Kiny
Eng
Fr
Residents are calling for training in entrepreneurship instead of just being encouraged to start businesses
Uwajeneza Donatha
Sep 18, 2024 - 18:30
Some residents say that although they are encouraged to start their businesses, there are many challenges, particularly a lack of adequate knowledge. They are requesting that they receive training courses that help them in entrepreneurship rather than just encouragement. This comes as the Rwandan government has initiated a program to establish at least one vocational school in each sector, where everyone can easily learn a profession of their own choice.
kwamamaza
The Rwandan government aims to build a knowledge-based economy, and in speeches by leaders from various sectors, there is often a message encouraging Rwandans to engage in entrepreneurship.
However, when you talk to many Rwandans, they express that finding a job is challenging, and starting their businesses often feels like just an obligation rather than a real opportunity, especially since those who encourage them rarely provide the necessary training. They believe this needs to change.
One person told Isango Star, “Starting a business, as they tell us on the radio and television—‘youth, start your own businesses’—would require them to approach us and explain, ‘if you do this, it will work like this.’ This way, we would have a clear starting point and guidance to move forward.”
In the government’s plan to accelerate development over the next five years (NST2), one of the economic pillars includes creating 1,250,000 jobs by 2029.
Dr. EdourdNgirente, the Prime Minister of Rwanda, states that achieving this goal will require each sector to have a vocational training school.
He said, “We will establish vocational training centers (VTCs) in every sector, where anyone can learn a trade of their choice for a short period, regardless of their previous education.”
In the past seven years, Rwanda set a goal to have a vocational and technical school in every sector, aiming for 60% of students to be enrolled in these programs by 2024. However, as of April 2024, there are still 24 out of 416 sectors that do not have a vocational training school.
This highlights the need for increased efforts to meet the 2029 goal of ensuring that all 2,148 sectors have such schools, as planned.
Written by Donatha UWAJENEZA; Author: Yassin TUYISHIMIRE
kwamamaza