At least 3,000 miners have so far been certified as qualified personnel under the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) – a workplace learning programme for career advancement to reduce a gap of over 90% unqualified casual miners to be trained.
Lack of essential mining skills can lead to human errors (leading to accidents, less production but also miss out on a job contract, get low payment, and social welfare benefits for miners.
The RPL programme implemented in partnership between the mining sector trade union (REWU), Rwanda TVET Board under the Decent Work and Social Protection Portfolio of the Belgian Development Agency (Enabel) Rwanda; seeks to address this.
RPL enables informal workers to access employment better working conditions, including jobs better wages, employment contracts, and social security, among other domains of decent work.
According to the Rwanda Extractive Workers’ Union (REWU), the mining sector has over 81,000 miners registered the mining syndicate and their target is to close the skills gap by at least 30% in the next five years.
Engineer Andre Mutsindashyaka (left) with Labor Minister, Christine Nkulikiyinka
“This certification is creating trust among employers and able to secure work contracts and better pay but we expect to increase these numbers and improve the way we deliver,” said Engineer Andre Mutsindashyaka, the REWU Secretary General.
Mutsindashyaka said that REWU is also pushing for better payment for miners where, through dialogue, eight contracts have been signed with mining companies to provide a daily minimum wage which will improve life of miners (5,000) in these companies.
“We are now pushing for more contracts to be signed to improve miner’s welfare,” he said.
Mutsindashyaka made the remarks on December 5, 2024 during the graduation of 500 informal workers in the mining sector who graduated with formal accreditation and skills acquired through workplace learning.
At the event, Rwanda mining cooperatives owners and miners said that the acquired skills are very essential in improving their production and social welfare at work places.
One female miner, Joseline Mukamurenzi, 26, who has spent five years mining in tunnels said that the certification will improve her performance but allow her to get a salary increment and secure a social status.
“I now feel very confident in my career and will encourage more women to join the sector to enjoy the same benefits, so that they too can get financially empowered,” Mukamurenzi said.
Rwanda Mining Association (RMA) chairman, Leonidas Simpenzwe stated that knowledge and skills is needed in the sector to boost the country’s production that has 15% of coltan, casserite and wolfram sent on world market.
“We have to export more but this requires skilled labor to increase production in these minerals,” Simpenzwe said, noting that this will be boosted through Rwanda mining sector skills council to improve the level of skills in the sector.
Leonidas Simpenzwe addressing miners and officials
Rwanda has reached $1.1billion in mineral export revenues and target in next five years is to reach $2.17billion according to the NST2 goals in the mining sector.
Rwanda Mines, Petroleum and Gas Board (RMB) Deputy Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Alice Uwase said that they will continue supporting the RPL programme but urged miners to uphold professionalism in order to deliver the national targets.
Dr. Ngirente opening the 2024 Mining Week
The RPL programme was recognized at the launch of the 2024 Mining Week, where the Prime Minister Dr. Ngirente said the Government commends this process of acknowledging the skills acquired in different informal workplace contexts and this will be very key in facilitating miners to access professional labour market and ensure their career progression.
Re-echoing this as a major development partners in the mining sector, the Belgian Embassy Charge d’Affaires and Head of Cooperation, Laurent Preud’homme commended Rwanda for implementing the RPL programme to improve miner’s skills and initiating sectoral bargain agreements that will improve production and welfare.
Laurent Preud’homme
“They are important because they recognize what all of you have been doing for the past years and skills you have acquired allow you to become valuable employees. They put you in a position where you are more capable of negotiating collective agreements,” Preud’homme said.
Preud’homme committed that the Belgian government will partner and support REWU in upgrading miners’ skills, promote fair wages and better working conditions.
The Minister of Public Service and Labour, Christine Nkulikiyinka, who officiated the graduation, stated the RPL will not only increase skills but also create an opportunity for entrepreneurship and job creation.
Nkulikiyinka commended development partners (Enabel, EU) for supporting the government attain a private sector led economy and urged the graduate to move a step forward to acquire more skills, increase productivity and working professionally.
