academy said that during their academic year, they acquired unique skills most of which the biggest part was practical-based education, something different from other existing schools.

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PARTNERS WDA | OUTLOOK | ISSUE 2017

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Partners

TVET Development Partners S/N

Key Development Partners

Areas of interventions/Program

The Kingdom Of Belgium Common Program (BTC,VVOB and APEFE

Common Program with the following components: • Capacity Development of WDA/IPRCs-South with focus on the review of TVET Policy and development of a TVET National Strategy • Support capacity of the curriculum development unit through introduction of Competency based curriculum development (DACUM Approach) • Strengthening the capacity of IPRC-South in key sectors/trades:Hospitality,Agriculture and Construction • TVET Training of Trainers

The Kingdom of the Netherlands NUFFIC( The Netherlands Organisation for International Cooperation in higher education)

NICHE( Netherlands Initiative for Capacity Building in Higher Education) programme with the following components: • Strengthening the organization and management capacity of WDA/ IPRCs • Establishment of a sustainable training of trainers system at the A1 (Post-Secondary) level of TVET • Development of a National TVET Qualifications Framework (TQF)

The Republic of Germany GIZ,KFW & Rhineland Palatinate

GIZ Economic Employment Promotion Programme with the following components: • Upgrade your skills initiative targeting mainly workers in the Labour Market (formal and informal sector) • Capacity development of WDA/IPRC’s through development of a National TVET Strategy and establishment of a Quality • Management System (QMS) • Support in TVET training of trainers (not yet launched) • KFW • Sustainable Economic Development and Employment Programme through: 1.

2.

3.

Rehabilitation and Equipment Management of Sup. Schools Innovation Fund

Rhineland Palatinate • • •

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Support on Establishment of Vocational Schools and other Vocational Training Programs Capacity Building Exchange of Expertise through promotion of Partnership between Rwandan TVET schools and TVET schools in Rhineland Palatinate

Partners

TVET Development Partners S/N

Key Development Partners

Areas of interventions/Program

The Kingdom of Japan

•

JICA

Support in strengthening training capacity of TUMBA College of Technology (TCT),A1 level-Phase 11

•

Support WDA to disseminate good practices from TCT to other TVET Schools

The Republic of South Korea KOICA NATIONAL Information Society Agency of Republic of Korea

•

Support in IPRC-Kigali (KICUKIRO)

•

Strengthening the vocational level

•

Establishment of Information Access Centre (IAC)

World Bank

•

Economic empowerment for adolescent girls and Young Women Project- AGI

Adolescent Girls Initiative (AGI)

•

Skills Development Project (SDP) with three components:

1.

Delivery of Quality and relevant Vocational Training

2.

TVET System strengthening

3.

Rapid skills delivery

•

Support on establishment of 8 Vocational Training Centers in 4 districts namely : GASABO,RULINDA,KICUKIRO and GICUMBI

Government of China

•

To support the after training (e.g. availing start up kits)

•

Construction of a Demand Driven TVET School (IPRC-North) in Musanze District

Suisse Development Cooperation

•

Support on Establishment of 5 Vocational Training Centres in 5 Districts of the Western Province namely: RUTSIRO District, NYAMASHEKE District,KARONGI District,RUSIZI DISTRICT

EDC-AKAZI KANOZE

•

Support on Capacity Building of the WDA/IPRC-West Staff

•

Support on Development and Integration of Work Readiness Curriculum

•

Support on Development and Integration of Entrepreneurship Curriculum

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INCUBATION CENTERS

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Incubation Centers

MASAKA BUSINESS INCUBATION CENTER: Nurturing skills, giving Made-in-Rwanda a stronger impetus

U

nfamiliar sounds of drilling, cutting, smoothing and pounding of hammers scatter before you on entering the workshop.

It is a small built establishment awash with light manual industrial work of innovation, creation, finishing and repair.

The trainees, mostly girls, sit meekly around their Chinese instructors, learning particular tasks through observation, while others take on tasks they have trained and inducted into.

They are all at various stages of engagement; assembling a piece of furniture like chopping up the wood stalks to bits, smoothing, and nailing, while others are immersed in one stage or another of leather tanning, processing towards a stylish shoe.

