education 17 April 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
Researchers Advocate for Competence-Based Clean Energy Curriculum in Uganda's TVET Institutions
Makerere University Business School researchers are urging the integration of a standardized clean energy curriculum into Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programs to tackle Uganda's energy poverty and environmental issues. The push aligns with Education Minister Janet Museveni's directive for curriculum reforms emphasizing practical skills. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/researchers-push-for-clean-energy-curriculum-5425100
Launch of Green Energy Project Sparks Curriculum Push
Researchers from Makerere University Business School (MUBS) have called on the government to introduce a competence-based clean energy curriculum in TVET institutions. This initiative aims to combat Uganda’s energy challenges, where over 90% of households rely on firewood and charcoal, fueling deforestation at 2.6% annually.
The proposal emerged during the launch of the Green Energy for Women and Youth Resilience in Uganda (BEST-TVET) project at Nakawa Vocational Training Institute in Kampala. Funded by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) with CAD 400,000 (about Shs1 billion), the project addresses gaps in standardized clean energy training.
Dr. Sylvia Aarakit, the project lead, highlighted that TVET providers currently lack the capacity to deliver such programs. The draft curriculum, developed with the Uganda Vocational and Technical Assessment Board (UVTAB), includes training in solar PV installation and maintenance, e-mobility assembly, efficient biomass cookstoves, and carbonized briquette production.
This effort supports Minister Janet Museveni’s directive for competency-based changes, first rolled out in lower secondary schools in 2020 and now extending to A-level and university levels to foster problem-solving and job creation.
Ministry of Energy official Justine Akumu praised the timing, noting it equips students with fabrication, welding, and engineering skills vital for clean cooking and employment. She pointed to equipment shortages in vocational institutes as a barrier.
The need was underscored by the 2024 Kiteezi landfill collapse, which killed over 30 people and could have been mitigated with better waste management and clean energy access. A pilot in Kampala and Mukono boosted clean energy awareness among women and youth from 20% to 70%.
UVTAB’s Michael Ssekidde confirmed draft assessment packages are ready for approval under the 2025 TVET Act, promoting employer-led, inclusive training.
The project also focuses on building TVET capacity, policy advocacy, and gender-responsive energy transitions, with structured entry levels for trainees.
Source: Daily Monitor (Uganda)