Uganda Business and Technical Examinations Board (UBTEB) Executive Secretary, Onesmus Oyesigye, has announced significant changes in the assessment and accreditation process for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions.
According to him, these changes based on new guidelines from the Ministry of Education and Sports, aims at enhancing the quality and relevance of TVET programs takes effect in 2025.
He said the TVET Policy 2019 reforms seek to transform the current system into a demand-driven approach, aligning competencies with labor market needs. To achieve this, UBTEB will streamline assessment systems, ensuring that institutions comply with Ministry guidelines.
“All TVET institutions must adhere to the Ministry’s guidelines for the 2025 academic year and present themselves for inspection and registration. Only officially registered institutions will be considered for new program assessments. Private TVET providers must contact the Ministry for re-inspection by the TVET Operations & Management Department by February 2025, “Onesmus stressed.
“These changes will enhance quality assurance, improve relevance, increase credibility, and provide inclusive support for candidates with special needs. UBTEB’s assessments will be recognized nationally and internationally, aligning TVET programs with labor market demands.”he added.
The implementation timeline requires private TVET providers to complete re-inspection by February 2025, with institutions complying with Ministry guidelines for the 2025 academic year.
Onesmus Oyesigye emphasized UBTEB’s commitment to excellence, citing the successful July/August examination series, which saw 58,995 students participate across 454 centers, including newly accredited universities.
Onesmus explained that by streamlining assessment and accreditation, UBTEB aims to enhance TVET’s contribution to Uganda’s economic development, increase employability of TVET graduates, and improve the overall quality of Uganda’s workforce. UBTEB’s efforts will have a lasting impact on Uganda’s education and economic landscape, preparing the next generation of professionals to drive growth and development.
The Ministry of Education and Sports’ circular, ME/TVETO&M 01/23, sets out standards and procedures for licensing and registration of all TVET private institutions/providers.
Following this, the TVET Operations & Management Department launched an inspection exercise, resulting in registration certificates issued to numerous providers. These certificates indicate the programs/courses for which they are accredited to provide training and assessment by the Board.
Recently State Minister for education Joyce Moriku Kaducu cautioned unlicensed TVET institutions to register or face law in abid to regulate the sector.
