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US commitment to Sri Lanka at its highest level

The US commitment to Sri Lanka is at its highest level in recent times, and Sri Lanka now has a narrow but important opportunity to convert that goodwill into a more durable economic partnership with Washington. That was the central message from former Sri Lankan Ambassador to the United States Mahinda Samarasinghe, who called for the early conclusion of the bilateral agreement on the new US tariff regime, warning that Sri Lanka must secure certainty for its exporters and investors. (Daily FT)

Delivering the keynote at the Sri Lanka Institute of Directors (SLID) Annual Members Meeting and 25th Anniversary celebration at Cinnamon Grand Colombo, Samarasinghe placed the relationship in the context of Sri Lanka’s economic recovery.

‘If not for the United States, the IMF deal would never have been done,’ he said.

The remark goes to the heart of Sri Lanka’s relationship with Washington. The US has not merely been an important trading partner; it has also been an important economic and diplomatic partner at a critical moment in Sri Lanka’s history. The challenge now is to ensure that this relationship delivers a stronger economic dividend over the next decade.

The US market cannot be taken for granted

The US accounts for around 25% of Sri Lanka’s exports. For an economy that needs to generate foreign exchange, preserve export employment and attract new investment, continued access to the US market is strategically important. (Daily FT). This is why the tariff negotiations matter far beyond the immediate percentage being discussed. Samarasinghe said negotiations and US goodwill had helped reduce the originally proposed tariff from 44% to 33% and subsequently to 10%. (Daily FT) That is a substantial improvement. But the real prize is not simply obtaining a lower tariff today. It is securing a framework that gives exporters the confidence to invest, expand capacity and enter into long-term commercial commitments. Julie Chung, who made her presence felt during her tenure in Colombo, has now left, with her successor, US Ambassador Eric Meyer, taking over at an important juncture to further strengthen the longstanding US-Sri Lanka relationship.

Policy consistency

Businesses cannot plan effectively when market access remains uncertain. A manufacturer deciding whether to invest millions of dollars in a new production line needs confidence about the tariff environment several years ahead. International investors similarly require predictable rules. This is why Samarasinghe’s call to ‘lock in’ the favourable tariff rate deserves particular attention.

‘I have recommended very strongly to the Government that we need to conclude the agreement so that we can lock in the very favourable tariff rate that Sri Lanka has got up to now,’ he said. (Daily FT)

Samarasinghe said around 90% of the agreement’s content had been completed, with the remaining work involving agreement in principle, domestic procedures and the necessary legal processes before signing and implementation. (Daily FT).Sri Lanka has often paid a high price for policy uncertainty and delays. Investors do not wait indefinitely, and export orders can move to competing countries when the commercial environment becomes less attractive.The Government therefore needs to recognise that certainty itself is an economic asset.

Give and take

There is, however, no such thing as a one-sided trade agreement. Samarasinghe pointed out that countries concluding agreements with the US have generally had to provide complete or near-complete duty-free access for American exports. (Daily FT). This is where the negotiations become more difficult-and more important. Sri Lanka must determine what it is prepared to offer in return for preferential access to the US market. Opening the domestic market can create opportunities through greater competition, lower costs and technology transfer, but it can also expose less competitive industries to pressure. The answer should not be blanket protection. Sri Lanka’s objective should be a framework that encourages competitiveness and investment while allowing sufficient time for sectors requiring adjustment. The agreement should also form part of a broader export strategy rather than remain an isolated tariff arrangement.

The investment opportunity

Perhaps the biggest opportunity is not the exports Sri Lanka has today, but the investment it could attract tomorrow. A predictable US trade framework could strengthen Sri Lanka’s proposition to international investors. If investors know that Sri Lanka offers reliable access to a major market, the country becomes more attractive as a production and services base. But tariffs alone will not bring that investment because the sub region has got the same. Sri Lanka must also address issues that repeatedly concern investors: policy consistency, taxation, regulation, infrastructure, skills, energy costs, logistics and the efficiency of public institutions. The trade agreement can therefore become a catalyst for broader economic reform.

