The Minister of State for Primary Education Dr. Joyce Moriku Kaducu has underscored the critical role that Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and skills competitions play in shaping the country’s workforce.
Speaking during the national skills competitions 2026 at Kiryandongo Technical Institute, Kaducu said that the competitions are a powerful demonstration of Uganda’s resolve to build a generation of highly skilled young people.
“Skills competitions are crucial in promoting excellence, benchmarking competences, and inspiring a culture of skills among our young people,” she said.
Organised by WorldSkills Uganda together with the Ministry of Education and Sports, skills competitions are part of the Ministry activities to promote TVET and build a skilled workforce in Uganda.
WorldSkills competitions provide a platform for young people to showcase their talents, and test their competences against national and international standards.
The 2026 WorldSkills competitions brought together young innovators from various TVET institutions across the country to compete in different trades including; Electrical Installation, Plumbing; Renewable Energy; Automotive Mechanics; Welding; Agro processing; Building Construction; Cabinet Making; and Fashion and Design.
Competitors don’t compete against each other but against industry/ employer standards – a deliberate move that prioritizes skills mastery for employment.
Building a skilled workforce ready for the job market is one of Uganda’s development priorities laid out in the National Development Plan and the Vision 2040.
According to the Education Ministry Permanent Secretary, Dr. Kedrace Turyagyenda, transformation of a country does not depend on natural resources but rather the quality of education and skilled population.
Acquiring skills that are demanded by employers in the job market is very critical for Uganda’s young population.
“The world is not looking for certificates, it is looking for what you can do and what you can bring to the world of work,” said Turyagyenda.
She challenged technical and vocational education institutions to train young people to acquire technical knowledge and competences, saying that it is frustrating for young people to pass with excellent grades but with no practical skills.
“There is nothing as frustrating as going with a First Class, they give you an interview and you cannot pass it. If you are skilled in your work, you will stand before kings. They will come looking for you. The skills competitions help us to get in motion,” said Turyagyenda.
The 2026 national skills competitions which are held annually together with a skills exhibition, and skills conference brought together policymakers, educators, and private sector leaders to examine how Uganda can strengthen its Technical and Vocational Education and Training ecosystem in the face of a rapidly changing global economy.
Minister Kaducu said that the government remains fully committed to transforming the TVET sector into a dynamic, demand-driven, and inclusive system — one that produces graduates who are not job seekers, but job creators.
“The government of Uganda under the leader of His Excellency Yoweri Kaguta Museveni remains fully committed to strengthening and transforming the TVET sector. The government is ready to transform the TVET sector into a dynamic, demand driven and inclusive system. Our focus is in ensuring that training skills is aligned with the industry demands and needs. We are determined to produce graduates who are not job seekers but job creators.”
“For the country to move to upper-level income status, we need the skilling industry, we need TVET. Every Ugandan needs to be skilled,” she added.
The Minister further said that the creativity and innovation displayed at the competitions are proof that Uganda’s skilling sector is moving in the right direction.
“TVET is the foundation of Uganda’s strong and vibrant economy. On behalf of the Ministry of Education and Sports, it is our sincere pledge that we will continue to support the TVET sector,” she said.
The national skills competitions also serve as a launchpad for Uganda’s participation on the global stage. Top performers represent the country at the WorldSkills international competitions.
The Assistant Commissioner, TVET Operations and Management in the Ministry of Education and Sports, Dr. Eddy Turyatemba said the national skills competitions are designed to change how Ugandans perceive vocational training.
“We want to inspire all Ugandans to choose TVET as a pathway for national development. We want every Ugandan to be productive,” he said.
The question of whether qualifications are keeping pace with the needs of employers was also raised sharply during the skills conference. Dr. Ronald Mutebi, Manager of Qualifications at the TVET Council, challenged participants to confront a fundamental shift in what the labour market demands.
“Work is changing very fast. Are employers still employing papers, or are they employing skills?” he asked. “If it is now skills that the private sector is interested in, and not the papers, then we need to have this discussion today on the mobility of skills.”
Dr. Mutebi called for a harmonised TVET qualification framework, saying the need for one is long overdue.
Photo: Minister Kaducu interacting with a competitor at the WorldSkills Competitions at Kiryandogo Technical Institute.
