Effectiveness of Outreach Programme Strategies in Practical Skills Development among TVET Trainees in Uganda

Abstract

Background: Most Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions in Uganda lack awareness regarding the necessity of outreach programmes for their long-term sustenance. Consequently, these institutions miss critical opportunities to equip learners with practical skills, connect with local markets, and promote institutional reputation. Aim: This study explored the potential of outreach programme strategies to foster industry-aligned practical skills development in Uganda. Methods: Descriptive statistics, frequency tables and plots, and independent-samples t-tests (preceded by

Brown-Forsythe tests of equality of variances) were used to examine practical- skills development (items PS1-PS5) across community, school-based, and

ICT-related skills outreach programmes. Results: Descriptive statistics showed that skills gained through outreach programmes most strongly complemented institutional training, while frequency tables indicated high levels of agreement that outreach improved real-world application, hands-on experience, exposure to tools and work conditions, and problem-solving. Frequency density plots revealed that these effects varied by field of study, with agricultural trainees responding more to certain items, building and construction trainees to others, and fashion/design and automotive trainees to still others. The t-test confirmed that average practical skills development increased significantly after outreach strategies were introduced, particularly for school-based programmes supporting farmers. However, ICT-related outreach had insignificant improvement. Conclusions: Outreach programmes, when properly designed, scheduled, and made mandatory, significantly enhance practical skills development in TVET institutions by complementing classroom training and providing real-world exposure. Their effectiveness differs across fields of study, with the strongest overall gains linked to structured community and school-based interventions. However, ICT-focused outreach has so far shown little measurable impact on practical skills.