Rwanda Polytechnic, Workforce Development Authority and development partners have committed to continue   to strengthen partnership so as to ensure development of TVET sector in Rwanda.

 The commitment was made during the two days’ retreat that took place on 24th and 25th January at Gorilla Hotel in Musanze District.

 The objective of the retreat was to review the current TVET subsector achievements, challenges, set strategies and way forwards.

 It also aimed at harmonizing all TVET interventions by various stakeholders in order to efficiently and timely achieve Rwanda Polytechnic and Workforce Development Authority mandates as well as having a common understanding on the recent restructuring process.

 WDA is currently a regulatory body whose mandate is to set training standards, determine qualifications, provide accreditation, licensing and quality assurance standards while RP’s mandate is the implementation wing and for training delivery.

The retreat was chaired by Dr. James Gashumba, the Vice chancellor of Rwanda Polytechnic and

 the Director General of WDA Eng. Pascal GATABAZI.

 In his opening remarks, the Vice Chancellor of Rwanda Polytechnic Dr. James Gashumba thanked the participants and organizers of the retreat and said that the objective of the retreat is to review the current TVET subsector achievements and challenges, and set strategies and way forwards; to harmonize all TVET interventions, by various stakeholders in order to efficiently and timely achieve RP and WDA mandates; to Vitalize TVET SSWG and align them to ESSP 3 priorities and have a common understanding on the recent restructuring process and new roles/mandates of both RP and WDA.

 The Vice Chancellor of Rwanda Polytechnic Dr. James Gashumba thanked the participants and organizers of the retreat .

Mrs. Inga Kluender Preuss from Germany Embassy which is one of the partners said that TVET financing is still a challenge and recommended to think of an effective and sustainable TVET financing mechanisms, like introduction of the TVET Levy so as to ensure quality of TVET delivery.

 Following the participants’ discussions, a number of resolutions were made in an effort to improve performance of TVET sector.

 It was recommended that TVET Subsector Planning Retreat shall be organized once every year, organize international and regional exposure and benchmarking for TVET senior managers through visits and trainings abroad.

 Other recommendations say that all TVET stakeholders should be fully engaged and participate in RP Strategic plan development, which will be a long term guiding tool for TVET interventions, enhance monitoring, evaluation and results based impact assessment of partner’s interventions in TVET.

The Rwanda Polytechnic strategic plan for 2019-2024 is being developed under the support of Jica, USAID and KOICA.

It was also recommended that RP and WDA have to sit together and find out solutions on how students from old system can be assessed and certified in the current new system as well as identifying, mapping and signing MoUs with potential companies about the implementation of the workplace learning policy in its 4 components.