From friendship to economic partnership

Samarasinghe emphasised that the US has been a longstanding friend of Sri Lanka and that its support has been ‘unconditional and genuine’. (Daily FT) That relationship now has an opportunity to evolve into a deeper economic partnership. The next phase should focus on trade and investment, technology, education, skills development, supply-chain integration and economic resilience. For Sri Lanka, the objective should therefore be clear: to leverage the goodwill built with Washington.

The longer-term objective must be to use that agreement as a platform for attracting investment, diversifying exports and embedding Sri Lanka more firmly in global supply chains. Sri Lanka has stabilised its economy; the next challenge is to generate sustainable growth. The US relationship can play a major role in that transition. The opportunity before Sri Lanka is to leverage the current US goodwill into long-term economic certainty-and turn that certainty into exports, investment, jobs and growth, while maintaining our longstanding relationship.

NDDC urges contractors to embrace early dispute resolution

The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has urged its contractors and consultants to embrace early dispute resolution, warning that unresolved conflicts could derail projects and impose extra costs on communities.

The commission’s Executive Director, Corporate Services, Ifedayo Abegunde, gave the charge while declaring open a three-day sensitisation programme on Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) for NDDC contractors and consultants.

Abegunde said contractors and consultants were not merely responsible for executing projects but were ‘critical first responders in conflict management,’ given their proximity to project sites and communities.

He said early intervention in disputes over payments, variations, designs, timelines, quality of work and site access could prevent minor issues from escalating.

While conflict may be inevitable, he said, its escalation was not, noting that NDDC projects were directly tied to the socio-economic wellbeing of communities across the region.

‘Behind every road is a community waiting for access. Behind every bridge is an economic opportunity. Behind every school or health facility is a human need,’ he said.

He warned that when conflicts stall projects, the cost is borne not by contractors or the commission but by the people waiting for development, citing delayed completion, higher costs, strained relations and litigation as consequences.

He urged participants to spot early warning signs of disputes and deploy mechanisms including negotiation, mediation, conciliation, adjudication and arbitration before disputes turn into costly legal battles.

Abegunde clarified that ADR was not about avoiding accountability or surrendering legitimate contractual rights but about addressing problems early, intelligently and proportionately.

‘Peace is not separate from development; peace is one of the conditions that makes development

possible,’ he said, urging a culture of early intervention and constructive engagement.

HNB TxB clients gain single-portal access to all LankaPay Government Biller

HNB PLC, has enabled online payments to all Government institutions connected to LankaPay’s Online Payment Platform via its Transaction Banking (TxB) platform with effect from 1 September 2026, allowing every HNB TxB client across the SME, Business Banking, Emerging Corporates and Corporate Banking segments to make payments to Government and regulatory bodies through a single online portal.

The Government billers now available through HNB TxB include Sri Lanka Customs (Automated System for Customs Data), the Board of Investments, Central Depository Systems, the Department of Commerce, the Department of Fisheries, the Sri Lanka Export Development Board, the Employees’ Provident Fund, the Import and Export Control Department, the Inland Revenue Department, the Sri Lanka Ports Authority, the Sri Lanka Standards Institution and all 306 Government institutions connected to GovPay.

Clients can now settle payments to these institutions in real time through one secure channel, removing the need for manual, institution-by-institution submissions.

HNB Chief Operating Officer Sanjay Wijemanne said: ‘With this activation, every HNB TxB client, from SMEs to large corporates, can manage their payments to several Government institutions and regulatory bodies through a single portal. It replaces manual processes with one online channel that is faster and easier to reconcile. As more Government institutions move towards fully digital payment processes, our clients can make these transitions seamlessly through HNB TxB.’

