Vocational education in Karamoja region has received a boost. The Minister of State for Higher Education John Chrysostom Muyingo has today in Nakapiripirit commissioned new infrastructure worth 5.7 billion shillings. 

These include multi-million state of the art workshops and an assortment of modern training machinery, equipment and tools including a tractor.

The project funded by the Embassy of Ireland and jointly implemented by Enabel and the Ministry of Education benefited St. Daniel Comboni Polytechnic and Nakapiripirit Technical Institute.

Muyingo said government has prioritized skills development as a key driver of transforming the livelihood of Ugandans.

“We are aware that Uganda can yield much by investing in skilling our young people,” Muyingo said. “If well done, our children will acquire employability skills to lead them into employment, increase productivity for those with jobs and enable others start their own enterprises.”

The new infrastructure has enhanced the capacity of the schools to accommodate more trainees. Prior to the project, Nakapiripirit Technical Institute in 2017 had less than 100 students. But today, enrollment has risen to almost 500.

Enabel Resident Representative Christelle Jocquet said the increasing demand means the region now recognises skills as an enabler for development.

“It implies that there is need to consider increasing opportunities for skilling in Karamoja by putting up more skilling centers and schools, providing required equipment, recruiting competent staff and designing inclusive models of skilling.

The overall objective of the project was to enhance the employability of youth through better quality of instruction and making training responsive to the needs of the labour market.