This is MASAKA BUSINESS INCUBATION CENTER (MBIC), in Kicukiro district, a workshop that was established by Government of Rwanda in May 2011 through the Workforce Development Authority to support the creation of start-ups SMEs and the growth of existing ones.

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“After graduating we stayed on and thanks to the facility; we make our own products using the free facilities as our factory. Because we lacked capital to start elsewhere, we stayed at Masaka where we have access to machines, electricity and water, The center basically functions as the project’s production line that offers to entrepreneurs business incubation services, training and coaching services, facilitation to access finance, market, information and technology and demonstration center for making leather products, bamboo products, cheese and fruits processing.

The Rwandan SME Policy has the vision of creating a critical mass of viable and dynamic SMEs significantly contributing to the national economic development.

The overall aim is to stimulate growth of sustainable SMEs through enhanced business support service provision, capacity building and access to finance, markets and technologies.

One of the strategies to reach the objective consists of setting up Business Incubation Centers & Business Development Services

Centers.

According to the MBIC acting manager, Kagango Diogene, the center focuses on three product–chains which were identified for having huge potential in value addition and domestic productivity; foot wear and leather goods, carpentry, milk and fruits processing.

Leather and footwear products The leather workshop is equipped with different types of machinery used in tanning and making leather products, allowing entrepreneurs to use professional leather machinery to design and develop leather products in high demand.

It has a capacity of training 25 people in one session and making 100 pairs of shoes per day.

There are different assortments of finished leather products including men’s shoes, women’s shoes, sandals, bags, belts and wallets on display all around the workshop filled with trainers imparting skills in the art of making leather products.

On closer observation however, not all of them are students. Some workers are former students who were trained at the incubation center but after graduating stayed at the campus to access and use the free facilities in honing their skills and turn them into products.

Incubation Centers:

“Local production of footwear remains small and people still have this feeling that it is inferior and poor quality – but they should try our products and compare them with imported footwear, I believe they will start believing in Made-in-Rwanda products,”

Bending over a leather smoothening machine, Aradukunda Fosteri who joined Masaka Business Incubation Center in 2015 says a lot has changed in his life since he acquired skills in shoe making.

“After graduating we stayed on and thanks to the facility; we make our own products using the free facilities as our factory. Because we lacked capital to start elsewhere, we stayed at Masaka where we have access to machines, electricity and water,” he explains. Aradukunda is saving enough money to start his own shoe making business which he believes is lucrative.

He however says it is important for people to change their mind-set about locally made products.

“Local production of footwear remains small and people still have this feeling that it is inferior and poor quality – but they should try our products and compare them with imported footwear, I believe they will start believing in Made-in-Rwanda products,” he says, smiling.

Today, at least 5 to 10 incubates rotate every day in the MBIC workshops making their own shoes for sale which has helped them create jobs.

So far this year alone, over 27 students from TVET schools and private sector completed 3 months training in shoes making and 4 graduates from Gatsibo district formed a cooperative with the support of World Vision to engage in leather tanning and leather items production.

So far, three trainings focusing on skills in making different types of cheese: Gouda, mozzarella, feta, soft cheese flavors and yoghurt have been sponsored and successfully conducted by APEFE at MBIC benefiting many students from TVET schools and others from the private sector. The opportunities in processing include fermented milk, yoghurt, cheese, butter, ice-cream, milk powder, ghee, flavoured milk, sweetened milk, among others.

Bamboo workshop The Chinese trainers are teaching the art of transforming raw bamboo into products ranging from toothpicks to baskets, boxes and furniture. Trainees in bamboo cultivation have to learn bamboo breeding, management, and cutting technology, while the trainees for processing have to learn to make at least two bamboo products, including the bamboo basket, bamboo chair, bamboo bed, bamboo sofa, and bamboo toothpicks.

At MBIC, so far 63 students have completed bamboo products-making trainings among who 36 graduated on 28th September 2016 at Amahoro National Stadium.

The trained youth created different companies; e.g the Icyizere Bamboo Product Company that comprises of six former MBIC students and Kinigi Bamboo Cooperative with 14 members while Cyanika Bamboo Cooperative has 13 young entrepreneurs.

Beneficiaries Yvone Mbabazi completed her secondary studies at Saint Aloise Rwamagana in 2010 but could not continue with her studies at the

university, stayed at her parents’ home, until 2011,when she joined MBIC in Masaka, and while there, she fell in love with bamboo and has never left.