As the operator of Sri Lanka’s national payment network, LankaPay provides the central payment infrastructure to the country’s financial sector. Its Online Payment Platform allows businesses and the public to make real-time payments to state institutions, especially high value transactions which cannot be made as a regular fund transfers

LankaPay CEO Channa de Silva said: ‘LankaPay Online Payment Platform was launched in 2017 to give businesses and the public a real-time, secure way to make payments to Government institutions. HNB bringing all registered billers onto its transaction banking platform extends this reach across its corporate client base is a positive move towards facilitating the digital transformation of the state sector and the country’s journey towards a fully digitally enabled economy.’

With several Government institutions connected to the LankaPay Online Payment Platform already mandating online payments, HNB’s extension of the platform across TxB supports this shift and the Government’s broader digitalisation agenda for public payment services.

Zaragosa goes for treble at PGT Marapara

RUPERT ZARAGOSA returns to Negros Occidental Golf and Country Club on Monday with a chance to turn a remarkable run of success into Philippine Golf Tour history.

The diminutive but gifted shotmaker goes after a third straight ICTSI Negros Occidental Classic title at what is known as the Marapara layout where he has developed what is beginning to look like a special romance with one of the Tour’s toughest layouts.

Zaragosa first cracked the code of the tight, demanding Marapara in 2024, charging to the top early and eventually claiming an abbreviated 36-hole victory after bad weather forced the tournament to be reduced by half.

He proved that triumph was no one-off a year later.

Playing the full 72 holes, Zaragosa again emerged on top, holding off a formidable cast led by Clyde Mondilla, Keanu Jahns and young stalwart Aidric Chan to win by two strokes.

Marapara has become something of a Zaragosa story, with the course seemingly bringing out the best in a player whose strengths fit the demands of the layout.

Zaragosa enters the P2.5-million championship with confidence, yet his results in the first five legs of the season have been uneven as he continues to search for consistency.

He placed eighth at Lakewood, tied for 31st at Caliraya Springs, finished fourth at Pinewoods, tied for sixth at Pradera Verde and slipped to joint 29th at Summit Point last week.

Standing between Zaragosa and a third straight crown is a deep field led by Tony Lascuña, Reymon Jaraula, Jhonnel Ababa, Fidel Concepcion, Enrico Gallardo, Jay Bayron, Mars Pucay and Dino Villanueva.

The younger generation will also look to make its mark with Kristoffer Arevalo, Russell Bautista, Jeffren Lumbo and Gab Manotoc among those expected to challenge for the title.

Several leading players, however, will sit out the Negros stop as they compete on the regional circuit in Taiwan this week, including Justin Quiban, Carl Corpus and Chan.

Angelo Que, fresh from his victory at Summit Point, is also competing in Taiwan but the reigning Order of Merit champion and three-time Asian Tour winner said he will still play in Negros, although he will skip Sunday’s pro-am.

Dole asks for ?47-B 2027 budget

THE Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) is seeking P47.057 billion for 2027, about P14.1 billion below the P61.2-billion budget it received under the 2026 General Appropriations Act.

It was flagged by House budget sponsor Aurora Rep. Rommel Rico Teh Angara, who called for the restoration of the funding reductions, warning that the lower allocation could affect Dole’s delivery of labor and employment services.

Employment programs, skills development and worker-protection services were among the areas that could be affected by the reduced allocation, Angara was quoted as saying in a statement issued by Dole.

The budget deliberations also covered the need to prepare workers for changing workplace demands, including potential displacement in the business-process outsourcing sector as artificial intelligence adoption expands.

Upskilling initiatives were raised as part of the government’s response to the possible disruption of Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) jobs.

Labor inspection also figured in the discussions, with lawmakers raising the need to increase the number of labor inspectors in line with International Labor Organization Convention 81.

Angara also cited Dole’s request for an additional P75 million for the Labor Attorneys’ Office and the National Academy for Labor Justice to strengthen legal assistance for workers.

Other programs discussed included Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (Tupad), the Single Entry Approach, occupational safety and health compliance in economic zones, the Social Amelioration Program for sugar workers and the welfare of workers aboard commercial fishing vessels.

