Rwanda-German cooperation to prioritise vocational training

A delegation from the German region of Rhineland-Palatinate wants its partnership with Rwanda to focus on youth and vocational training –some of the country’s priorities.The visiting delegation made the call during an interactive session with Rwandan lawmakers at Parliament buildings yesterday.

Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Speaker Rose Mukantabana (C) bids farewell to the Rhineland Palatinate delegation after they visited Parliament yesterday. The New Times / John Mbanda.

A delegation from the German region of Rhineland-Palatinate wants its partnership with Rwanda to focus on youth and vocational training – some of the country’s priorities.

The visiting delegation made the call during an interactive session with Rwandan lawmakers at Parliament buildings yesterday.

They noted that training students in theory, on one hand, and practically, on the other, "is a very important step towards a new kind of quality of young people being trained for the future,” pointing out that they look forward to cooperate with Rwanda on that.

The 25-member group that includes ministers, members of parliament, local authorities and civil society officials, are in the country to visit projects supported through their initiatives and exchange views on issues of mutual concern.

During the interactive session, the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, Rose Mukantabana, acknowledged that: "Education is a key priority of the government of Rwanda, particularly vocational training to develop skills of our young people, so that they can play a role in the development of the country.”

"We are happy and we are open to such collaboration in the future.”

In April this year, a delegation of Rwandan MPs, headed by the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, Rose Mukantabana visited the Rhineland-Palatinate.

Mukantabana told the session that issues to do with the future of the partnership were raised during the April visit.

Norbert Neuser, a member of the Rhineland-Palatinate parliament noted that in the partnership, "we can start a new step,” bringing both Parliaments closer.

"You [Rwanda] are a very young country. We [Germany] are getting older and older and have fewer children. So, it is good to discuss and learn from each other, because you have experiences and we have experiences,” Neuser told The New Times.

Considered as key for development, Rwanda has put considerable emphasis on Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), a hands-on practical training system that integrates technical and vocational aspects of education.

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