Ketty Lamaro, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, says that the government intends to create a lean TVET structure and has finally decided to merge the existing bodies to fit into two.
The Ministry of Education and Sports has started the process that will lead to the merger and restructuring of different Technical and Vocational Education and Training- TVET assessment bodies.
Currently, there are four examinations and assessment bodies involved in skills development.
These are; the Directorate of Industrial Training-DIT, Uganda Business and Technical Examinations Board-UBTEB, Uganda Nurses and Midwives Examination Board-UNMEB, and Uganda Allied Health Examinations Board-UAHEB.
Ketty Lamaro, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, says that the government intends to create a lean TVET structure and has finally decided to merge the existing bodies to fit into two.
“The health science assessment bodies that is; Uganda Allied Health Examinations Board (UAHEB) and Uganda Nurses and Midwives Examination Board (UNMEB) into one body, Uganda health professional’s assessment board as well as the Directorate of Industrial Training-DIT, and Uganda Business and Technical Examinations Board-UBTEB into one body, Uganda vocational and technical assessment board,” Lamaro’s communication reads in part.
She added that in this reform, the ministry intends to make competence and awards gained by the trainees, more credible in East Africa and elsewhere in the world.
Uganda Radio Network understands that the pronounced merger has already started creating worry and unease among the affected bodies with several staff fearing losing their jobs.
“We are already in trouble, no one is sure of what is coming next,” one UBTEB staff member told our reporter.
With the plan laid out, Dr. Silver Mugisha, the chairperson of UBTEB, notes that there is a need to expedite the process as it is already affecting performance in the sub-sector. Speaking on Tuesday afternoon during the release of UBTEB examination results, Mugisha emphasized that this should be cleared once and for all.
John Chrysostom Muyingo, the Minister of State for Higher Education, said that the process is in the final stage. He explained that at the core of this specific merger is the TVET Bill, which is expected to repeal a number of the Acts that created the existing bodies.
Muyingo further said that the TVET Bill is currently before the cabinet and in the next few days, it will be tabled before parliament.
The Cabinet approved a resolution to streamline Ministries, Departments, and Agencies-MDAs in 2021. Directorates are anticipated to be phased away as well as some moving into departments during the restructure.
Over 180 MDAs and other institutions will be affected by the merger, which would result in a workforce reduction that will save close to 988 billion shillings on salaries.URN
