We need to embrace & support vocational training to reduce youth unemployment

Youth need to change their negative attitudes towards work & should embrace vocational training to reduce unemployment in the country. There is need for both development partners to be active on training that give the youth skills to start their own small & medium enterprises where they earn a living & increase their incomes at household level. 

These are words from Hon. Margret Mugisa Muhanga the member of parliament representing Burahya county in Kabarole district on 18^th February 2017 when she was hosted alongside Mr. Gusalire Benjamin a programs manager at Youth Encouragement Services (YES) a non government organization in Fort Portal during ToroDev’s supported radio program ‘Orukurato’ that is aired live every Saturday 8-10 pm on Hits Fm.

‘’Our children do not have interest in vocational training because parents dream of their children finishing university with a degree ready to look for white collar jobs. They should be encouraged to acquire these life time skills designed to offer training to improve individuals at all levels based on ones interest and also an important area in developing an individual & the economy since there are practical skills offered’’, said Hon. Margret Muhanga.

Hon. Margret Muhanga Mugisa Member of Parliament Burahya County

Hon. Margret Muhanga urged government to increase funding for existing  vocational institutions to support them raise their standards hence equipping children with knowledge & skills to start & run private enterprises and called upon parents to have positive thinking on vocational training to reduce the  unemployment ailment in the country.

‘’Vocational skills offers self employment among youths due to skills they gain from different vocational programs more especially in practical courses such as electrical engineering, fashion design, hairdressing, carpentry, tailoring, etc which help them to start their own enterprises hence being job creators rather than job seekers’’, said Benjamin

Meanwhile Rev.Kintu  willy Muhanga the  Mayor Fort Portal  Municipality has acknowledged that commitment and hard work of teachers & parents contributed much to the good performance of PLE which saw Fort Portal municipality emerging overall winner in the whole country. The mayor urged other leaders to shun from politics & get committed to work for the development of their communities citing an example of the education sector which needs team work and cooperation of all stakeholders.

Rev. Muhanga said these when he was hosted on 15^th February 2017 alongside division councilors; Enock Byakagaba Bazaar ward, Happy Julius  Rwengoma in west division & Stephen Ruyonga  Nyakagongo in East division to talk about the current education policy, whether it is relevant to the needs of Ugandans & challenges faced on  ToroDev’s supported ‘Manya ekiragiro Kyawe’ program that is aired live every Wednesday 8-10pm on KRC Fm.

Rev. Kintu Willy Muhanga Mayor Fort Portal Municipality

‘’As a municipality we have worked with  all stakeholders to supervise, monitor & hold regular meetings with heads of schools something that we boost of to have yielded results in the recent released PLE results, we call upon parents to fulfill their responsibilities especially supporting their children in their education needs to improve performance especially in the education sector’’, said Rev. Muhanga mayor Fort Portal Municipality.

‘’We have tried to support School Management Committees (SMC) & Parents Teachers Association Committees(PTA) in planning meetings & supervision as you can see the step we have taken as Fort Portal municipality topping the whole country in PLE results for 2016’’, said Stephen Ruyonga councilor representing Nyakagongo in East Division.

On the achievements for the municipality since he was elected in office, the mayor said Kabundaire- St.Paul-Kahungabunyonyi, Binanata - Kikongoro roads have been constructed, Kitumba & Rwengoma roads have been completed with first class murram. On the health sector he said through their lobbying, Kataraka health centre 111 has been supported with increased supply of drugs for our people to access health services and currently we are working in close coordination with the municipal water engineer to connect people of Kyegobe with safe and clean water.

‘’We have embarked on sensitizing people on the dangers of littering garbage in town and allocated a vehicle which collects garbage twice a week to improve on the hygiene & cleanliness  in the town’’, said Enock Byakagaba councilor representing Bazaar ward.

During the two hours live talk show on each radio station, listeners  participated & over 50 people called in & others sent sms;  ‘’we are facing shortage of water supply in some parts of the town, can the mayor explain the causes and the plans they have to rectify the problem?’’, said Edward Twinamasiko a caller from Rwengoma, ‘’our children are seriously affected in their education by the fact that they do not access lunch at school and others do not access parked lunch, can the leadership of  Fort Portal municipality plan with management committees in schools to see that every child accesses lunch while at school?’’, said Tonny Kalyegira a caller from Boma, ‘’we request the mayor to work hand in hand with his cabinet to initiate & complete projects that will bring development in our communities’’, said Gilbert a caller from Kataraka in Fort Portal municipality, ‘’ we expect the member of parliament to table a motion in support of vocational training for our children to acquire practical skills and become self supportive in her term of office’’, said Greg Musana a caller from Busoro Sub county in Kabarole district.

We take a great opportunity to thank SIDA, NED, SPIDER, ICT4DEM, CIPESA, radio stations & other partners for the continued cooperation to have these programs running.