Taking a break from assembling a small bamboo chair, Mbabazi who is now the manager of Icyizere Bamboo Product Company that comprises of six former MBIC students tells me: “I have learnt many things since I joined this center in 2011, and I am still learning. I can make chairs, tables, and stools of different sizes and models.” On average, it takes her two days to complete a fine piece, depending on the availability of the requisite workshop tools.

“The most basic tools we use are compressors for nailing, smoothing planes, and drilling machines,” she says.

Having gone through all the basic drills in handling and processing bamboo, Mbabazi is today more of an employee than a trainee. “I earn a commission from each of the pieces that I make,” she says proudly, in part explanation of why she is still at the center.

The other reason for her long stay at the incubation center is because they are yet to gather sufficient financial capacity to set themselves up in business out there.

The basic workshop tools that they will need to start with (compressors, smoothing planes, drilling machines) require some savings from their modest incomes before they can eventually start their own furniture workshop.

Milk Processing Imparting skills for milk and fruits processing started in January 2013. WDA in collaboration with APEFE (French acronym for Association pour la Promotion de l’Education et de la Formation à l’Etranger) began by conducting a one week Training of Trainers (ToT) in milk processing at the center.

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Incubation Centers

NYARUTARAMA

INCUBATION CENTRE: Nurturing hands-on skills, entrepreneurship “This center is meant to help trainees to start up their own small businesses and where possible be employed by established companies related to their acquired skills. Besides training, we are supposed to go an extra mile and provide other services like rentable space to the successful trainees who would profitably use the space in the last phase of incubation,” .

A

s spelt out in the Rwandan SME Policy, setting up Business Incubation Centers is majorly considered as a catalyst t to achieving sustainable growth through building entrepreneurial capacities of youth and women.

Nyarutarama Business Incubation Center (NBIC), located in Gasabo district, under WDA, was established in 2015 with an aim of empowering the youth with vocational and entrepreneurial skills in 14 main trades. The center has a number of training facilities including machinery which was donated by the government of India.

The center offers free training to the youth aged between 17-35 in entrepreneurial and hands- on skills, mentors and or coaches those that create own jobs.

According to Alex Munyaneza, the NBIC manager, incubates are solely unemployed youth identified by local leaders, connect them to the center from where they are briefed on the vocational training opportunities available, the possible demand for skills, size and the current competition, which enables them to make informed choices.

Munyaneza says that the center focuses on 14 main vocations; Juice and Ketchup processing, bakery, popcorn and soya milk processing , toilet paper rolls and serviette production , air condition and refrigeration , telephone repair , tailoring , fashion designing and chips making .

“This center is meant to help trainees to start up their own small businesses and where possible be employed by established companies related to their acquired skills. Besides training, we are supposed to go an extra mile and provide other services like rentable

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space to the successful trainees who would profitably use the space in the last phase of incubation,” .

He also added that another role is help trainees understand and practice how to generate bankable ideas and manage good projects that can attract external funding, and link them with financial institutions, enabling them access loans for their targeted projects.

The center started with 44 students, a number which has grown to over 400 youth that have completed trainings with some starting their own businesses.

To assess the impact the incubation center has had on individuals and communities, Munyaneza says that they regularly make field visits and organize meetings with the graduates, identify the challenges encountered and collectively devise ways of addressing them.

“Though, we don’t have the exact number of incubates who have started their own businesses, from our field visits and meetings we get testimonies of significant success as others got employed in different companies,” he enthuses.

Challenges According to the management of the centre, the challenges encountered mainly are associated with the mindset of the majority of youth who are not ready to embrace the entrepreneurship, fearing failure of their businesses even before they start. Munyaneza argues that such fears are what the training program intends to remove.

Incubation Centers:

to expand. We have a market for our products. We have submitted our business proposal to WDA for a loan to help us grow into a big bakery,” He explains. Another beneficiary of Nyarutarama Incubation Center, Viateur Hakuziyaremye started juice processing in 2016. After 6 months of training, he is now the president of Ganza Cooperative he started with eight other incubates. Through NEP- Kora Wigire Program, they got Rwf500,000 which they invested in pineapple, passion fruits and orange juice processing.