Wage Order 27, likewise, remained a key issue during the deliberations, with Angara reaffirming Dole’s position to uphold the wage order while its implementation is being litigated.

‘Hindi po binibitawan ng Dole ang Wage Order 27. Ipinaglalaban po ito ng ating Secretary at ng Solicitor General sa korte,’ Angara said.

He said Wage Order 28 was intended to provide immediate economic relief while the judicial process over Wage Order 27 continues.

Angara also clarified that the P60 wage increase under Wage Orders 27 and 28 is identical and does not reduce workers’ wages.

Poco Lee’s management urges restraint, thanks Zlatan for support amid UK case

The management of dancer and entertainer Iweh Odinaka, popularly known as Poco Lee, has urged the public to refrain from spreading negative narratives over his ongoing legal case in the United Kingdom.

In a statement issued by his manager, Faleye ‘Dee-Y’ Adedoyin, the team acknowledged the support received from singer Zlatan Ibile and others during the entertainer’s legal ordeal.

The statementguilt, ‘We would like to publicly acknowledge that Zlatan, along with others, has been extremely supportive and helpful through this matter.

‘Their involvement, support, and effort have been vital to moving things forward.

‘We deeply value their ongoing support and dedication and we kindly request that everyone refrain from spreading negative narratives.’

The appeal followed reports and commentary surrounding Poco Lee’s UK trip and the circumstances of his court case.

Poco Lee is facing five-count charges in the UK and he has denied the allegations and has not been convicted of any offence.

His management had previously called for caution from the public and media, particularly over unverified narratives, stressing that allegations should not be treated as evidence of guilt.

Cheptegei sets sights on 21km world title

Joshua Cheptegei’s 12-year elite running career is adorable. He boasts of at least one medal from every major championship by World Athletics in which he has competed – except one.

Cheptegei has never won an individual medal at the World Athletics Road Running Championships, previously the World Athletics Half-Marathon Championships.

Upon return to the national team bib for the first time since the Paris 2024 Olympics in France, Cheptegei will on Sunday aim to tick that box too when he partakes in the men’s 21km race of the World Athletics Road Running Championships in Copenhagen, Denmark.

‘Looking forward to representing Uganda on the world stage again,’ Cheptegei said in a social media post last week.

‘Denmark holds a special place in my heart since my World XC title at Aarhus 2019. Grateful for the opportunity and excited. Let’s go!’ added the 30-year-old.

His cabinet boasts of World Athletics silverware: 10000 metres junior gold from 2014, senior men’s 10km gold from 2019 cross-country, and four medals over the 10000 metres including a three-peat gold over 2019, 2022 and 2023.

The two-day event is a combination of three races; mile, 5km and 21km for the men and women. It is only the second time that World Athletics is doing this championship after the Riga 2023 edition in Latvia.

Cheptegei skipped Riga as he had just competed at the Budapest World Athletics Championships, where he retained the 10000 metres gold in Hungary.

Previously, he had raced at the World Half-Marathon Championships of 2021 where he came fourth behind winner compatriot Jacob Kiplimo on his debut 21km race but he won the team gold in Gdynia, Poland.

Six years later, Cheptegei has built craft on the road and his personal best (PB) of 59 minutes and 21 minutes over the half-marathon distance may be relatively slow but, the 5000 metres and 10000 metres world record holder can’t be overlooked.

Cheptegei will run the 21km alongside Team Uganda counterparts Mande Bushendich, Martin Kiprotich and Feb Chelogoi but they will face stiff competition from Kenyans Nicholas Kipkorir and Daniel Ebenyo.

Kipkorir, 27, holds the fastest PB in the field, of 58:08, and the host city is not new to him, having won the 2025 Copenhagen Half-Marathon in 58:23.

Meanwhile, Ebenyo took 10000 metres silver behind Cheptegei in Budapest and days later, he went to Riga and claimed the 21km silver medal behind fellow Kenyan Sabastian Sawe and hopes to go one better.

