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Chinese to boost technical and vocational education
A total of 25,474 students have today began their April to June Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) examinations across the country.. PHOTO/ FILE
What you need to know:
- The partnership seeks to leverage China's expertise in vocational education to empower Ugandan youth with practical skills crucial for economic growth and employment opportunities.
A high-level Chinese delegation, hosted by the Uganda Institute of Information and Communication Technology under the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance, has embarked on a strategic collaboration aimed at enhancing Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in the country.
The event and partnership happened on August 16 at the ICT Hub Nakawa, which sought to leverage China's expertise in vocational education to empower Ugandan youth with practical skills crucial for economic growth and employment opportunities.
The principal of UICT, Mr Frederick Edward Kitoogo said that, they would like to share the biggest of what China has since they are interested in ICT's digital transformation.
"The main area that we are looking at collaborating in is curriculum development. Not only ICT but also teaching TVET areas like; the health sector, mechanical sector, agriculture, using ICTs. Other areas are capacity building and skills development," Mr Kitoogo said.
He added: Student and faculty exchange is also one of our targets whereby we shall be able to have our students go to China to work with the industry there and gain tangible experience in terms of the utilization of technologies."
The delegation comprised scholars from Hunan Polytechnic of Environment and Biology, Weinan Vocational & Technical College, and Hunan Railway Professional Technology College.
This visit marked a significant milestone in the ongoing collaboration between China and Uganda in the field of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET).
"We are looking for internships for our students to work with the Chinese industry and be able to even have possible job placements. We also want to teach the Chinese language. We have all along wanted to offer a course of Chinese language here at UICT. But we didn't have the capacity and capabilities," Mr Kitoogo said.
Speaking to this publication, the Chinese delegation representative Gu Yiman (Vice Principal Hunan Railway Professional Technology College) said they are aimed at student exchange and the curriculum development and also skill training and also the international curriculum standard," she said.
Delegation member, Ms Wu Yafei from Wei Nan Vocational and Technical University also remarked that, "the purpose of our visit is to deepen our understanding of UICT, to seek more opportunities for cooperation, and to explore more cooperation models".
The Chairperson 6th Governing Council of UICT Mr Dean Munene said that they believe that partnerships would help them in terms of infrastructure.
"We are aimed at getting workshops, labs, and classrooms, which are ICT-ready, but also to get donations and investments in such infrastructure," he said.
Mr Munene added: "We shall be exposed to technology transfer and industry partnerships, access to modern technologies, hands-on experience, and then a stronger industry. The Tibet institutions in China also have a chance to come and work in our environment and give us support and services."
