Online Reporter
Michelle Musandinyoze, [email protected]
GOVERNMENT has been urged to introduce vocational training as early as secondary school level to maximise skill development among youths, a move meant to prepare students for the labour market, foster entrepreneurship and promote innovation.
Speaking in Parliament yesterday, Manicaland province youth quota MP Amanda Chakukura said vocational programmes need financial backup and urged the Government to implement policies that explicitly include youth empowerment and laws that promote participation.
“There must be networking opportunities and mentorship programmes which can facilitate youth engagement in various sectors,” she said.
Honourable Chakukura acknowledged the Government’s recent efforts where young legislators were allowed to include the youth in the pre-budget seminar, stating that such initiatives should be promoted as they influence policies that affect the lives of the youth.
“This fosters leadership and can lead to the establishment of new businesses and start-ups contributing to job creation and reducing unemployment rates which promote self-sufficiency,” she said. Hon Chakukura said youths are innovative and have unique and diverse insights.
She said youths represent a significant portion of the population thus their participation and empowerment in economic development is crucial for creating inclusive and sustainable growth in the country.
Gutu East MP, Honourable Benjamin Ganyiwa, said it is crucial to come up with ring-fenced opportunities that are exclusively for the youth.
“It was a common culture back in the days that the elders would not eat on the same plate with the youths because they eat much faster which translates to implementing laws that are youths oriented so that they can be responsible and confident in themselves” he said.
There are more than 45 vocational training centres across the country and 25 satellite centres.
The Government also developed a vocational training transformation roadmap which will be implemented until 2027.
This exercise will oversee the modernisation of vocational training centres ensuring better infrastructural development and skill development.