Kenya’s other entrants Gideon Rono and Alex Nzioka Matata are all faster than Cheptegei over the 21km but the field also has in-form world 10,000m bronze medallist Swedish Andreas Almgren, Ethiopian Tadese Worku, American Conner Mantz and Italian record-holder Yemaneberhan Crippa.

In the women’s 21km, Esther Chebet who won the Malaga Half-Marathon in mid-March in 1:06:33, is Uganda’s most fancied of the lot, others being Esther Chekwemoi, Annet Chemengich and Rebecca Chelangat.

Chebet also finished fourth in both the women’s 5000 metres and 10000 metres finals at the recent Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland but the 21km race favourite is Kenyan Agnes Ngetich who seeks to add to her World Cross Country Championships title won in Tallahassee, Florida – USA in January.

On Saturday though, it will be the mile and 5km events. Six days after conquering the women’s 5000 metres at the World Athletics Ultimate Championships in Budapest, Ethiopian Likina Amebaw is hoping to add the 5km title in Copenhagen.

And while Amebaw expects a Kenyan challenge, world U20 5000 metres champion Ugandan Charity Cherop will be relishing the test alongside Martha Chemusto.

Keneth Kiprop and Alex Kiplangat too have work in the men’s 5km, which has been headlined as a showdown between world 10000 metres champion Frenchman Jimmy Gressier and Olympic 5000 metres champion Norwegian Jakob Ingebrigtsen.

Felister Chekwemoi, Patience Cherop, Silas Chemutai and Hosea Kiprop will be Uganda’s first competitors on Saturday in the mile races.

WORLD ATHLETICS ROAD RUNNING CHAMPIONSHIPS

TEAM UGANDA TO COPENHAGEN

Women’s 21km: Esther Chebet, Esther Chekwemoi Yeko, Annet Chemengich Chelangat and Rebecca Chelangat

Men’s 21km: Joshua Cheptegei, Mande Bushendich, Martin Kiprotich and Feb Chelogoi

Women’s 5km: Charity Cherop and Martha Chemusto

Men’s 5km: Alex Kiplangat and Kenneth Kiprop

Women’s 1 Mile: Felister Chekwemoi and Patience Cherop

Men’s 1 Mile: Silas Chemutai and Hosea Kiprop

CHEPTEGEI IN 2026

Jul 12: Run Your City 10K (1st, 27:19)

Apr 26: London Marathon (12th, 2:06:39)

Feb 8: Burj 2 Burj 21K (1st, 59:26)

CHEPTEGEI IN 2025

Dec 21: Kolkata 25K (1st, 1:11:49)

Oct 19: Amsterdam Marathon (5th, 2:04:52)

Apr 27: Bengaluru 10K (1st, 27:53)

Mar 2: Tokyo Marathon (9th, 2:05:59)

CHEPTEGEI IN 2024

Oct 20: Delhi Half Marathon (1st, 59:46)

Sept 22: Dam tot Damloop (2nd, 45:18)

Aug 2: Paris Olympics 10000m Final (1st, 26:43.14)

May 30: Bislett Games 5000m (9th, 12:51.94)

May 17: LA Grand Prix 5000m (3rd, 12:52.38)

Mar 30: World X-Country (6th, 28:24)

Mar 16: Laredo 10K (2nd, 25:53)

CHEPTEGEI IN 2023

Dec 3: Valencia Marathon (37th, 2:08:59)

Hettich celebrates decade in Sri Lanka with landmark Partner Meet in Colombo

From left: Hettich Group Managing Director Timo Pieper, Advisory Board Chairman Dr. Andreas Hettich, Hettich India Chairman S.K. Poddar, Director Akshay Poddar, Hettich India, SAARC, Middle East and Africa Managing Director Andre Eckholt, India and SAARC Director – Sales Rahul Thakkar, and Sri Lanka Country Manager Milroy Shanmugarajah

