Message from the President of Uganda

 Since many years ago, I have been pointing out to the country the complications involved in providing education that is not aimed at the labour market. At the time of Independence, for instance, when educated people were few, it was not a problem to educate people without targets. This situation is no longer the same.

Since the NRM administration came to power, it has provided stability and peace as a first step to reconstruction of the economy and development of infrastructure and industries; including improvement and expansion of facilities for social services, like education.

This, among others, led to an explosion of educated people, which may partly be attributed to the Universal Primary Education (UPE) and Universal Secondary Education (USE) programmes.

It also led to creation of many local businesses and foreign investments in Uganda, creating more jobs for the youth. Unfortunately, the youth are not aware of such opportunities, and if they are aware, the skills, attitudes or technical knowledge they possess are often not relevant to the available jobs.

 

 

                                President Yoweri Museveni Speaks about Education in Uganda

It is, therefore, necessary that the education system should target producing graduates that are needed by the current and future labour markets.

Career Guidance to students therefore becomes very essential so that students learn about those labour markets locally, regionally and internationally, and tailor their education and training to access those labour markets. It is also essential that Career Guidance programmes should target transforming the students from being job-seekers to job creators.

The climate is now favorable, as the NRM administration has put in place special schemes like Plan for Modernization of Agriculture (PMA), National Agriculture Advisory Services (NAADS), promotion of Small to Medium Enterprises (SMEs), as well as plans for attracting investors to set up industries and businesses in Uganda, through the provision of advisory and regulatory services, including soft loans facilities. All these programmes are aimed at creating opportunities for employment, for which the youth should be guided to target.

The NRM Government is committed to developing Uganda into an industrialized and knowledge-based society. This is the principle behind the introduction of UPE thirteen years ago and also of USE four years ago. Four flagship programmes are now put in place to actualise this objective:

National Skills Development Programme, to develop the much needed skills required by the labour markets

  1. National Skills Development Programme, to develop the much needed skills required by the labour markets and also enhancement of Technical and Vocational Education and Training;
   

2. Construction of four Regional Skills Incubation Centres to retool youth with employability skills;
  

3. Construction of ICT Park and a National Call Centre, to tap the emerging employment opportunities related to ICT disciplines and usage; and
   

4. Supporting Science Innovations in Universities and Research Institutes in an effort to add value to whole range of products, especially agricultural produce and animal products.

These programmes are meant to enhance employability skills of the youth in a bid to enable them become self employed and also to contribute to adding value to Ugandan products.

Government will, therefore, endeavour to build technical capacities of the would-be entrepreneurs so as to create more jobs. It will also continue with its quest for vocationalisation of education, driven by sound needs of the labour market. Vocational, Technical Education and Training will be emphasized, following the successful implementation of UPE and USE, and in a bid to develop productive skills.

I am happy that Ministry of Education and Sports has come up with this Handbook on Career Guidance. This will make students informed about available opportunities and also the skills required, in the current and future labour markets. This book will be very useful in guiding students on appropriate subjects and good courses to pursue, so as to become employable after completion of their education and training.

Y.K. Museveni

President of the Republic of Uganda
http://www.statehouse.go.ug/