Context
At an average of almost eight per cent annually, Rwanda’s economic growth rate in the last few years has been remarkably high. However, most of those in employment still work in poorly paid positions of low productivity, above all in agriculture. Rwanda plans to become a middle-income country by 2020, creating 200,000 new jobs each year outside the agricultural sector. The national development strategy concentrates on improving vocational training, strengthening the private sector and raising the employment rate.
Objective
The individual and collective effectiveness of public and private institutions in developing development of long-term employment has improved.
Approach
The main focus of the programme is on capacity development (building skills, resources and effectiveness) with the aim of strengthening state and private organisations, as well as support in the coordination and networking of different actors. It provides advice to the government, and to state and private actors operating in the areas of economic and employment promotion and vocational training. The intention is to bring about a convergence between a better qualified workforce and the demand of more competitive enterprises. This involves supporting efforts to develop a vocational training system that is oriented towards the needs of the economy and to create a more enabling economic and policy environment, as well as providing training courses and consultancy services for private enterprises, and advice on the development of a national employment programme and employment agency. Establishing environmentally sound business practices and ensuring the greater participation of women in the economy are important objectives across all sectors.
Results achieved so far
Private sector development. With the support of the programme, the private sector association has carried out surveys on the business and investment climate in order to help create more favourable conditions for the project’s work, such as a better electricity supply. Following the initiation of a public-private dialogue at the district level, entrepreneurs and the local administrations have already begun finding collective solutions to their problems. One such result was the setting of local taxes after consultations with local business people.
Promotion of vocational training. Together with the vocational schools authority, a quality management system has been developed for vocational institutions, and a programme of practical work experience placements has been initiated, which will be implemented in vocational training institutions around the country. Working with the association of private vocational schools, the programme’s development workers have provided around 900 teachers with further training in car mechanics, information and communications technology, construction, electronics and electrical engineering, and educational methods. More than 9,000 people have completed short-term courses to improve their technical and entrepreneurial skills.
Strengthening the labour market. The programme is advising the Rwandan Government on the development of a national employment programme. It is also supporting the city of Kigali with the development of services at its employment agency, which opened in May 2013. In cooperation with the Rwanda Development Board, it developed a labour market information system that now supplies the government with important information for its employment policy decisions.