Cake-cutting (from left): Hettich India and SAARC Director – Sales Rahul Thakkar, Hettich Group Advisory Board Chairman Dr. Andreas Hettich, Hettich India Chairman S.K. Poddar, Director Akshay Poddar, Hettich India, SAARC, Middle East and Africa Managing Director Andre Eckholt, and Hettich Group Managing Director Timo Pieper

From left: Hettich India, SAARC, Middle East and Africa Chief Marketing Officer Jiteen Agarwal, Vallibel One Managing Director Dinusha Bhaskaran, Delmege Group Chairman Jit Gunaratne, Hettich India Director Akshay Poddar, Chairman S.K. Poddar, Hettich Group Advisory Board Chairman Dr. Andreas Hettich, Hettich India, SAARC, Middle East and Africa Managing Director Andre Eckholt, Hettich Group Managing Director Timo Pieper, Hettich India and SAARC Director – Sales Rahul Thakkar

Global furniture fittings leader marks 10 years of growth and partnership in Sri Lanka and unveils Blaupunkt built-in kitchen appliances

Hettich, the globally renowned German manufacturer of furniture fittings and architectural hardware known for its state-of-the-art manufacturing plants and magical interior solutions across the world celebrated a significant milestone in Sri Lanka, marking 10 years of presence in the country with its inaugural Partner Meet in Colombo.

The landmark event brought together Hettich’s key partners, stakeholders and industry leaders to celebrate a decade of growth, collaboration and shared success, while reaffirming the company’s long-term commitment to the Sri Lankan market.

Over the past decade, Hettich has strengthened its presence in Sri Lanka through its focus on German engineering, innovation, quality and functionality, contributing to the creation of contemporary and intelligently designed living and working spaces across the country.

The gala evening was graced by a distinguished delegation of senior leaders, including Hettich Group Advisory Board Chairman Dr. Andreas Hettich, Hettich India and Adventz Group Chairman S.K. Poddar, Hettich India Director Akshay Poddar, Hettich SAARC, Middle East and Africa Managing Director Andre Eckholt, Hettich India and SAARC Director – Sales Rahul Thakkar, and Vallibel One Managing Director Dinusha Bhaskaran.

Their presence underscored the importance of the Sri Lankan market to Hettich and reflected the strong relationships and partnerships that have supported the brand’s growth over the past decade.

Adding further significance to the occasion, Hettich unveiled its award-winning Blaupunkt built-in kitchen appliances in Sri Lanka. The introduction marks an important expansion of Hettich’s offering in the local market, complementing its furniture fittings expertise with sophisticated kitchen solutions that combine contemporary design, functionality and technology.

Hettich SAARC, Middle East and Africa Managing Director Andre Eckholt said: ‘Sri Lanka is an extremely important market for us, and the past 10 years have been a journey built on trust, collaboration and strong partnerships. Being closer to the Sri Lankan market has enabled us to better understand the evolving needs of our customers. This Partner Meet is an opportunity to celebrate that journey with everyone who has contributed to our success. The introduction of Blaupunkt built-in kitchen appliances marks another exciting chapter for us, and we look forward to building on this momentum in the years ahead.’

The milestone celebration not only recognised Hettich’s journey over the past decade but also set the stage for its next phase of growth in Sri Lanka, driven by innovation, strong partnerships and an evolving portfolio of magical solutions designed for modern living.

Customers, architects, interior designers and industry professionals are invited to experience the range of Blaupunkt built-in kitchen appliances at the Hettich Experience Centre, located at

GUYANA-TRANSPORTATION – Trans Guyana Airways plane skids off runway

A Trans Guyana Airways aircraft skidded off the Mabaruma airstrip in Region One on Thursday morning after the pilot reportedly saw a dog running towards the runway during the aircraft’s landing roll.

Trans Guyana Airways Public communications consultant Kit Nascimento said the aircraft landed at Mabaruma at 8:15am (local time) with 12 passengers on board.

He said preliminary information revealed the plane skidded off the end of the runway.