“We are operating from the incubation center because the machines that we use in production are so expensive that we could not afford buying them with our small capital. In two months we were able to make products worth Rwf1,000,000 and already sold products worth over Rwf700,000. We have a variety of buyers from households, small retailers to supermarkets. Our market keeps on growing .We have a dream of becoming one of the best juice producing companies in the region in a few years to Bakery cooperative of former NBIC trainees

come,” he promises.

The graduates from the program also have the challenge of easy and timely access to finances. Despite the BDF 50% guarantee, it takes, they say, quite long for SACCOS to process and release the money which delays them to start their projects.

Way forward Munyaneza says that in the next five years he expects to see the institution grow into a center of excellence with a wide range of training opportunities, recruiting more youth and impacting job creation to great heights. NBIC is also building strong partnerships with the local firms to get internship and employment opportunities for the trainees.

The NBIC is also working towards having its own production unit that will be manufacturing a variety of products to be sold at the local market.

Incubates voices Gilbert Kuradusenge, a high school graduate in Construction had spent 2 years without a job until he joined Nyarutarama Incubation Center where he trained in bakery for three months. This has changed his life for the better. He can now make different types of pastries such as bread, wedding cakes, sambusa, chapatis among others.

“After training, I and 30 other colleagues decided to start a cooperative that specializes in making pastries. We then started the Enjoy Bakery. With Rwf150,000 as a capital, our production started in January 2017. We are able to produce 70 packets of buns worth Rwf35,000 per day,” says Gilbert. “My life has changed thanks to this training. We have started with a small capital but we hope

Hakuziyaremye Viateur, the president of Ganza Cooperative showcasing their products.

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Hospitality

Hospitality skills as soft infrastructure for a growing Rwanda tourism industry WDA has developed curricula and delivered trainings to equip Rwandans already in or intending to join the industry with well polished hospitality skills, to make them employable and highly valuable to the industry.

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wanda’s vision 2020 is a reflection of the aspirations and determination of Rwandans to transform the country into a knowledge-based middle - income society operating as a nation in which Rwandans are healthier, educated and generally more prosperous. As such, the Government of Rwanda established, by Act of Parliament, the Workforce Development Authority (WDA) with a specific mission to promote, facilitate and guide the development and upgrading of skills and competencies for the national workforce.

The Tourism and Hospitality Industry has been identified as a priority sector for Rwanda as it is expected to play a leading role in driving the economy. This sector has rapidly grown into a major foreign exchange earner for Rwanda, surpassing agriculture. This sector in its unique nature of service has seen increased international investment in the recent past and international hotel brands have made investments in the Rwandan market, including, Serena hotels, Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, Marriot hotel among others. The sector enjoys a potential to create many jobs directly and through other associated economic activities that it synergises with. Investment in its sustained growth or at least in the efficiency of operations can only spur more of the desired national growth.

Despite this remarkable growth of the industry, there were few Rwandans with the required skills to match this growth which prompted the government of Rwanda through the Workforce Development Authority- WDA to prioritize building skills needed to match the current and anticipated growth of the hospitality industry.

According to Ms. Mutoni Beatrice, the Tourism and Hospitality Training Coordinator at WDA, WDA has developed curricula and delivered trainings to equip Rwandans already in or intending to join the industry with well polished hospitality skills, to make them employable and highly valuable to the industry. The long term objective is to have more Rwandans with employable skills whereby reputable hotels and restaurants in the country will employ more Rwandans in key roles in the industry.

WDA introduced two types of training namely; the short courses and Industrial Based Training (IBT). The short courses were designed specifically for hotels seeking staff skills re-enforcement. With this training, over 1800 individuals were trained in hotel operations such as Food &Beverage, Culinary Art, Housekeeping operations and Front office operations.

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KIGALI-SERENA On the other hand, Industrial Based Training was designed for people interested in joining the hospitality industry but with no prior experience in this area. This program is entirely facilitated by the government through WDA to give students the necessary practical training and exposure before they head out in the industry. WDA partners with hotels in each province like Virunga Hotel in Musanze, Moriah Hill Resort in Karongi District, Urumuli Hotel in Gicumbi District and East land Motel in Kayonza District. The students are equipped with skills in Culinary Art, Food and Beverage Service, House-keeping operations and Front Office operations.

