Praise Oumugisha,19, has won a gold medal in the Western Region National
Skills Competition organized by World Skills Uganda Secretariat. The first year certificate student of
Automotive Mechanical engineering studies at Nyamitanga Technical Institute in
Mbarara city beat 17 male challengers.
She will now represent the western
region in the National skills competitions scheduled to take place in Masindi
district in December 2021. Eighteen institutes from 33
districts comprising western region participated in the competition.
The
competition rotated around electrical
engineering, Auto-mobile engineering, Bricklaying and concrete practice
tailoring and Fashion designing among others. Oumugisha says that it was very challenging to
take on the automotive competition, saying that she didn’t expect any medal.
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She says that being the only female in a class of
over 40 men gives her more confidence to achieve her dream. Oumugisha dreams
of advancing to a diploma and hopes to be able to repair all sorts of engines in the next five years and open her own
company.
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Gilivazio Bafaki, the Principal Nyamitanga
Technical Institute, notes that girl child involvement in Technical and
vocation education is very low. He notes that Oumugisha has set a good example
that will help to the change the mindset of girls towards vocation studies.
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Diana Tumuhimbise, the head of training at the
World Skills Uganda Secretariat, says that with such people in competitions
they Inspire other trainees to demonstrate their skills to major public and
private sector players.
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The National Skills Competitions started after
Uganda became a member of the world skills in 2018. The Winners at the
National level will represent Uganda in Shanghai China.
