The RTB was established as part of the reforms by the Rwanda Ministry of Education with a mandate to promote quality education in TVET from Level 1-5 aimed at fast tracking socio-economic development of the country.  A cross-section of Principals and management staff of TVET institutions in Rwanda and Development Partners attended the three-day event.

Since the purpose of the Retreat relates well with the mandate of ATUPA in promoting skills and professional development in member countries, the ATUPA Secretary General as member of the ACQF Advisory Group was honored to make a presentation on the development of the ACQF during the second day of the Retreat.  

The importance of the ACQF resonates with one of the objectives of the event on `harmonization of annual TVET interventions and alignment of government policy documents and guidelines based on the prevailing and desired TVET priorities and system development'.

The content of the presentation centered around the genesis of the development of the first phase of ACQF; the funding agencies; membership of the advisory group; purposes; the process of development from the mapping study to the Peer Learning Webinars giving impetus to shaping a common understanding on qualifications frameworks at national, regional and eventually at the global level.

The participants appreciate the immense benefits of such a policy instrument that would enhance comparability and transparency of qualifications leading to improved mobility of learners and workers across the continent. The participants were enthusiastic about how the ACQF would facilitate recognition of skills offered by different TVET institutions in Africa but which in some countries lack harmonization.

The slides and info graphics of the presentation were shared to the esteemed forum and guided on access to previous webinars and mapping study reports available at the ACQF Website. An invitation was extended for their participation at the 11th ACQF Peer Learning Webinar scheduled for 23rd September 2021.

The Association of Technical Universities and Polytechnics in Africa (ATUPA), hitherto known as the Commonwealth Association of Technical Universities and Polytechnics in Africa (CAPA) is a Pan-African organization created out of a decision taken on August 29, 2019 at the CAPA General Assembly of Heads of Member Institutions in Kigali, Rwanda.