Ibanda still low on vocational education, say official

The Ibanda District Education Officer Peter Nsimire has revealed that only five vocational training institutions are found in district.

There is also only one government-aided technical institute - St Kizito Technical Institute Mabonwa in Rukiri Subcounty.

“Despite the government agenda of skilling Uganda to have more job creators and not job seekers although we have only five institutions that are promoting this technical education and we have one government aided institution St.Kizito,” Nsimire said.

“The others are Ibanda Training College in Ishongororo, St Benedict in Ishongororo Town Council, one in Igorora, and another in Bihanga archdeaconry in Ibanda North and it’s only those that have promoted the vocational training."

The education officer made the revelation during the commissioning and handover ceremony of a new female dormitory at the technical institute.

The dormitory was constructed by the Japanese embassy under their grassroots project at a cost of over Shs300 million through the comradeship of the former Member of Parliament and minister John Byabagambi.

Byabagambi highlighted the need for mindset change for many parents who still underestimate the value of technical training yet it is the biggest contributor of employment, especially self-employment.

“Where we are going now it is through technical schools that we will create employment, universities don’t create employment, employment is created by people in these technical schools," Byabagambi said.

"I appeal the parents to bring more so that they can be skilled because somebody who is skilled through such a technical skill will never fail to get a job anywhere.”

Japanese ambassador to Uganda Sasayama Takuya said they had chosen St Kizito Technical Institute and their grassroot project this year in order to empower the young women.

"I am very proud to bring some resources here and with some help for the bright future of people in St Kizito,” Takuya said.

Currently, St Kizito technical school has a population of 240 students, 170 are male and 70 females.

Ambrose Nareeba, the school principal is optimistic that with the new facility of a dormitory, the school will receive more students since they will be able to be in boarding.

"We have been having a problem of poor accommodation for the girl child and now that that problem is history we will focus on ensuring the girl child's future is bright and I am confident that we shall get more students to enroll for the technical courses at St Kizito," Nareeba said