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Ambassador Christine Nkulikiyinka has issued guidelines for how the new Sector Skills Councils will operate

KIGALI — The government has put a final endorsement to a scheme that gives employers a leading role in shaping how workers are trained.

The move, which is a regulatory framework, aims at closing the gap between education and the job market.

The rules, issued this week by the Ministry of Public Service and Labour, establish Sector Skills Councils — industry-led bodies that will identify the skills companies need and help guide training programs to meet those demands.

Officials say the change is meant to ensure that graduates leave school with practical skills that match real jobs in sectors such as construction, manufacturing, agriculture, tourism and technology.

Rwanda faces a persistent skills mismatch between training and graduates, and job market needs, as per the National Employment and Skills Strategy (NESS) 2024–2029 and recent reports.

About 80% of the labor force has only primary education or less, creating a surplus of low-skilled workers while high-skilled roles in priority sectors (ICT, manufacturing, telecom) go unfilled.

Enrolments remain high in oversupplied fields like business, hospitality, education, and law – but low in in-demand technical areas.

Graduates often lack practical, soft, and digital skills; only 39% of ICT graduates meet employer expectations. Employers have cites gaps in IT, foreign languages, and employability skills.

Under the new framework, each council will be created and led by employers within a specific sector of the economy.

The councils will study labor market needs, identify skills gaps and advise the government on what kind of training should be expanded, improved or introduced.

Membership of the councils will draw from key players within each sector. These include employers and their associations, workers’ organizations, universities and research institutions, accredited training providers and recognized professional bodies.

Government institutions will not be among the founding members, though a representative from the relevant ministry or agency will sit on each governing board to ensure coordination with national policy.

The councils will also work with training institutions to help develop occupational standards, support apprenticeship programs and promote closer cooperation between schools and industry.

Councils will receive accreditation from the minister for a five-year term, which can be renewed.

The new system requires councils to submit annual activity and financial reports, and allows them to raise funds through member contributions, service fees and support from development partners. The state may also provide subsidies.

For years, policymakers have argued that one of the country’s challenges has been a mismatch between what students are taught and what employers need. The creation of Sector Skills Councils signals a shift toward letting industry play a stronger role in deciding how skills training is designed.

The regulations take effect immediately.

Whether employers will fully embrace their expanded responsibility remains to be seen.

But the message from the government is clear: preparing workers for the future will now depend more directly on the private sector.

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