10,000 Youths To Be Equipped With Skills In 2022 – Mutati

10,000 YOUTHS TO BE EQUIPED WITH SKILLS IN 2022 – MUTATI

The Ministry of Technology and Science has revealed that it targets to train at least 10,000 youths to equip them with skills as part of practical delivery by the end of the year 2022.

Minister of Technology and Science Felix Mutati said this yesterday at the launch of the National Youth Skills Empowerment Programme in Chongwe district, flanked by five (5) other cabinet ministers.

Those in attendance include; Mines and Minerals Development Minister Paul Kabuswe, Agriculture Minister Reuben Mtolo Phiri, Health Minister Sylvia Masebo who is Chongwe Member of Parliament, Small and Medium Enterprise Development Minister Elias Mubanga and Sports, Youth and Arts Minister Elvis Nkandu represented by his Permanent Secretary Kangwa Chileshe.

Speaking at the event, Hon Mutati said the ministry targets to role out this program to all the constituencies across the country which would then have a multiplier effect of creating jobs for many other youths.

Hon Mutati said technology encompasses delivering the skills that are necessary while working with other ministries as one government system.

Hon Mutati assured that with skills acquisition, youths are guaranteed to be permanently employed and to also employ others.

The minister said the ministry intends to be practical particularly for the year 2022, with a philosophy that local jobs should be preserved for the local people so that the monies revolves around the communities.

He said the ministry’s formula for skills development will be government going to the people and not the other way round as President Hakainde Hichilema is delivering the skills which young people embrace.

Hon Mutati said after acquiring the skills, what will be important for the youths is to be ethical and deliver quality within appropriate standards.

Hon Mutati said with the increased allocation of the Constituency Development Fund to K25.7 million, there will be need to have a cadre of skilled youths that will assist in the construction sector and many other aspects that will require local sourcing of labour and skill.

Meanwhile, Minister of Small and Medium Enterprise Development Elias Mubanga said the New Dawn government wants to nature a cadre of entrepreneurs with the right skills and mindset to contribute effectively to national development.

Hon Mubanga said this would as a result reduce on government dependence for empowerment schemes amongst the youths.

And speaking at the same event, Minister of Youth and Sports Elvis Nkandu said government has realized that if trained in the right skills, youths can have the capacity to play a vital role to contribute towards the growth of the country by creating technologies that can solutions to socio-economic challenges the country faces.

In a speech read for him by Permanent Secretary in the ministry Kangwa Chileshe, Mr Nkandu said the launch of the national skills empowerment program will explore and facilitate for the provision of smooth training because President Hakainde Hichilema places emphasis on the importance of human and socio-development as an essential tool in having a skilled population.

And Agriculture Minister Hon Reuben Mtolo Phiri who was also speaking at the same event underscored that it is important to equip the youth with the necessary skills and tools and as such, the ministry seeks to encourage youths to look at agriculture as a business.

Hon Phiri said the ministry has since reserved 100,000 hectares of land in each province which will be used as farming blocks, calling on the youths to take advantage of this opportunity.

Speaking earlier, Mines and Minerals Development Minister Hon Paul Kabuswe said the country cannot afford to have degree holders only because those with requisite skills are key in the development of the country.

Hon Kabuswe said with the skills acquisition being promoted, government is already living up to its campaign promises, calling on the Technology and Science Minister to consider rolling out skills training centres to all the districts.

And Hon Sylvia Masebo, Member of Parliament for Chongwe Constituency and Health Minister urged the 50 beneficiary students of the training at the newly launched centre under the Lusaka Business and Technical College to use the skills to their full potential.