25 Feb 2014

Over 33 000 students have enrolled with the back-to-school programme since its inception in 2012.

The principal public relations officer in the Ministry of Education and Skills Development, Mr Silas Sehularo said in an interview that a total of 67 073 applications were received since commencement of the initiative.

He said the ministry set itself a year target of 20 000 students starting 2013, but exceeded the target because of a large number of applicants. He further said there was a large number of applicants for placing hence they could not all be absorbed in a single year.

He said the remaining number of applicants, which stands at 34 029, would be placed in during 2014 and 2015.Mr Sehularo said the programme will run for three years to try to give an opportunity to and empower those citizens who could not proceed to the next levels.

He said after three years, evaluation would  be done to determine whether to continue with the programme that targets learners who are 35 years and below who could not proceed to the next level of education.

“Its objective is geared towards according young people the opportunity to re-enter the education system so that they can acquire the necessary education and skills that can enable them to make necessary transition into the economy and world of work,” he said.He said age limits applied within the different levels of education and that the last qualification certificate/document was required.

Back to school also places learners into various levels of education from primary across to tertiary level.“This entails enrolling them at a trade school/technical college or brigade and also caters for JCE and BGCSE learners who could not proceed to form IV or tertiary institutions respectively,” he said.

It also includes learners who wish to register for progression to enhance the existing qualification in selected programmes at a particular period. For example an applicant is allowed to upgrade a certificate programme to a diploma programme or diploma programme to a degree programme. Back to school also included enrolling re-sits, re-takes and re instatements students at various tertiary institutions.

Learners can apply at the 10 regional education offices across the country during the application window and those on progression, resit, retake, repeat and reinstatement can apply directly to the Department of Tertiary Education Financing (DTEF) during the window period. ENDS