Over 1000 have been awarded certificates and Diplomas in vocational skills during the 6thGraduation Ceremony at the Management Training and Advisory Centre(MTAC) , Nakawa.
Speaking as the guest speaker, Permanent Secretary Ministry of Trade and cooperatives, Ambassador Julius Onen , hailed the institute for the effort in ensuring the ceremony successfully happens.
’we are all aware that this country has made notable progress in increasing literacy and access to education at all levels’, he said.
‘If there is one common trait in this country is the love for education. The challenge that this posses to us as leaders and parents is to take full advantage of it to take our country forward’ Onen said.
Enrollment into business, technical and vocational institutes has increased by 46 % ;24,682 to 40,298.Access to higher education has been tremendously boosted through liberalization of higher education, continued government sponsor ship in institutions and public universities.
Government has of late come up aggressively in emphasizing skilling the youth. This amid the challenge of skills deficit with a view of re-integrating people into the labor market.
Entrepreneurship development is highly regarded critical to economic growth and development. Economic experts say there is therefore urgent need to transition from portfolio careers to adopting entrepreneurship and innovativeness ,only propelled through support of vocational education.
Students were equipped with skills in Candle making ,soap making, hair dressing, cake baking, shoe making,book keeping,tailoring,cosmetology,leather works,computer engineering among others.
Meantime at the same event the Acting Executive Director, MTAC ,Soteri Karanzi Nabeeta appealed to government to increase their wage bill from shs. 100million per year to shs 1.5billion to deal with arrears. Among other requests is to turn regional institutes in Mbarara, Bushenyi, Ntungamo, Luweero, Iganga, Mbale and Pader into incubation centres.
Management Training and Advisory Centre (MTAC) is a body corporate under the Ministry Trade, Industry and Cooperatives (MTIC). The Centre was inaugurated on 14th July 1964 as a project of the Government of Uganda (GOU) that was funded by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the executing agency was the International Labour Organisation (ILO).
The successful project was subsequently transformed into the MTAC, which was established by the Management Training and Advisory Centre Act, 1969. MTAC’s mandate is to promote enterprise development and sound management practices through training,advisory, entrepreneurship development services and business.