Ministry admits TVET curriculum doesn’t cater for special needs students

KAMPALA, UGANDA | THE INDEPENDENT | The Ministry of Education and Sports has admitted that the existing Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) curriculum doesn’t cater for students with special educational needs (SNE).

This revelation comes in response to increasing concerns from educators, parents, and advocacy groups about the lack of inclusivity and relevance in vocational training programs.

Speaking on the matter during an interview, Dr. Safiina Kisu Musene, the Director for Higher Technical and Vocational Education and Training, acknowledged that that the current curriculum was developed without considering how students with special needs can be trained or assessed.

Dr. Musene added that Consequently, SNE students who enroll in TVET institutions often face significant challenges as their training does not align with their specific requirements, leading to difficulties in meeting the standard competencies set by the curriculum.

Although the TVET curriculum does not address the needs of students with special educational needs (SNE), vocational training is crucial for these learners, who frequently struggle with traditional academic education.

While many SNE students choose vocational and skills training, they often miss out on formal programs that could lead to recognized qualifications and the formal acknowledgment of their competencies, putting them at a disadvantage.

In recent years, an increasing number of these learners have been enrolling in technical and vocational institutions. Ironically, while the ministry that designed the curriculum without provisions for special needs education has been promoting TVET opportunities for disabled students and offering them special scholarships, the curriculum itself remains inadequate for their needs.

Onesmus Oyesigye, the Executive Secretary UBTEB, highlights the difficulties faced in assessing special needs learners within the current TVET framework. With a limited number of SNE students undergoing training, the board has struggled with assessment procedures due to the absence of guidelines tailored for these learners.

“Assessment is conducted according to the standard curriculum, which has created challenges when evaluating SNE students,” Oyesigye explained. “We have implemented some accommodations, such as providing sign language interpreters, transcribers, and additional 30 minutes for exams. However, these measures are insufficient.”

Oyesigye pointed out that the current assessment methods, which are based on the general curriculum, do not fairly accommodate SNE learners. For example, he cited that course like journalism, and other media and engineering related course.

To better support SNE learners in TVET, Oyesigye stressed the need for a comprehensive review of both the TVET curriculum and the training programs for educators, ensuring they are equipped to effectively train and assess students with special needs.

Numerous reports from local sources and education development partners, including the World Bank, have consistently highlighted the need to enhance life and vocational training for learners with different abilities. These reports stress that providing tailored training is crucial for equipping these students with the skills necessary for their self-sustainability and long-term success.

“SNE should emphasize vocational education and provision of the necessary human resource and special equipment and materials to support these children,” states a World Bank factsheet on the issue.

To address the issue, Education Minister Janet Kataaha Museveni has ordered that Ministry’s TVET Operations and Management Department should start the process that will lead to the review of current curriculum to cater for the learners with disability.

“I have noted the gaps that call for TEVT curriculum review to address emerging issues in training of trainees with special needs…I therefore, advise the TVET operations and management department to urgently address the inadequacies disadvantaging the training and assessment of trainees with special needs,” Mrs. Museveni noted in a statement issued during the release of the May/June 2024 TVET examination results.

In the ongoing July/August TVET examinations, a total of 94 candidates with special needs are registered across various TVET professions. The breakdown is as follows: 13 students with dyslexia, 26 with visual impairments, 16 with hearing impairments, 21 with physical disabilities, and 21 with other hearing challenges.

This represents a significant increase from last year, when 58 special needs learners were registered.

******

URN