Govt to construct VCTs in districts

17 Dec, 2017 - 01:12 0 Views

The Sunday News

Limpret Moyo, Sunday News Reporter
THE Government is set to establish at least a vocational training centre in every district in the country, a development that will help fight youth unemployment and improve development in the country, an official has said.

Speaking at the Sizinda VTC 13th graduation ceremony last week, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Women and Youth Affairs Dr Desire Sibanda said the ministry was working towards building VTCs countrywide, with one under construction in Tshabalala.

He said the centres were meant to promote productive youth engagement in the economy and help fight unemployment.

“My ministry is currently working towards establishing a VTC in every district of the country as well as satellite centres in every ward. I would like to thank the Bulawayo City Council for availing 1 026 hectares of land in Tshabalala for the construction of a VTC.

“In Zimbabwe, youth unemployment remains one of the major challenges confronting us, therefore the promotion of productive youth engagement in the economy is key in addressing these challenges. The ministry through vocational and skills development seeks to enhance youth employment as well as provide motivation for them to set up their own enterprises in a bid to enhance their livelihood and contribute positively to the mainstream economy,” he said.

Dr Sibanda said training programmes should be designed in a way that would promote entrepreneurship.

“It is critical that our training programmes must be designed to develop an entrepreneurial culture among the youths. This will enable them to start their own business projects after training, thereby, creating employment opportunities and incomes,” he said.

He commended Public-Private Partnerships (PPP), saying they were contributing immensely to the country’s economic development.

Dr Sibanda also applauded partnership between Sizinda VTC and International Labour Organisation (ILO) and another with the African Development Bank.

“PPPs have potential to be engines for economic development across socio-economic spectrum as they unlock strategies critical for sustainable economic recovery. I would also like to commend the partnership of the ministry through Sizinda VTC and the ILO Bulawayo now boasts of a Common Facility Centre in Kelvin North, which can house up to 80 carpenters. I am informed that Sizinda VTC is operating a hairdressing salon in the Central Business District,” he said.

More than 150 students graduated in different courses.

 

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