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Chinese vocational schools to reskill Ugandan graduates
Zhang Jiangang (L), the Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of Xianyang Vocational and Technical College China, handing over his University plaque to Professor Dr Durraiz Reheman the Deputy Vice Chancellor KIU at the Sunmaker Oil and Gas Training Institute Bugolobi on Tuesday. Looking on are Eddy Turyatemba the assistant commissioner of vocational education and training at the Ministry of Education (C) and Caleb Ye the Engineer in charge of Technical Training at the Sunmaker Oil and Gas Training Institute. PHOTO | STEPHEN OTAGE
What you need to know:
- According to Mr Caleb Ye, an engineer at the Sunmaker Oil and Gas Training Institute, they organised the 2023 China-Africa seminar as a follow-up of the academic exchange programme that was initiated in 2018 but was disrupted by Covid-19.
The Ministry of Education and Sports has called for more Ugandan universities and vocational schools to establish academic exchange programmes with Chinese colleges to equip students with practical skills and knowledge.
Speaking at the 2023 China-Africa Vocational Education International Cooperation Academic Exchange Seminar on Tuesday, Mr Eddy Turyatemba, the assistant commissioner for vocational education and training at the Education Ministry, told a delegation of Chinese vocational schools and colleges that the initiative, which was started in 2018 before the outbreak of Covid-19, should be expanded.
He said the initiative has proved that once Ugandans are exposed to new technology and skills, they become competitive internationally. The event was at Sunmaker Oil and Gas Training Institute in Bugolobi, Kampala.
“I am happy to report that one of the trainees, who was trained at Sunmaker and was taken to an African skills competition in welding, was one of the best students in the competition in Namibia. This student did well to the extent that he was supposed to participate in the international skills competition in the USA. Unfortunately, he did not because he failed to get a visa. We have others who went to Thailand and participated,” he said.
Mr Turyatemba said Chinese technical and vocational schools should continue scouting for institutions to collaborate with in Uganda because the government is aware of their contribution to knowledge and expertise exchange, especially for the oil and gas sector, which needs compliance with international standards.
He added that collaboration has enhanced learning of different skills, research and innovations, which are relevant to Uganda’s development needs.
According to Mr Caleb Ye, an engineer at the Sunmaker Oil and Gas Training Institute, they organised the 2023 China-Africa seminar as a follow-up of the academic exchange programme that was initiated in 2018 but was disrupted by Covid-19.
He said this resulted in Kampala International University (KIU) and four Chinese vocational schools partnering to skill engineering students in road and bridge construction.
They have also signed different memoranda with Uganda Technical College Kichwanbwa, Bukalasa Agricultural College and Busitema College.
Benefits
Prof Durraiz Rehman, the deputy vice chancellor of KIU, said the partnership with four Chinese vocational schools started as joint collaboration for transfer of technology by training diploma engineers in automobiles such as electric motorcycles, and road and bridge construction, an area where Chinese have helped Uganda a lot.
