Vocational training assessment commences, DIT warns against extortion 

The Directorate of Industrial Training (DIT) has cautioned assessors against extorting money from heads of centers where they have been dispatched to assess students in vocational fields.

While briefing assessors at DIT offices in Kampala on Tuesday, DIT deputy director in charge of assessment and certification, Dr Michael Okumu, said any form of extortion undermines the fairness of the assessment, leading to students receiving grades that do not reflect their true capabilities.

Okumu advised the heads of institutions to report and desist from giving money to assessors in case they demand it as they are given modest allowances to conduct the assessments.

“The facilitation that we give the assessors is enough. In one day, assessors who move around Kampala, Wakiso, and Mukono can receive a minimum of Shs 240,000 to conduct an assessment. Those who go furthest can receive up to Shs 600,000 to cater for their meals and transport. Is this too little?” Okumu asked.

Transport allowance alone ranges between Shs 40,000 and Shs 180,000. He said the money is guided by the public service rates while the transport allowances are approved by the Industrial Training Council, the governing body of DIT.

Okumu’s warning follows complaints from heads of centers, verifiers (mainly DIT staff), and assessment scouts that assessors demand additional monies from institutions while in the field. 

“Assessors have their code of conduct and some don’t follow it. Our target is to do away with all this. We have been talking to these assessors and some plead guilty and ask for forgiveness. Some assessors even demand money to award free marks to candidates. This must stop,” he said, warning that extortion can have detrimental effects on the assessor if found guilty.

Okumu also cited a case where an assessor used his assessment allowance to clear a pending personal loan. By the time he was summoned to conduct a field assessment, he had no money on him hence extorting money from an institution. 

At least 821 assessors – practitioners and instructors in various vocational fields – have embarked on assessing the competencies of candidates in 62 occupations at more than 400 DIT-accredited centers. The practical assessment, which began last Friday with the briefing of candidates, is scheduled to end on Friday this week. 

In cases where assessors incur additional costs while in the field, Okumu said they are supposed to formally write or contact DIT for assistance. Meanwhile, for assessment centers, it’s also not mandatory to provide free breakfast and lunch for assessors unless it’s on humanitarian grounds. 

ASSESSMENT FEES

This year, employees seeking a Worker’s PAS [Practically Acquired Skills] have been charged Shs 150,000 for assessment in two modules. 

Modular assessment (candidates who are trained for three to six months) have paid Shs 70,000 for one module and Shs 90,000 for two modules. 

For Full occupational levels of competencies assessment; Level one is Shs 80,000, Level 2 Shs 100,000, Level 3 Shs 150,000, Level four Shs 220,000, and Level five at Shs 250,000. 

Assessors were also urged to cease collecting all samples of candidates’ work in occupations such as tailor, knitter, and carpenter claiming that they were ordered by DIT to do so.

“Please, pick only the best two or three samples depending on the number of candidates and submit them including the name of the candidate and assessment center. Do not carry everything from the center in the name of DIT and then you submit two samples and confiscate the rest,” Okumu said. 

nangonzi@observer.ug