One of the strategic choices a student and his or her parent can make after UNEB exams; Primary seven (PLE), Lower Secondary (UCE) & Upper Secondary (UACE) is to join Technical and Vocational education and Training (TVET) also known as as BTVET in Uganda.
The benefit of vocational training is that a student can get a job after completion of his or her first course, or even start up his or her small business enterprise.
This means that as a parent you are relieved from the school fees, and the child can therefore support himself to the next level as he or she will be earning some money already.
This, therefore, implies that the parent can concentrate on guiding the child in their career with also some small financial support.
Technical and Vocational Education and Training for a Primary Leaver.
A PLE leaver is eligible for enrollment in a TVET school in a Skill of his/her choice at the end of which the student attains a Certificate of Competence from DIT (Directorate of Industrial Training) normally after a period of between 6 to 9 months.
DIT is an assessing body that is nationally and internationally recognized just like UNEB with an emphasis on practical skills and quality standards.
This student with a DIT certificate can still upgrade from DIT Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3, up to the equivalence of a bachelor’s degree, Master and Doctorate in the DIT Levels of that particular skill/profession.
These levels can be achieved in a shorter period because this student gets knowledge and skills in only a specific area of choice/profession.
Technical and Vocational Education and Training for a UCE graduate.
A UCE Leaver has two TVET choices;
- To enrol for the DIT Certificate of Competence OR
- To enroll for the National Certificate in a skill of their choice.
Those who enrol for DIT go through the same skilling levels as the PLE leavers but start from Level 2 and they may have a better advantage in numeracy and literacy as they take on higher DIT levels. While
Those who choose a National Certificate course study for two years at the end of which they are awarded with the National Certificate examined by the Uganda Business & Technical examinations board (UBTEB) in the skill of their choice.
This document is equivalent to the UACE document. Course units are not limited to the skill-specific content but rather include other areas of knowledge such as Entrepreneurship, Swahili, Pure & Applied Mathematics, Communication Skills and Computer applications, which are compulsory irrespective of your Skill.
The National Certificate document can be used to enroll for Diploma studies in any University and subsequently Bachelor’s degree. Students under this category who choose to join University normally have higher chances of admission due to evidence of their skill-specific knowledge.
They are also better placed towards building solid careers due to the fact that they join universities with good knowledge of what their profession requires and the opportunities available to them in addition to the hands-on skills they already have.
With this document, one can join elective politics which only require a minimum of A level but also can secure jobs in firms and organizations as a professional, unlike the UACE document.
Technical and Vocational Education and Training for a UACE Leaver.
A UACE leaver has three TVET choices;
- To enrol for the DIT Certificate of Competence
- To enrol for the National Certificate
- To enrol for the National Diploma/Ordinary Diploma in the Skill/Profession of their choice.
A student who passed subjects such as Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry & English is eligible for a Diploma in Professions/Skills such as Civil Engineering/Building Construction, Electrical Engineering/Electrical installation, Water Engineering/Plumbing, Mechanical engineering/Mechanics, etc.
A student who has not performed well at the A level or who took arts subjects won’t qualify for the diploma courses but can still enrol for a National Certificate in the skill of his choice using the O-level results.
Whereas a student can choose to enrol on a DIT course whether he passed highly or not because the requirement for the DIT course is basic literacy. The skills acquired under DIT are neither for the more educated nor for the less educated, these skills are acquired by anyone who dares to learn them.
Technical and Vocational Education and Training for Employment
Based on their experience with the various technicians, instructors and engineers, Technical and Vocational graduates are more employable as they mostly concentrate and focus on their areas of interest. These Graduates can also create their small business enterprises and also employ others.
Article by Alfred Ntagungira
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