Daniel Mugula
13 Nov 2026
KAMPALA – The Government of Uganda has officially launched the Uganda Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Qualifications Framework, a national instrument expected to strengthen skills development, improve workforce productivity and create clear pathways for learners to advance from basic technical qualifications to higher levels of education, including PhD level.
The framework was officially launched on Friday by the Minister of State for Higher Education, John Chrysostom Muyingo, at Serena Hotel in Kampala. It is intended to standardise TVET qualifications, improve recognition of practical skills and enable learners to progress across different education and training pathways.
Speaking at the launch, Muyingo reaffirmed the government’s commitment to implementing the framework, noting that Uganda’s economic transformation ambitions depend heavily on a skilled, competent and productive workforce.
He said the framework was an important step towards aligning technical and vocational training with the country’s development priorities, particularly agro-industrialisation, tourism, mineral development and the oil and gas sector.
Muyingo observed that factories require skilled technicians, oil fields need competent welders, fitters and instrument mechanics, while hotels depend on trained chefs and hospitality professionals to deliver quality services.
He added that transforming agriculture into a productive agro-industrial sector also requires skilled workers capable of operating and maintaining machinery, processing agricultural products and handling preservation and packaging.
The minister said the government’s Tenfold Growth Strategy, which seeks to expand Uganda’s economy from approximately $50 billion to $500 billion, would require deliberate investment in human capital and practical skills.
He emphasised that the success of the framework would depend on effective implementation and called upon the TVET Council to expedite the development of operational guidelines, including the Recognition of Prior Learning Framework and guidelines on equivalency and credit transfer.
Muyingo also directed the council to establish an accessible online TVET Qualifications Register to promote transparency and enable employers, institutions and the public to verify qualifications.
He urged TVET assessment boards to align their assessment and certification systems with the new framework and ensure that recognition of prior learning becomes accessible to workers who have acquired skills through practical experience.
The minister further pledged continued government support through resource mobilisation to ensure that the framework is effectively implemented.
He called upon employers and industry players to participate in the development of occupational standards, open their workplaces to learners for industrial training and apprenticeships, and recognise qualifications awarded under the framework during recruitment.
Muyingo also challenged the negative perception surrounding technical and vocational education, saying TVET should not be viewed as an alternative for learners who fail in conventional academic education.
He encouraged young people to take pride in practical skills and pursue technical careers, noting that the framework provides opportunities for continuous academic and professional progression.
Speaking at the same event, the Executive Director of the TVET Council, Moses Kasakya, said the framework provides the foundation for developing a competent workforce capable of supporting Uganda’s economic transformation.
Kasakya explained that competence must combine the ability to produce results with the right professional character, adding that both qualities are essential in preparing workers for the country’s priority economic sectors.
He said successful implementation would require active participation from employers, training institutions, assessment bodies and government agencies.
Kasakya emphasised that industries must provide information about the skills they require to enable the development of relevant occupational standards, curricula and qualifications.
He also called upon public and private training institutions to meet the required standards, while assessment bodies should maintain credibility and avoid compromising the quality of learners’ assessments.
He further highlighted the need for adequate financial resources and modern training equipment to enable learners to acquire practical competencies.
Kasakya urged young people not to regard TVET as a dead-end career pathway, explaining that learners can progress from basic qualifications to higher levels, depending on their abilities and competencies.
He also encouraged workers to seek recognition of prior learning so that skills acquired through years of work experience can be formally assessed and recognised.
The Executive Director called on employers to work closely with the council, saying the framework would help businesses understand the qualifications presented by prospective employees and reduce the cost of retraining workers.
The Commissioner for Business, Technical, Vocational Education and Training (BTVET), Safinah Museene, described the launch as a major achievement for Uganda’s education sector, noting that the development of the framework had taken approximately ten years.
She commended the government, Cabinet, Parliament and other stakeholders for supporting the process, saying the framework would improve the recognition and value of technical skills.
Museene said the Uganda TVET Qualifications Framework forms part of the broader effort to establish a connected national qualifications system alongside other existing frameworks, including those for higher education and professional qualifications.
She explained that the integration would enable learners to move between education pathways, transfer credits, gain recognition of prior learning and advance their careers.
Museene said the framework would help learners acquire qualifications that are valued and recognised both within Uganda and beyond its borders.
Meanwhile, the Chairperson of Parliament’s Committee on Education and Sports, Cuthbert Abigaba, welcomed the framework, saying it would help address challenges associated with the recognition of qualifications and progression between education institutions.
Abigaba cited a petition involving a person who had obtained a medical qualification but faced challenges practising because of questions surrounding the entry qualifications used to join the diploma programme.
He said the new framework would provide clearer guidance on qualification progression and recognition, reducing uncertainty that can affect learners after completing their studies.
However, he urged the TVET Council and the Ministry of Education and Sports to speed up the development of the necessary operational guidelines to support the implementation of the framework.
He noted that some technical institutions and their leaders had raised concerns about activities they could not undertake because the relevant implementation guidelines were not yet in place.
Abigaba said the parliamentary committee expected the responsible authorities to address such gaps to ensure that the council performs its mandate effectively.
In his remarks, Dr Tonny Mumwesigye, representing the TVET Council, welcomed participants and thanked government institutions, development partners, training providers, assessment bodies and industry representatives for their contribution to the development of the framework.
He said the framework had been shaped through consultations involving employers, training institutions, assessment bodies, regulators and development partners, making it a national instrument that belongs to all stakeholders.
Mumwesigye noted that the TVET Council was established under the TVET Act and is mandated to register, license, inspect and accredit TVET providers to ensure that institutions meet national standards.
He said the council had already laid the foundation for a quality assurance system through inspections focusing on facilities, equipment, trainers, governance and financial capacity.
He added that institutions that fail to meet the required standards are guided on areas requiring improvement, emphasising that the council’s objective is to raise the quality of training rather than close institutions.
To ensure that training responds to labour market demands, the council has also established employer-led Sector Skills Expert Committees. Ten committees have so far been inaugurated and are operational, with five more expected to be established.
The framework is expected to strengthen the credibility of technical qualifications, improve the connection between education and employment, and create opportunities for Ugandan workers to have skills gained through formal training and practical experience recognised.
Its successful implementation will depend on continued government commitment, adequate funding, modern training facilities, industry participation and strict adherence to national assessment and certification standards.
