Challenges facing technical and vocational education and training institutions on youth employment in Rwanda: a case of study of Gasabo district

Abstract

The research titled Influence of Technical and Vocational Education and Training on Youth Employment in Rwanda was conducted to investigate the challenges faced by TVET Institutions in the provision of competencies and practical skills at the labor market in Rwanda, and to identify strategies opted by TVET Institutions to overcome these challenges faced by TVET graduates at the labor market. The population of the study was 150 graduates, 20 trainers, and 12 employers from Gasabo district. TVET schools and companies were selected using purposive sampling while TVET graduates, TVET trainers and employers were selected using simple sampling methods. The total sample size is one hundred ninety-two (192) respondents. Questionnaires and guided interviews were used for data collection. Tables, pie charts, and graphs were used for data presentation and analyzed using mixed methods. Quantitative data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics while Qualitative data were analyzed using content analysis. From collected data, findings were made showing challenges faced by TVET graduates in labor markets and which linked to inadequate competencies and technical skills which are the basic requirements of employers. For TVET to make more influence on youth employment, promotion of youth employment, skills development & training, regular monitoring of TVET schools, private sector involvement in the education sector, and provision of enough training facilities were mentioned as strategies to overcome challenges faced by TVET trainees at the school level and at workplace. Furthermore, from the findings of this research, the study recommends to Rwandan Education stakeholders to set out a Dual TVET Training policy from level one to five, provide to TVET private schools training facilities as they accommodate a high number of trainees than public schools, and to expand training to all trainers on CBT/CBA.