Ms. Mutoni explains that for one to join the program, they should have a minimum qualification of a 9 year basic education. After enrollment, they are guided on which area to pursue depending on where their passions fall and trained for the next 6 months 3 months of industrial based training. They eventually earn a certificate 1 which is Level 3 in the Rwanda TVET Qualification Framework (RTQF) on completion of both IBT and the short courses. In 2017 alone, WDA will be passing out an incredible 880 graduates from the Industrial Based Training Program.

Emmanuel Hakizimana Kabumba Alpha, a graduate of the IBT program is grateful for the WDA opportunity. “After I graduated from the IBT program, I got a job with Karisimbi Hotel in Kiyovu as a Front Office Manager. I later joined an events company as the General Manager. I improved my communication skills and also learnt how to reserve. My career is growing since then.�

Hospitality Hospitality trainers are sourced from Rwanda, with high-level skills and experience in working in the hospitality sector. Some of the trainers have been sponsored by WDA to acquire more skills at the prestigious Les Roches International School of Hotel Management in Switzerland for Masters Degrees.

In order to bridge the skills gap that still exists in the Rwandan hospitality sector, the Government of Rwanda, through MINEDUC/WDA, entered into an agreement with Les Roches International School of Hotel Management in establishing a hospitality institute. This Institute will offer international diplomas in hospitality management and culinary skills. Both will be benchmarked to Les Roches standards which are internationally accredited. WDA has, therefore, embarked on a project to develop the infrastructure of the Hospitality Management Institute (HMI) and is to be operational towards the end of 2017 says Ms. Mutoni.

This school will be governed by the high standards of Les Roches International School of Hotel Management and Ms. Mutoni commends the program as the best hands-on designed not only to equip trainees with skills to make them employable but also to nurture them into starting their own businesses.

the difference with being a TVET graduate is that you do have high chances of being recruited as an employee by firms/ organizations and starting your own line of business.

Artistic impression of the Hospitality Management Institute In building hospitality skills, customer care is given a high-table position. Whereas customer care values have improved in the last few years in Rwanda, there is a feeling that they will get even better.

There have been some challenges faced in building skills in the hospitality sector. Since the trainings are mainly practical, the consumables required for studies to take place are expensive. However, WDA works with different development partners and the private sector so that the cost of maintaining the quality of training is assured. The industry is greatly affected by the attitudes of both the employers and employees. Most of the people are employed in this industry for many other reasons other than the passion. They are probably there because they don’t have any other alternative at that moment as they look elsewhere. This reflects a lack of commitment and in turn affects service delivery.

However much WDA equips people with skills, it is important that the attitude of both employers and employees is worked upon. It’s also important that the employers hire the right people.

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HE FOR SHE

Girls have been given equal vocational skills opportunities

Getting girls equipped with vocational skills In an effort to increase girls’ enrollment in TVET, the Workforce Development Authority (WDA) in partnership with the Netherlands Organization for International Cooperation in Higher Education

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he HeForShe campaign is a global movement spearheaded by UN women to engage men and boys to participate in eradicating the social and cultural barriers that hinder girls and women from achieving their full potentials. In order for gender equality and women empowerment to be realized, a comprehensive strategy needs to be drawn that allows both men and women to take part in the cause of gender equality.

(EP-NUFFIC) launched a national campaign dubbed ‘TVET Girl’, guided by the theme “TVET GIRL, MU MYUGA TURASHOBOYE”.

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HeForShe’s first mission is to mobilize all men and boys to show their support towards gender quality and women empowerment by signing up for the campaign online. The campaign also aims at enforcing its cause through the highest levels of government, the private sector and academia.

Rwanda joined the rest of the world in pledging its support towards the cause and through the Ministry of Gender and Family Promotion, it engaged different stakeholders to encourage men and boys to sign up for the campaign. The government also chose three priority areas to champion the cause of gender equality and women empowerment. These are bridging the gender digital divide in ICT and attain equivalence in usage and access, enhancing girls’ enrollment in TVET to boost their employability and eradicating Gender Based Violence in all its forms.

In an effort to increase girls’ enrollment in TVET, the Workforce Development Authority (WDA) in partnership with the Netherlands Organization for International Cooperation in Higher Education (EP-NUFFIC) launched a

HE FOR SHE

national campaign dubbed ‘TVET Girl’, guided by the theme “TVET GIRL, MU MYUGA TURASHOBOYE”.

