The four-day exercise of selecting students for the National Vocational Certificate Programmes has ended today with more male applications compared to females.

The exercise started earlier this week in regional centres, including Ntinda Vocational Technical Institute in Kampala for the Central region, Northern Uganda Youth Development Centre in Omoro District for Northern Region, Nyamitanga Technical Institute in Mbarara City for the Western region and St. Kizito’s Technical Institute- Madera in Soroti city for Eastern.

This is the second selection exercise after the Ministry of Education and Sports implemented decentralized admissions for the first time in 2021 due to low enrollment.

According to the Assistant Commissioner at the Department of Technical and Vocational Education Training, Elizabeth Kateme, more than 500 applicants came from the central region. However, more males applied comfort to females. She added that different centres in the region have different capacities for students and there will be collaboration if the need arises.

Kateme noted that future plans will focus on encouraging the girl child to take up skills which are now largely believed to be masculine but she added that the turn-up is increasing. Kateme explained that there is a need to advertise these opportunities early enough and to connect students with employees and investors in the private sector for this initiative to be effective.

The Deputy Principal of Lugogo Vocational Institute, Joel Opoka noted that there has been an improvement in the turn-up but the process of admissions was hurried and this needs to be rectified the next time.

According to the ministry of Education and Sports, there is a move to increase enrollment and attract candidates to pursue courses in TVET and this selection process is part of it. Here, students will be picked to pursue courses leading to the award of the national certificate and the Uganda community polytechnic certificate course in Technical, Vocational Education and Training.

The TVET Policy establishes an employer-led TVET system with “a coordinated, labour-market responsive TVET system, producing a skilled, high-quality, competent workforce that is employable and responsive. The most applied courses include plumbing, auto motives and electrical engineering.