adminLeonard Ncube, Victoria Falls Reporter
ONE hundred youths have been enrolled for National Youth Service (NYS) training at Kamativi centre in Matabeleland North, as the government revives the programme in the province.
Matabeleland North NYS Commander, Cde Matthew Muleya, said 65 trainees drawn from Matabeleland region started training on Monday while the remainder from other provinces are expected to join camp this week.
“We have 65 trainees in camp, 27 of them from Matabeleland North province with the remainder from Bulawayo and Matabeleland South. Our enrolment is 100 youths and we expect those from other provinces any time soon as they are on their way,” said Cde Muleya.
The province’s last recruitment was in 2003.
Cde Muleya said 63 youths from the province had turned up for training, but only 27 were taken because of limited funding.
President Mugabe announced at the Zanu-PF 15th People’s Annual Conference held in Victoria Falls in December 2015 that Government was reviving the NYS programme and some centres such as Dadaya in Midlands started training youths last year.
Cde Muleya said trainees, drawn from youths aged between 18 and 30 years, will undergo a rigorous three-months training.
“We will be in camp for one month doing drills and orientation and then go out for attachment where they will do practicals for two months,” he said.
Cde Muleya said the trainees would be deployed in critical areas such as Binga and Hwange for community projects and political programmes for the community.
Over the years, NYS graduates have been offering free labour to parastatals and communities that need extra hands.
Cde Muleya they would continue doing so adding that the criticism of the national youth programme, largely driven by opposition parties, was misplaced.
“Of course there are negative comments from opposition parties but the role of the NYS is to equip youths with necessary skills to sustain themselves and their communities. Of course they are taught the country’s history so that they are patriotic but no one is forced to enrol as it is purely voluntary,” he said
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