Kampala, Uganda –The British Council, in partnership with the Bayimba Foundation, has launched a transformative national initiative designed to formally integrate Uganda’s fast-growing creative economy into the country’s Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) reforms, on 4 February 2026. The four-month program will develop accredited, industry-relevant curricula for key creative disciplines, strengthening skills development and expanding employment pathways for young people.
Uganda’s creative economy currently valued at over USD 1.6 billion and employs hundreds of thousands of young Ugandans across film, fashion, music, theatre, design, and digital content creation. With more than 75% of Uganda’s population under the age of 30, the sector represents a critical opportunity to address youth unemployment, which remains one of the country’s pressing socio-economic challenges. Despite this potential, creative skills training has largely operated outside formal accreditation systems, limiting access to financing, structured career growth and international market competitiveness. This new initiative seeks to close this gap.
Bayimba Foundation will lead the research, development, and accreditation of short-course curricula in fashion business, film, audio production, theatre production, arts management, and enterprise development. These program will be designed for both in-person and online delivery, expanding access beyond Kampala to regional hubs. The curricula will align with international TVET standards, Uganda’s national qualifications framework, and Creative commons principles, ensuring adaptability, quality assurance, and broad usability.
A central component of the project is the development of a Creative TVET Certification Framework, which will establish the foundation for nationally recognized accreditation of creative skills. This framework is expected to support government ambitions under Uganda’s broader TVET transformation agenda and national development priorities focused on industrialization, digital innovation and job creation.
The program will be implemented in six phases: stakeholder mapping; curriculum design; digital adaptation; pilot delivery in Kampala, Jinja, Gulu, and Mbarara; validation through national consultative forums and strategic marketing and communications.
Millicent Mugabi, Country Director of the British Council Uganda, emphasized that integrating creative training into formal TVET systems enhances employability and global mobility for young people. Faisal Kiwewa, Artistic Director of Bayimba Foundation, noted that structured certification will professionalize the sector and unlock new investment opportunities.
By embedding creative skills within Uganda’s formal education architecture, the initiative aims to drive enterprise growth, strengthen regional competitiveness, and position Uganda as a leader in Africa’s evolving creative economy.
