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In 2007, the Ugandan government, under the guidance of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) party, introduced the Comprehensive National Development Planning Framework Policy (CNDPF).
As a result, the Cabinet approved the National Vision Statement: “Transform Uganda’s society from a peasant society to a modern and prosperous nation within 30 years”.
The National Planning Agency, in consultation with other government agencies and other stakeholders, developed the Uganda Vision 2040 to implement the vision statement.
“Uganda Vision 2040” is based on solving the strategic bottlenecks that have been constraining Uganda’s socio-economic development since independence. These bottlenecks include ideological confusion, weak private sector, underdeveloped human resources, insufficient infrastructure, small market size, insufficient industrialization, underdeveloped service industry, underdeveloped agriculture, and imperfect democratic system.
This informed the 30-year vision and was implemented through: three 10-year plans; six 5-year National Development Plans (NDPs); Sector Investment Plans (SIPs); Local Government Development Plans (LGDPs), annual work plans and budgets.
The first five-year development plan (2010/11-2014/15) was launched in 2010, covering the six five-year development plans during the Vision Framework period.
The second new development plan was launched and implemented between the 2015/16 and 2019/20 financial years.
We are currently at NDP111 (2020/21 to 2024/25).
They always include medium-term strategic directions, development priorities and implementation strategies and are aligned with the NRM Manifesto.
All government ministries, agencies and departments (MDAs) must align with the NDP and NRM manifestos.
One of the series of interventions proposed under Vision 2040, the Third National Development Plan (2020/21-2024/25) (NDPIII) and the NRM Manifesto (2021-2026) is to invest in human capital development to bridge the skills gap.
To achieve this, the concerned MDAs should adopt and roll out a flexible, demand-driven Business Technical Vocational Education and Training (BTVET) system.
It is also wise to mainstream TVET training with a dual training system, ie institution-based and work-based training.
The NRM Manifesto and NDP111 provide further guidance to MDA on relaxing TVET admission requirements so that those who are willing to study, regardless of their previous qualifications, are eligible for admission.
The language of instruction should also be adapted to the learners’ proficiency level, providing opportunities for young people willing to acquire skills and certifications.
In line with NDP111 and the NRM Manifesto, frontline MDAs were also asked to attract more TVET learners, retrain artisans already in the job market, and increase the utilization of TVET facilities through Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL).
UBTEB begins using modular assessment
Today, we analyse how the Uganda Business and Technical Examinations Board (UBTEB) can contribute to the successful implementation of NDP111 and NRM Manifesto 2021-2026 through the introduction and successful implementation of modular assessments.
In 2022, the Uganda Business, Technical and Vocational/Professional Education or Training Board (UBTEB), whose mandate is to streamline, regulate, coordinate and conduct credible national examinations and award certificates and diplomas in Uganda Business, Technical and Vocational/Professional Education or Training, introduced modular assessments in line with the 2019 BTVET Policy, the NRM Manifesto (2021-2026) and the NDP III.
According to Onesmus Oyesigye, Executive Secretary of UBTEB, they first launched the Uganda Community Polytechnic Certificate and National Technical and Vocational Certificate programmes across the country.
“This is to make BTVET training and assessment more flexible and increase access to BTVET for Ugandans,” he said.
According to Oyesigye, under modular assessment, learners can study modules in the course of their interest and after completing each module, he or she will be awarded a certificate of competency which can allow the person to enter a job in the field in which they were assessed and awarded.
For example, in the Building and Construction course, if a learner successfully completes the bricklaying phase (module) of house construction, he or she will receive a certificate in bricklaying.
If he or she comes back and completes another phase or module like house renovation, plumbing or roofing, depending on the module, he or she will again get a certificate for the completed module.
“If a candidate completes all six modules of the building construction major, he or she can be awarded the National Certificate in Building Construction, which can be used to find a job, start a business, or progress academically towards a national diploma or other major,” Oyesije explained.
It turns out that elementary school dropouts need to study for three years to obtain a qualification certificate if they sign up for vocational training, and high school students also need to study for two years.
“UBTEB under modular assessment has been a huge success. We have seen more innovations from students in different modules. We have seen students acquire excellent skills in specific modules. Since we introduced the modular programme, we have seen more and more students enrolling for BTVET,” Oyesigye disclosed.
Jalia Nasaza, the UBTEB Vocational Institutions Manager, said previously modular programmes did not meet the needs of the world of work, whereas the 2019 TVET policy, the NRM manifesto and NDP111 advocated for demand-driven TVET.
“We looked at our documents and the first question was where do our students go after their training? We realised that although the syllabus covers a lot, they go and do specific jobs in the field. So we developed the courses and tried to match them with the careers that students go into after completing their training,” she explains.
She went on to elaborate further, “When you look at the course units they take, they don’t talk about the jobs they do in the workplace. They talk about general subjects like plumbing, electrical, fashion and design, technology. Now you ask yourself, what do people cover in that technology? We went and dug into the exact content that these people covered. We formed them as modules based on the different careers that students go into, which also fits into the curriculum. We modularized the assessments by making them speak to what the workplace understands.”
Although stakeholders initially did not understand what modular assessment was, she is happy to see that Ugandans now accept and appreciate it.
“Modular assessment makes employment easy. It enables learners to specialise at an early stage. It increases interest in BTVET and learners are able to produce real work. It makes training and passing easier. Learners can now focus on one subject and master it. I am sure everyone appreciates it,” she said proudly.
She noted that UBTEB has started training assessors and building capacity on modular assessments.
She was also pleased to see that through modular assessment, the weak links between TVET and industry were being addressed.
She believes that modular assessments encompass, integrate and get closer to industry in terms of assessment, which she attributes to teaching and assessing what employers want.
“At UBTEB, we have set up a TVET Assessment Task Force which includes people from industry and training institutions. We also encourage institutions to stay in close contact with industry and build on this close relationship.
We emphasise industrial training to ensure that students gain experience once they complete their studies and enter the working world,” she emphasised.
Herbert Wanda, UBTEB chief planning, budget and investment officer, said 64% of the projects assessed by UBTEB have been modularized.
“Before modular assessments were introduced, students from less affluent families could not benefit from them, so many students could not enroll. But this time it’s easy. Sign up for a programme, gain a skill, then go to work, earn more money, and come back with more skills,” Wanda explained.
Wanda believes that modular assessment needs to be properly implemented but is expensive, and therefore calls on the government to provide more funding for UBTEB.
He said once funding is available, more materials relevant to real-life working students will be available.
He also said that with the funding, UBTEB could decentralize assessment and training, set up branches in four major regions of the country with fully staffed units that can be close to students for proper supervision in the industry and real life.
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