Nascimento said the pilot, Jessica Ramcharitar, reported that the incident occurred during the landing roll. According to Ramcharitar she saw a black dog running towards the runway, causing her to brake ‘aggressively.’

The aircraft subsequently skidded off the runway and spun sideways.

Nascimento said a video of the accident was captured on a camera from the terminal building. However he said the video is not ‘well defined.’

Nevertheless, he said a ‘complete’ investigation has already started into the accident.

While the passengers were not visibly injured, 11 of them were examined at the hospital.

According to Nascimento, the aircraft suffered a ‘fair amount’ of damage, which has disabled it.

TVET aligns its curricula with job market demands

The Uganda Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Council recently approved 17 new competence-based National Technician Diploma curricula, to align training with real job market demands.

The approved curricula include mechanical, electrical, and civil engineering, as well as ICT and vocational training.

Dr Wilfred Nahamya (PhD) , the deputy executive secretary in charge of TVET assessment at Uganda Vocational and Technical Assessment Board (UVTAB), talked to Daily Monitor about the development in the TVET education sector.

What is the Mandate of UVTAB?

UVTAB has two major mandates. One of the key mandates is the development of the curriculum.

This used to be done by the National Curriculum Development Centre (NCDC) but after the TVET Act came into force, it is now the mandate of UVTAB to develop the curriculum in consultation with sector skills expert committees of the TVET Council, which has teams of experts according to different sectors such as agriculture, hospitality and tourism, construction and manufacturing among others.

This curriculum is employer-led because it is the people in the hotel industry, for example, who should guide us on what type of chef, waitress we should produce.

It should be National Water and Sewerage Corporation taking the lead in the training of a plumber.

In the past, the way the industry was involved was very limited. Surveys showed that there were gaps across the range of products the sector was producing.

The graduates of TVET were lacking due to a skills gap. That is why we now develop and review curriculum, while making the employer take the lead.

For example, we shouldn’t make the curriculum for Journalism and Media Studies without involving the media players.

And what is UVTAB’S other mandate?

The other key function is UVTAB is assessment and certification of the skills. When we started the board last year, one of the priority areas was that of developing the curriculum.

At first, certain things were not in place. The sector skills of expert committees and the qualifications framework were not yet in place but they are now in place by the TVET Council. We now embarked on the curriculum.

The TVET Act has about six areas. We have Technology Education and Training, Agricultural Education and Training, Business Education and Training, Home Science Education and Training, and Sports Science Education and Training.

Technology Education and Training is the one which involves the traditional engineering programmes, construction, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, telecommunications and other areas of Information Communications Technology( ICT) and so on.

Last week the TVET council approved new programmes. All the 17 programmes that were approved by the TVET Council are science based.

Why focus on science programmes?

We started with those because they were a bit lacking and we felt that with changing technology and the rate at which industrial changes are taking place, we needed to address the gaps as fast as yesterday.

But also most importantly, some of the curricula were due for review and once they are due for review, it is better you prioritise that. Also, some of them were so broad in the way that they could not bring out competencies.

We realised there was a need to break down civil engineering in terms of construction, roads and bridges. In the new curriculum. They are a bit broken but deliberate.

Is this the first time UVTAB is presenting programmes to the TVET Council for approval since the TVET law came into play?

Yes, it is the first of its kind. Whereas we developed a curriculum, we don’t approve. It is the TVET Council that approves.

So, it was the first load to be approved and on these things, what we need to bring out to our readers is that all students who are going to enrol this year at Diploma level are obliged to take on the new curriculum. We expect that all first years for Diploma are expected to take on the new programmes as published.

We have put the list of the programmes on our website and also published them in the print media.

From Monday (this week), we are going to orient all the instructors and principals to ensure that they adhere and guide that the institutions should admit students beginning next week and start in a staggered opening not less than October 7, according to a circular released by the Ministry of Education and Sports.

Why target institutions offering Diplomas?

Universities are not many. You may recall that most of them got off from Diploma but there are some few that are still teaching diploma programmes.

