President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has appreciated the work done by the presidential skilling Industrial hubs spread across the country for their role in combating unemployment by equipping youth with practical skills for self-employment and job creation.
The President, who is in the Lango subregion on a regional tour to assess the the performance of the Parish Development Model (PDM) and wealth creation programs, today commissioned the Lango Presidential Skilling Hub in Ayere Cell, Barapwo Ward, Lira West Division, Lira District, and pledged to expand the skilling courses offered in the skilling hubs across the country.
“I’m glad that you, the parents, have responded very well to the initiative of training these young people for free. We are going to expand the skills here to include motor mechanics, plumbing and electric installation so that they (the children) have a bigger base of skills,” H.E. Museveni said.
Currently, the 19 Presidential Industrial Hubs across various regions under the Presidential Initiative on Skilling the Youth are focusing on practical fields such as building and construction, carpentry, welding, hairdressing, baking, tailoring & fashion design, leatherwork, and agriculture with an aim to equip over 12,000 youths annually.
President Museveni was happy to learn that the new curriculum introduced by the Ministry of Education has an element of practical studies that were taught to them even during colonial times.
“So please, if you appreciate what is happening here, go and spread it out in the primary schools and secondary schools,” he added.
However, President Museveni continued to express concern over schools that continue to undermine the objectives of Universal Primary Education (UPE) and Universal Secondary Education (USE) programs, which were established to provide free education to all Ugandan children. He says the imposition of unnecessary charges in government schools is a contributor to high dropout rates among students.
“But I’m also not happy because we had started this effort in 1996 when we introduced UPE and later USE. We wanted the children of the poor to study free in government schools, but you did not implement it. You went on introducing charges in schools. As a consequence, many children went on dropping out of schools. That mistake of blocking children from education must be stopped,” H.E. Museveni stated.
“Now here I’m providing free education for these children and yet what I’m doing here is much more expensive than it would have been if you implemented UPE and USE.”
A primary school per parish and then a secondary school per sub county, according to President Museveni were meant to accommodate children who study from home to cut on the costs of feeding and accommodation where the government would concentrate on paying teachers, putting up the infrastructure and equipping them with text books and laboratory needs.
The President also promised to support children who have been skilled through their SACCOs established per district such that they can borrow and create wealth after acquiring skills.
He gave Shs 30 million to the three skilled finalists who shared their testimonies and promised another Shs30 million to the SACCO of the regional chairpersons.
The Vice President of Uganda, H.E Jessica Alupo welcomed President Museveni and the First Lady also Minister of Education and Sports, Maama Janet Museveni to Lango and re-affirm the NRM’s vision of securing the future of all Ugandans through wealth creation and shared prosperity, while emphasising the priority areas which include; creating wealth and jobs, delivering quality education, provision of health and safe water of Ugandans, ensuring Justice and equity, protecting life and property for all Ugandans and achieving economic and political integration.
“Your Excellency, there’s no doubt that the NRM under your leadership is honoring the promises of the people of Uganda,” she said, adding that significant progress has been made in ensuring that all Ugandans join the money economy through various inclusive government programs such as, Emyooga, Youth Livelihood Program, the GROW project for women entrepreneurs, and now the Parish Development Model.
The Zonal chairperson of the Lango regional Presidential Skilling hub, Mr. George Abudul, informed the President that the hub is shared equally among the 11 administrative units of Lango sub region.
A total of 243 youths, 30 of whom come from the ghetto areas, are recruited every 6 months with each district sending 21 children for training and to date a total of 910 youths, 453 of whom are female, have been trained.
“Since the majority of the jobs are in the private sector and since our economy is private sector led, I would like to thank you for the vision of establishing the presidential skills hubs in all the zones of this country. Not only to close the skills gaps but also to enable our young people to acquire skills and competencies for the world of work. This is in line with your vision of jobs and wealth creation,” he said.
He requested President Museveni to increase the number of trainees per intake from 240 to at least 500, given the ever-increasing need and demand for skilling.
The ceremony was attended by Ministers, Members of Parliament, the Vice Chancellor of Lira University, Prof. Jasper Ogwal Okeng, RDCs from the region, the LC5 Chairpersons, district NRM chairpersons, CAOs, District security officers, the youth leadership, among others.
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