Gov’t to invest UGX 200 Billion in BTVET for skills competence.

By; Charles Katabalwa

09^th March 2021

Government is to inject over UGX 200 billion in Business Technical Vocational Education and Training (BTVET) institutions next financial year with the aim of creating employable skills and competencies relevant youths to the labour market. 

David Bahati, the State Minister for Finance, planning and economic Development while officiating the function of commemorating the 18th Anniversary of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) held in kampala today with the Theme: Youths in Governance, told the media that injecting funds in vocational training institutions will increase the pace at which the workforce acquires essential skills to maximize the benefits of the country’s economic transformation.

Bahati adds that technical and vocational training centres still suffer from under-funding, obsolete and inadequate training equipment, and tools  that is why government is giving all that much  such that   Parents change their attitude and enrol children in skills development to learn to do something as they look for jobs and not blaming the government all the time.

Bahati adds that Uganda is plagued by rising graduate youth unemployment as a result of the high number of new entrants into the labour market moreover with no practical skills and training for self employment so boosting Vocational studies will see this myth in the country hence en economic development.

He has disclosed that Training individuals to be technically skilled mechanics, engineers, shoemakers, and garment makers, among other professions increases a country’s competitiveness globally Ugandans government under leadership of president Museveni has been advocating for this through initiatives like presidential initiative on skilling girl child and over 8480 female youths have  benefited from it.

APRM is Africa’s most innovative and ambitious initiative on governance launched in 2003 by member states of the African Union who acceded voluntarily for self and peer- assessment of their national governance policies and practices.