Technical vocational education trainers under their body, Uganda Technical and Vocational Trainers’ Union(UTVTU) have warned the Ministry of Public Service against recognizing fashions and designs as an arts course, instead of a science.
The trainers from both private and public technical vocation education training institutions in the country they have since last year engaged with the Ministry of Public Service in regards discrimination of fashion design instructors and workshop assistants who have also missed out on salary enhancement on account of being non-science.
“This new classification, which portrays Fashion and Design as a non-science course centred on basic tailoring skills and portfolio development, starkly contradicts previous official guidance and the nature of the course content as recognized by both our employer - Ministry of Education and Sports, academic institutions and the industry” UTVTU general secretary, Norbert Agaba said.
He noted that this declassification has seen their colleagues miss out on salary enhancements by government.
The technical vocation trainers say fashion and garment design is one of the oldest technical courses in TVET institutions in Uganda that was renamed from Tailoring and Cutting Garments (TCG built on three core course units; Technology (textiles science, trade calculations, human anatomy, sewing machine mechanism and much more), Pattern drafting (the architectural aspect or garment blue print) and Practical Test (fabric formation, fabric decoration and garment construction).
“Given its technical aspects, this course cannot be separated from other technical courses and classified as art,” they say.
They says that the national certificate in fashion and garment design, as guided by the National Curriculum Development Centre (NCDC) 2017 Teacher’s Guide for technical and vocational institutes, includes core science-based modules where fashion and garment design falls.
“These modules demonstrate that Fashion and Design is deeply rooted in science and technology and aligns with the skills required for industrialization.”
“While some graduates from this program join clothing industries and instructor training colleges, others proceed to pursue science-based university degrees in textile and clothing technology, and textile engineering, as offered at Kyambogo University, Busitema University, Makerere University, and Ndejje University under faculties of Science and Engineering, as well as other Universities outside Uganda.”
The trainers say the National Certificate in Fashion and Design provides a solid science-based foundation for advanced studies and careers in technology- intensive sectors.
Refering to President Museveni’s 2023 speech on salary enhancement on specific technical courses , the technical vocational trainers say tailoring was also mentioned.
These demand that the Ministry of Public Service should stop treating scientists, engineers and technologists in TVET sector as non-science but also respect government
decisions and honor the presidential directive of 2021.
“ The science salary scale for Fashion and Design Instructors should be reinstated with immediate effect and compensation for the previous affected months should be considered. Salaries for Workshop Assistants should be raised to match that of Laboratory Assistants in Secondary Schools since they possess the same qualifications,” Agaba said,
“ The reclassification of Workshop Assistants according to their qualifications that has taken over a year without clear direction should be implemented accordingly.”
They also want government to consider providing TVET Trainers with protective gears for use while preparing and conducting practical lessons but also the Ministry of Education and Sports to consider and implement the promotional ladders in TVET subsector as stipulated in the Teachers’ Scheme of Service as a motivation for quality and dedicated service delivery.
“The Ministry of Education and Sports should stop conducting uncoordinated postings and transfers of TVET Trainers which have recently led to family breakdowns, death of one of our members due to severe illness because of travelling long distances, stress and failure to access payroll in the newly posted work stations.”