UBTEB trains BTVET assessors, lecturers for new curriculum

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Uganda Business and Technical Examinations Board (UBTEB) has commenced a two-week training for assessors, lecturers, and tutors for 18 training programs under the new curriculum.

The training according to Onesmus Oyesigye, the UBTEB executive secretary is aimed at equipping skills and competences to the trainers and assessors ahead of the implementation of the new curriculum for training programs.

Oyesigye says the training of assessors and trainers aims at raising the level of quality of skills provision and build capacities between training providers and industry players.

He argues that representatives from 20 training institutions including world of work representatives will receive UBTEB awards to certify them as trainees as certified assessors and also produce assessment tools, assessors trainers manual.

The move is aimed at ensuring the implementation of the new teaching curricula which is hopped to deliver competence-based education and training and competency-based assessment.

Alex Kakooza, the Ministry of Education and Sports Permanent Secretary, says the competencies are based on the demands of industries and work fields. He says the new curriculum involves the participation in training by industry that consumes the diploma graduates in the manufacturing, construction, agriculture, competence-based and gas programs.

Kakooza explains that the change in curriculum required training and equipping of the trainers and assessors. He urged the trainees to transfer the skills to other colleagues in the institutions.

The training will be facilitated by representatives from Agricultural sector skills council, Oil and gas sector skills council, manufacturing sector skills council and construction sector skills council.

The programs whose curriculum will be changed effective February 2020 include manufacturing programs at UTC-Bushenyi with attached institutions including Nyamitanga, Karera and Lake Katwe Technical Institutes.

Others are road construction and general construction offered at UTC-Lira and Elgon respectively with attached technical institutes of Kalongo, Kitgum, Ora, Kaliro, Butaleja, and Kasodo Technical Institutes.

Meanwhile, under the new curriculum, agriculture programs will be offered at Bukalasa Agricultural college with attached institutions including; Ssese farm institute, Rwentanga farm institute, and Kaberamaido technical institute.

Oil and gas programs shall be offered at Uganda petroleum institute-Kigumba and UTC-Kichwamba.

The industries selected for the two-weeks training include; Kakira sugar works ltd, MUZARDI-Mukono, Sun makers oil and gas training Institute, central materials laboratory and Sebu engineering in Wakiso.

Dr Eng. Silver Mugisha, the UBTEB chairperson says this is a very important shift moving from the old orientation that is overly theoretical to practical using industries to train students.

In 2012, the government launched the skilling Uganda strategy with the main focus on delivering skills and competencies relevant for the labor market.

Subsequently, cabinet early this year approved the Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) policy in view of streamlining quality assurance systems and standards for TVET in the country.

In line with TVET policy there is greater emphasis of partnership with the industry players in the training, delivery, and assessment of TVET programs with the view of enhancing the employability of TVET graduates.

In view of the need to fast track these reforms government under the World Bank-funded Uganda Skills Development Project (USDP) and the Albertine Region Sustainable Development Plan (ARSDP) project allocated funds to orient and equip instructors and world of work practitioners with competencies that meet the ever-changing skills’ needs due to technological advancement and trends.

Ministry of Education and Sports earmarked 1.5 billion shillings to train assessors from BTVET institutions especially the centres of excellence with their partner technical institutes.

The Centres of Excellence include UTC-Bushenyi, UTC-Lira, UTC-Kichwamba, Bukalasa Agricultural College and Uganda Petroleum Training Institute.

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URN