By Patience Ahimbisibwe
National Water and Sewerage Corporation Managing Director Silver Mugisha is the new chair of the board of Uganda Business and Technical Examinations Board (Ubteb). Mugisha took over the new role on Tuesday during Ubteb’s inauguration of the new board. Mugisha who took over from Prof Venansius Baryamureeba will lead the board for the next three years.
Prof Mugisha challenged Ubteb staff to be innovative to grow their income. Prof Baryamureeba reported that his 15-member board had grown the institution’s revenue from Shs13billion in 2016 to Shs20billion. Mugisha remarked that they need to grow that revenue.
“Where I work, we generate almost Shs500billion a year. This is a drop in the ocean. If we want to create a difference, we must do things differently. We need to diversify and enroll more people and institutions in technical skills,” Mugisha said.
Ubteb executive Secretary Mr Onesmus Oyesigye said they are rethinking their strategies in skills training and assessment to match the emerging skills demands.
During the event, state minister for primary education Ms Rosemary Seninde also tasked the National Curriculum Development Centre (NCDC) to design a skills curriculum that will be implemented in primary so that when they complete their seven-year primary cycle they have employable skills.
“A young girl came to me about two weeks ago asking me to get her a job even if it is sweeping someone’s office. I asked her what she had studied. She said she graduated five years ago with a Bachelor’s degree in social administration and social works but had never found a job. If she had skills, she would be having a job,” Ms Seninde said.
