Technical and Vocational Education Training Institutions Way of Future for Youth Empowerment and Creation of MakertOriented Job Opportunities in Rwanda

Abstract

In the contemporary developing countries, Rwanda, inclusive, technical and vocational education training (TVET) Institutions have emerged as one of the most effective human resource development strategy that has been adopted not only with a view to training and modernising the technical but also for producing skilled, quality and employable workforce required driving the engine of industrial and economic growth, nationally and internationally as well. Besides, they have been viewed as engineers and disseminators of competence-based education which has enabled the youth of today, to be seen and felt as change makers of the social and economic development of these countries. The Government of the day in Rwanda, has realised that for it to be able create for its population, it requires well trained and skilled workforce equipped with competence-based employable skills in particular. It has entrusted this to TVET institutions in the country and hence, accorded them a central place in its all round development. The aforesaid is testified by the increase number of TVETs and the support they are receiving from the Government. The general objective of the present study was to assess the role of technical and vocational education training institutions on youth empowerment and creation of job opportunities in Rwanda, taking Kwigira Vocational Training Center in Kigabiro sector, Rwamagana District as the case study. The specific objectives of this study were to identify the selected TVET’s programmes directed towards empowerment of the youth in the area and evaluate the relationship between the TVET covered under the study and youth’s empowerment in the area. Descriptive research cum correlation study designs were adopted for the study. The targeted study population was hundred (100) graduates and twenty (20) TVET trainers of Kigabiro Vocational Training Centre. Purposive sampling, stratified and simple random techniques were used in selecting the respondents. The sample size was ninety-nine (99; eighty (80) TVET graduates and nineteen (19) trainers determined by the use of Slovin’s Formula. Questionnaire method used for collecting the required data from the selected respondents and analysed through the use of the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS-Version 21). It was found that Entrepreneurship Education Programme is the programme offered by Kwigira Vocational Training Centre, with a view to empowering the youth in the area and country in general. Besides, it was noted that the programme is supported by the Government. an indication of its importance and relevance not only to the individual youths, labour market but also to the Government Rwanda. Observed, too, was the fact that Kwigira VTC offers youth empowerment programmes which are tailored toward educating and empower youth with skills required by the labour market. Noteworthy mentioning here is that Kwigira VTC has numerous partners such as local government local communities and, local organisations across the region that, too, offer programmes, among others youth training in life skills. Youth Empowerment Programmes at Kwigira VTC have been have been incorporated in the training curriculum of the institution with a view to investing and addressing challenges, among them, youth unemployment and under-employment, facing communities in Kigabiro Sector in its environs. The researcher noted, the respondents of the study remained neutral on the issue whether Kwigira VTC has adequate mechanisms in place for the involvement of social partners in Technical Vocatonal Education Training with the aim of improving Youth Empowerment Programmes, presently, offered by the institution. Kwigira VTC has an active curriculum that offers entrepreneurship education which aim at enhancing the entrepreneurial skills of the youth enrolled in the facility in particular and communities in general of Kigabiro Sector of Rwamagana District. Again, noticed was the fact the centre has in its training curriculum programmes that are directed towards empowerment of the youth with skills meet the labour requirements, locally, nationally and internationally as well.