Kigali Health Institute (KHI) has launched a six-month survey that will
enable the Institution to determine the employment status of its
graduates.
About 3,000 students have graduated at the institute
since it began in June 1996, but there is no substantial data base
containing information regarding their where-abouts.
The overall
significance of this new survey is to quantify the main employment
markets for the graduates, thereby establishing the correlation between
the type of employment and qualification of the graduate plus its
associated satisfaction.
The tracer study will determine career mobility patterns as well as challenges graduates face in obtaining suitable employment.
David
Kabagema, the Head of Research at KHI, told the media yesterday that it
would be an appropriate means of evaluating the results of the
education and training provided.
“The results of the study will
indicate possible deficits and merits of KHI educational programmes and
serve as a basis for future planning and improvement,” he noted.
“This will bring out a demonstration of the relative success between the graduates’ labour market and employer needs”.
Kabagema
added that the study will eventually ensure the availability of
adequate health manpower since it will provide information on challenges
and opportunities encountered while serving the population.
Currently, KHI has a population of over 1,200 students.
Morris
Kanyoni, the Principle Researcher in the survey, explained that a team
of data collectors and entrants will move around the country identifying
the number of graduates currently employed.
Focus group discussions will frequently be conducted so as to share any other information about the existing graduates.
The
data collectors will also find out how many of the graduates have
obtained post-graduate qualifications as well as the views of employers
towards KHI graduates’ performance.
Questionnaires will also be
displayed on the institution’s official website so that graduates who
may not be reached physically can access it online.
“We shall
also eventually be able to ascribe an employment seniority status of KHI
graduates such as operational, middle, senior management or executive
level employees,” he said.
KHI was recently named best Healthcare
Educational Institute in Africa. It was honoured with the Le Matinal
Educational Excellence annual Award for innovation, academic and
leadership interface as well as the supreme objective of building future
leaders.
By Sam Nkurunziza
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