RUBIRIZI – The Uganda Vocational and Technical Assessment Board (UVTAB) has issued a stern ultimatum to shut down all unlicensed vocational and technical institutions, with proprietors facing immediate arrest and prosecution.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The hardline stance was delivered by the Deputy Executive Director of UVTAB, Dr. Nahamya Wilfred, who served as the keynote speaker at the Katerera County Education Forum’s 5th Annual Day.
Held at Archbishop Bakyenga Vocational Secondary School in Kyamwiru, Rubirizi District, the event carried the theme: “Skills for Development and Livelihoods: Positioning the Youth for Ugandan Transformation.”
Dr. Nahamya declared that unlicensed vocational school operators will be arrested, prosecuted, and their institutions shut down for endangering learners with substandard training.
He affirmed that while the government welcomes investors to establish vocational schools for job creation and dropout reduction, it will not compromise on quality, with UVTAB and security agencies already inspecting illegal facilities.
“UVTAB, together with security agencies, has begun inspecting schools operating illegally without adequate facilities. Learners need to be protected with recognized institutions for quality education,” he noted.
He further called on parents and students to embrace practical skills training, urging sensitization campaigns to keep youth in school and guide them toward accredited technical institutions.
Educationist Byamukama Innocent appealed to parents to prioritize the education of the boy child, warning that neglect often leads to drug and substance abuse.
Byamukama encouraged learners to remain focused and maintain discipline while praising the Katerera Education Forum for raising parental awareness.
Rubirizi District Chairperson Obed Agaba appealed to parents to jointly safeguard their children’s education and morals, cautioning that failure to educate a child exposes them to social vices like crime and wayward behavior.
He further called on parents to monitor their children’s values while appealing to teachers to remain professional and use guidance and counseling to enhance student performance.
“Parents who neglect their children’s education are planting seeds of trouble in our communities. Let us monitor our children’s morals and support our teachers so that every learner receives quality guidance and performs well in school,” warned Chairperson Agaba.
The Katerera Constituency MP Hon. Atwizukire Boaz, while in attendance, emphasized that education is a vital investment for family prosperity and warned that neglecting it will hinder meaningful change in homes.
He criticized parents who prioritize drinking over their children’s schooling and encouraged learners to embrace ICT and social media as tools for advancing their education.
“Education is the greatest investment a parent can make. A child without education is a family without a future. Parents who spend money in bars while children stay home are destroying their own homes. I urge learners to embrace ICT and social media as tools to secure their tomorrow,” remarked MP Boaz.
Mushemeza Ginius, CEO of the Katerera Education Forum, explained that the annual day was organized to celebrate achievements, inspire learners through role models, and promote collective commitment to education.
Meanwhile, forum Chairperson Kiseka Iddi Abdulahumani echoed calls for supporting the boy child and urged learners to remain hardworking, peaceful, and focused on their studies.
The event convened parents, students, political leaders, and educators from Rubirizi District and its environs, all united in their resolve to drive educational progress throughout the district.
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