The 6-day orientation at Nakawa Vocational College targeted trainers of trainers from technical and vocational institutions.
The Uganda Vocational and Technical Assessment Board (UVTAB) launched a six-day TVET Trainer Orientation Programme aimed at equipping Trainers of Trainers (TOTs) from technical and vocational institutions across Kampala and Wakiso District with practical knowledge and skills to effectively implement Competency-Based Education and Training (CBET).
The orientation programme, running from 14–19 September 2026 at Nakawa Vocational College, brings together TVET trainers to deepen their understanding of the competency-based approach and prepare them to effectively translate the new curriculum into classroom, workshop and industrial-training practice.
The programme comes at an important stage in Uganda’s transformation of technical and vocational education, as the country continues shifting from conventional approaches that emphasize theoretical instruction towards a system that places greater emphasis on competence, practical skills, workplace performance and demonstrable learning outcomes.
A new era of skills-based TVET
At the heart of the orientation is the transition from traditional theory-based teaching to skills-based learning.
Under CBET, the emphasis is not simply on what a learner can remember, but on what the learner can demonstrate, perform and apply in real-life situations.
This requires trainers to rethink how they prepare lessons, deliver instruction, supervise practical activities and assess learners.
The Nakawa orientation therefore seeks to equip trainers with the knowledge necessary to ensure that learners leave TVET institutions with competencies that are relevant to employment, entrepreneurship, industry and the wider economy.
- Understanding the CBET curriculum
One of the major areas of focus during the training will be an introduction to the CBET curriculum and a deeper understanding of its philosophy, principles and application.
Participants will examine the CBET curriculum development process, including how occupational competencies are identified and translated into training content.
The trainers will also study the structure of the CBET curriculum, enabling them to understand how programmes, modules, competencies, learning activities and assessment requirements are interconnected.
This is expected to help trainers move beyond simply delivering prescribed content and instead concentrate on guiding learners towards the acquisition and demonstration of occupational competencies.
Another significant component of the orientation will be the implementation of the Uganda Technical and Vocational Qualifications Framework (UTQF).
Participants will be taken through the general information relating to programmes and the calculation of credit units, helping them understand how training programmes are structured and how learning requirements are quantified.
A proper understanding of the UTQF is essential for trainers because it provides an important framework for organizing qualifications and ensuring that training and assessment are aligned with Uganda’s technical and vocational qualifications system.
- Unpacking modules and competency matrices
The orientation will also focus on unpacking module details and competency matrices.
Trainers will examine the relationship between competencies, learning outcomes, practical activities, training methods and assessment requirements.
The competency matrix provides an important foundation for ensuring that the various elements of training contribute directly towards the competencies learners are expected to acquire.
For trainers, understanding how to interpret and use these curriculum tools will be crucial in ensuring consistency in training delivery and assessment.
- Training methodologies and micro-teaching
The programme will go beyond classroom presentations by examining appropriate training methods for competency-based learning.
Participants will explore approaches that enable learners to actively participate in the learning process, practise skills and demonstrate competence.
The trainers will also undertake micro-teaching trials, providing an opportunity to practise CBET-oriented teaching approaches, receive feedback and improve their instructional techniques.
Micro-teaching is particularly important in a trainer-orientation programme because it allows participants to translate curriculum principles into actual teaching practice.
- Strengthening assessment of competence
Assessment is another central pillar of the six-day programme.
Participants will be introduced to the principles of assessment and rules of evidence, with emphasis on ensuring that assessment decisions are based on credible evidence of learner competence.
The orientation will also examine:
- Assessment for learning
- Assessment as learning
- Assessment of learning
- Formative assessment
- Continuous monitoring of practical tasks
- Portfolio development and management
- Summative assessment
- Practical examinations
- Oral questioning
- Written tests
This broader assessment approach recognizes that competence may need to be demonstrated through multiple forms of evidence rather than through written examinations alone.
From practical tasks to portfolios
A major area of emphasis will be the continuous monitoring of practical tasks and learner portfolios.