This was in the context of promoting the HeForShe campaign through changing the mindset of young girls towards TVET, especially by encouraging them to join Science, Technology and Mathematics (STEM) related trades like Engineering, Architecture, among others.

In the past, there was a tendency for girls to shun technical careers because they perceived them as difficult and a preserve of men. WDA currently has 392 officially accredited TVET schools (both public & private) countrywide, with a total student population of 97,633; out of who 45,738 are females. Only 18% of the female students enroll for STEM related studies.

The TVET Girl campaign was funded

by EP-NUFFIC and was implemented by a multidisciplinary consultancy MOTT MACDONALD in partnership with WDA. Organizers were driven towards Rwanda’s HeForShe impact goal of tripling girls’ enrolment in TVET by 2020.

It also served to create public support base for girls and women studying for and working in STEM related occupations.

The campaign fronted role models who have gone through the TVET system and are pursuing careers in technical fields. These girls conducted technical demonstrations to show that such careers are not restricted to men only, but can also be done by women.

TVET Girl Campaign was designed into a fun, interactive and informative approach for the target groups including young girls in lower secondary, their parents and teachers. This was done with the objective to raise awareness about the lack of girls in TVET institutions, focusing particularly on inherit perceptions and biases from students, parents, teachers and the community at large.This entire campaign took 12 days; using roadshows in the districts of Muhanga, Huye, Nyamagabe, Musanze, Gicumbi, Rubavu, Karongi, Rusizi, Rwamgana, Ngoma, Nyagatare and Kicukiro.

The Ministry of Education also introduced a mentorship and career guidance program that will encourage more girls to take up more Science subjects and realize the He For She goal of tripling girls enrollment in TVET by 2020.

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For security, integrity of WDA information systems

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he ICT department at WDA has two main roles; to support WDA staff with technical support and to provide them with basic training in ICT technologies and applications; and to provide security and integrity of information for the institution.

Another responsibility of the department is to prepare strategic and operational plans for the Information Communications Technology (ICT) department to ensure that all necessary ICT tools, processes and systems are in place to meet the requirements of the institution and contribute to the achievement of short- and long-term goals in ICT. According to Mugume David the Director of ICT at WDA, the department is responsible for the maintaining of all the ICT equipment and toadvise the institution on new technologies and equipment to be procured for the institution.

“We manage and provide oversight for the implementation of ICT systems, security strategy and disaster recovery plan that minimizes the risk of data loss. We also ensure development, implementation and maintenance of all policies related to ICT services, including procurement, distribution and asset management.”

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The department plays another big role in the establishing of ICT labs and smart classrooms in TVET schools all over the country.

“The department facilitates the delivering of TVET by playing a big role, countrywide, of acquiring and setting up infrastructures of all TVET schools. We build ICT labs and smart classes and make sure there is connectivity of internet in all these schools depending on their location,” explained Mugume

“We manage and provide oversight for the implementation of ICT systems, security strategy and disaster recovery plan that minimizes the risk of data loss. We also ensure development, implementation and maintenance of all policies related to ICT services, including procurement, distribution and asset management.”

Rwandan schools are expected to start using smart classrooms by the end of this year as a result of a partnership agreement signed three years ago between the Government of Rwanda and Microsoft to digitize the country’s education sector.

Mugume said that they develop policies and guidelines in ICT in education by working hand in hand with the Ministry of Education and REB through recommending the specific type of equipment to be used in TVET schools.

“ICT is something that is very important in TVET schools and we are very interested in promoting it at WDA. We have already started initiating them in all IPRCs and TVET schools around the country,” says Mugume.

The smart classrooms will give students access to computers and basic softwares as well as internet access to digitize teaching and learning.

WDA also signed a memorandum of understanding with an international organization called ORACLE whereby they will support WDA by training TVET trainers in different ORACLE applications and so far over 20 trainers have already undergone training.

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Contacts WDA-Physical Address: KG 7 Street-Remera-Kigali | P.O. Box 2707, Kigali-Rwanda Tel. Number: +250 255113365 Email: info@wda.gov.rw Website: www.wda.gov.rw | Twitter: @InfoWda Facebook: Workforce Development Authority 80

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