The Directorate of Industrial Training (DIT) has initiated the assessment of students in vocational fields while cautioning assessors not to engage in extortion. Dr. Michael Okumu, DIT’s Deputy Director in charge of assessment and certification, emphasized the importance of fair assessments and urged heads of institutions to refrain from giving money to assessors if they demand it. The DIT provides assessors with reasonable allowances, and any form of extortion undermines the integrity of the assessment process, potentially leading to inaccurate grading of students.
Dr. Okumu outlined the allowances given to assessors, with those covering areas like Kampala, Wakiso, and Mukono receiving a minimum of Shs 240,000 for conducting an assessment. Assessors traveling longer distances can receive up to Shs 600,000 to cover meals and transportation expenses. The transport allowances are guided by public service rates and approved by the Industrial Training Council, which oversees DIT.
Complaints have been received from heads of centers, verifiers, and assessment scouts, alleging that assessors demand additional money from institutions while in the field. Dr. Okumu stressed that such conduct is in violation of the assessors’ code of conduct and needs to be eradicated. Extortion, he warned, can have severe consequences for assessors if found guilty.
An example was cited where an assessor, burdened with personal loan repayments, extorted money from an institution because his assessment allowance had been used to clear the debt.
As of now, 821 assessors, including practitioners and instructors in various vocational fields, are evaluating candidates’ competencies in 62 occupations at over 400 DIT-accredited centers. The practical assessment, which began with candidate briefings last Friday, is set to conclude this week.
In instances where assessors incur additional expenses during fieldwork, they are expected to formally request assistance from DIT. It’s also clarified that assessment centers are not obliged to provide free breakfast and lunch for assessors unless it’s done on humanitarian grounds.
Assessment Fees:
- Worker’s PAS (Practically Acquired Skills) – Shs 150,000 for assessment in two modules.
- Modular assessment (three to six months training) – Shs 70,000 for one module, Shs 90,000 for two modules.
- Full occupational levels of competencies assessment:
- Level one – Shs 80,000
- Level 2 – Shs 100,000
- Level 3 – Shs 150,000
- Level four – Shs 220,000
- Level five – Shs 250,000
Assessors have been advised to collect only the best two or three samples of candidates’ work in occupations such as tailoring, knitting, and carpentry, depending on the number of candidates, instead of taking everything from the center and submitting only a few samples.
