Government policy interventions—such as Gender in Education, Universal Primary Education, Universal Secondary Education and Upskilling Uganda—have improved equality in access (in terms of gender and disability) to free and compulsory education, increased BTVET uptake and increased enrollment of girls in STEM subjects in Uganda. However, while more girls enroll at lower levels, their enrollment and completion rates at higher levels are low and also remain low in BTVET and STEM disciplines.
These are some of the findings from the Youth Employment and Skills study Strengthening Education and Learning Systems to Deliver a 4IR-ready Workforce. The study also finds that Uganda has very good BTVET schools with good infrastructure. Although private BTVETs are operating at full capacity, government BTVETs with good facilities are empty, in part due to high government entry requirements compared to those of private institutions. BTVET courses are more practical and aligned with the current and future job market than the secondary curriculum, which is exam-oriented, highly theoretical, and prevents active learning and acquisition of new knowledge and skills. But despite the improvements in access and the quality of BTVET curricula, most Ugandan youth joining the labor market still lack the technical, communication, and ICT skills that are in high demand by the private sector and are necessary for a 4IR-ready workforce.
COVID-19 heightened the need for Uganda’s education and learning systems to embrace digital technology. Currently, less than 50 percent of training institutions have computers, though ICT is now a subject in secondary schools and teachers are being trained to integrate it into their lesson delivery. Key challenges on the supply side include limited financing for upskilling, inadequate infrastructure, and classroom congestion. Key challenges on the demand side include lack of ICT skills among graduates, the high cost of doing business, and a lack of government support for conducting operations. In addition, industry practitioners are never consulted about the curriculum despite them being knowledgeable and experienced in the labor market.
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This study is part of a six-country project on Youth Employment and Skills (YES) and the changing nature of work. The project examines education and training systems and their ability to adjust to meet evolving labor demand in light of rapidly evolving digital technologies and the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR). The six countries are Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Ghana, Niger, Rwanda, and Uganda. The project evaluates the policies, regulations and institutional arrangements aimed at boosting educational outcomes and employment opportunities, especially job creation using innovative education and training initiatives.