Once you are a university and you teach diploma, you must subject it to the national assessment done by UVTAB.

What steps do you take while designing the programmes?

Curriculum development has several steps and there are certain standards you have to follow.

You must start with needs assessment and in everything you do , you must do with sector expert committees.

We want the industry to take the lead. They help in the development of occupational standards for different programmes. This helps us determine competencies that students require.

We also do tracer studies where we follow up graduates to establish whether they are placed where they are supposed to be and doing the work they studied and identify gaps. We call it labour market intelligence with the sector expert committees.

After that we subject the curriculum to key stakeholders for validation. The board discusses it and submits to TVET Council which also subjects the curriculum to various experts. Once approved, the institutions start teaching them. We are convinced that this curriculum is very good.

We have seen secondary schools struggle to implement the Competence-Based Curriculum in terms of materials and skills gap.

How prepared are TVET institutions and why does TVET matter?

The curriculum is more hands-on because we want to have graduates who can perform as expected by the industry.

We are calling upon institutions to ensure they become a bit more innovative and use some of the local materials during the training to minimise cost.

There is always resistance to change; people are sceptical and some percentage want to take it as the last resort.

But more people are appreciating that there are chances of getting jobs in vocational training and education. That is where you have many chances of self employment in the informal sector.

Apart from the 17 programmes that were recently approved, are there any other programmes that were approved?

The first phase has 17 in Technology Education and Training but there are also programmes under Business Education and Training. They have also been approved.

In Business Education and Training, the major issue was that there was a lot of duplication because under the former law, the Universities and Other Tertiary Institutions Act and then the NCDC Act were given a mandate to develop curriculum. It was kind of a mix.

You would find Uganda Colleges of Commerce having a programme called accounting and finance but at Management Training and Advisory Centre (MTAC), they are calling it accounting.

You go to the ones developed by NCDC, they call it Diploma in Finance but when you go into the details, it is basically saying the same. Duplication was in several areas.

In Secretarial Science, others were calling it a Diploma in Secretarial and Office Practice, others were calling it Diploma in Secretarial and Information Management. There were about four of them.

We have harmonised them and streamlined them but most importantly, making them competence-based. It is a bit more practical than theory. We want to make it more hands on. We have worked on the Diplomas in Business Education, about 12 of them have been approved by the TVET Council.

We also have one under Home Sciences which has been approved that is, Hotel and Institutional Catering and others are also in the line.

Why did the Board prioritise diploma programmes?

We prioritised diplomas because the students were due to start classes. Certificate students will start in February next year and by that time, we should have moved there.

How have you ensured that TVET education is inclusive ?

We have a fully fledged unit of special needs. From the curriculum and assessment, we supported students with special needs with interpreters, get people to assist them if they are physically handicapped and transcribe or print in large print and provide Braille for the visually-impaired.

We are supporting them in most of the areas but most important in our curriculum, we provide some exemptions. If a student doesn’t have hands , for example, they may not be able to draw.

Students with special needs can even do a computer exam but you can pull out those questions that may require them to do certain things which they are unable to do.

How is their performance?

On average, they have been doing well because of that support. Of course they will not go without challenges that are obvious but generally, they are doing programmes that we thought they would not do.

Why is it critical for players, including those the informal sector to be certified ?

We need to ask them to come for certification to increase their employability.

Somebody will not trust you as a builder when you don’t have anything to show even when you know how to build. The jobs are getting limited in our traditional areas and that is why we must develop the private sector.

Utility

Procedure.

Curriculum development has several steps and there are certain standards you have to follow. You must start with needs assessment and in everything you do , you must do with sector expert committees?

– Dr Wilfred Nahamya, the deputy executive secretary in charge of TVET assessment

the tvet act

The Uganda Vocational and Technical Assessment Board also mandates that all private training institutions and professional trainers must be officially licensed and accredited.

The TVET Act requires all providers to hold a valid license from the TVET Council before they can legally operate as recognised assessment centers or present trainees for national qualifications.