Under a competency-based approach, learners are expected to progressively demonstrate their ability to perform occupational tasks.
Trainers therefore need effective systems for observing, recording and evaluating learner performance over time.
Portfolios can provide important evidence of this progression by documenting practical work, assignments, projects and other demonstrations of competence.
The orientation will equip trainers with approaches for monitoring such evidence and using it to support fair and reliable assessment.
- Preparing trainers for practical and summative examinations
The programme will further address summative assessment, including practical examinations, oral questioning and written tests.
Participants will explore how different assessment methods can be appropriately applied to determine whether learners have achieved the required competencies.
Particular attention to practical examinations is expected to reinforce the principle that TVET assessment must adequately capture the learner’s ability to perform occupational tasks to the required standard.
- Industrial training: connecting institutions with workplaces
Another important component of the orientation is the industrial-training process.
Participants will walk through the different stages of industrial training, including pre-placement briefing and evidence requirements.
Industrial training provides an important bridge between the learning environment and the workplace, giving learners opportunities to apply competencies in real occupational settings.
Effective preparation and monitoring are therefore essential to ensure that industrial training is not treated merely as a routine placement exercise, but as an integral part of competency development.
- Real-life projects and workplace relevance
The programme will also address the monitoring and implementation of real-life projects.
Real-life projects provide learners with opportunities to apply their knowledge and technical skills to practical challenges.
For TVET institutions, effective project-based learning can strengthen problem-solving, creativity, teamwork, entrepreneurship and workplace readiness.
The orientation will therefore help trainers understand how such projects can be planned, implemented, monitored and assessed within a competency-based framework.
Why the orientation matters?
The launch of the programme represents an important investment in the capacity of TVET trainers, who are central to the successful implementation of curriculum reforms.
Even the best-designed curriculum can only achieve its intended objectives when trainers understand it and possess the capacity to implement it effectively.
The TOT model is particularly significant because trained participants can subsequently support knowledge transfer and capacity building within their respective technical and vocational institutions.
This creates the potential for the orientation to have an impact beyond the six-day programme at Nakawa Vocational College.
- Supporting Uganda’s skills development agenda
Uganda’s economic transformation increasingly depends on a workforce equipped with relevant technical, vocational and practical skills.
Industries, businesses and emerging enterprises require workers who can not only understand concepts but can also apply skills, solve problems, operate equipment, meet occupational standards and adapt to changing workplace requirements.
The strengthening of CBET implementation is therefore closely linked to the broader need to improve the relevance and quality of TVET.
By strengthening trainers, Uganda can improve the quality of learning experiences offered to students and ultimately enhance the employability and productivity of TVET graduates.
- A call for stronger trainer–industry linkages
The focus on industrial training and real-life projects also highlights the need for stronger relationships between TVET institutions and industry.
Training institutions need to remain responsive to changing labour-market requirements, while employers can provide valuable opportunities for learners to practise and demonstrate their competencies.
A successful CBET system therefore requires collaboration among training institutions, trainers, learners, industry, assessment bodies and other stakeholders.
The road ahead
The six-day programme at Nakawa Vocational College is expected to provide participating TOTs with a practical foundation for supporting the implementation of CBET within technical and vocational institutions across Kampala and Wakiso.
From curriculum interpretation and competency matrices to micro-teaching, assessment, portfolios, industrial training and real-life projects, the orientation takes a comprehensive approach to preparing trainers for the demands of competency-based TVET.
As Uganda continues to strengthen its technical and vocational education system, the success of CBET will ultimately be measured not simply by the adoption of a new curriculum, but by whether learners acquire real, relevant and demonstrable skills.
The Nakawa orientation is therefore more than a professional training event. It is part of the wider transformation of Uganda’s TVET system—placing competence, practical performance and workplace relevance at the centre of technical and vocational training.
Gateway News will continue to follow Uganda’s TVET transformation, curriculum reforms and developments in competency-based education and training as the country works towards producing a more skilled, productive and competitive workforce.(By Don Edwardes MKM)
