Vocational education unemployment solution — Chinese ambassador

__________________

Chinese ambassador to Uganda Zhang Lizhong has commended the Ugandan government for encouraging the youth to embrace technical and vocational skills training.

He says such training is the key to overcoming the unemployment challenge and for the country to realise social-economic transformation.

Lizhong says vocational education is the only way to prepare the youth to be job creators instead of job seekers and this, he says, will answer the unemployment question Uganda is facing.

“Vocational education is very important, [because] it creates capacity building and it creates economic development,” he said, adding that China developed because the government of China supports corporation vocation education.

“China considering vocational education is a significant component of the education and talent cultivation system. Since 2012 a total of 61 million skilled professionals have graduated from over 7,000 secondary vocational schools and more than 1,500 high vocation schools across the country. China’s vocational education system has taken a major step in terms of diversity, quality and contribution to social progress” LiZhong adds.

He says China is committed to advocating for vocational education in Africa and that the ever-upgrading China-Africa vocational education co-operation is becoming an important driving force for Africa’s industrialisation progress.

Technical training

According to Lizhong, China has set up 17 Lu Ban Workshop that offer technical training to 52 specialists in 15 African countries including Uganda, concentrating on railway, machinery, electrical and other fields adding that Lu Ban workshops have trained large numbers of professionals urgently needed for the economic and social development of African Countries and across the world.

He adds that China has partnerships with 70 countries and international organisations in expanding bilateral co-operation in vocational education and 400 vocational colleges have received 17,000 international students and offered “Chinese language and vocational education” programmes in more than 40 countries introducing replicable and successful Chinese practices to these countries.

He also expressed excitement about the co-operation enjoyed between Uganda and China and that many Chinese companies are implementing different projects such as the construction of roads, agricultural projects and electricity projects.

Chinese urged to respect the law

He challenged all Chinese and Chinese companies operating in Uganda to respect the laws, culture and also create peace with the local communities by contributing to the development of the community and the country at large.  

“We encourage all these Chinese not just to come here to make money but contribute to the local communities, contribute to the economic and social transformation of Uganda and am very happy that CRSG is following that guidance”.

Lizhong made the remarks on Monday, October 28 2024, in Kikuube district as he witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding between Buhimba Government Technical Institute and China's Seventh Group CRSG.

CRSG Country Director Bian Peng and Charles Piido, the principal Buhimba Technical Institute signing the MOU. (Photo by Peter Abaanabasazi)

The China Railway Seventh Group was contracted by the Government to tarmac the 25km Hohwa-Nyairongo-Kyarushesha-Butole Road, Kabaale-Kizirabfumbi road (25km) and the 47km Masindi-Biiso road at cost shillings 500 billion. The company is currently at 90.5% to complete the project. The Government has again contracted this company to work on the Kabwoya-Kyangwali (45km) critical oil road Connecting to the Kingfisher oil field.

Training opportunities for locals

Under the memorandum, CRSG will be offering the students from Buhimba Technical Institute training opportunities to get hands-on skills and jobs in the projects undertaken by CRSG.

Ugandan youth tipped on work ethic

Works minister Gen. Edward Katumba Wamala commended China for supporting the social and economic transformation of Uganda adding China has been giving Uganda financial support without giving conditions.

He challenged Ugandans working with Chinese companies to exhibit discipline and high levels of integrity adding that some Ugandans engage in acts such as stealing fuel and alcoholism, which causes the Chinese to lose trust in Ugandans.

He challenged Uganda youth to always respect and be committed to work adding many youths fail to get employment because they are not serious with work.

“They give you a job, you report at 8:00pm, you spend most of the time on your phone, you want to leave work at 5:00pm and you want to be paid a full salary, this cannot work in this century, no one will employ you,” he said.

He also underscored a need to put more focus on mindset change to ensure the promotion of vocational skills and education adding that mindset among the community is one of the biggest challenges affecting efforts of promoting vocational skills education.

"[Only] 400,000 [people] can be employed by the public service and we have over 40 million people, where will all these get jobs, Vocational education is the way to go, when you have skills is your capital, there is a saying that state that if you want to get rich, be ready to get dirty” he said and called parents to encourage their children to take on vocation education as first priority.

Internship placement challenges

Buhimba Technical Institute principal Charles Piido commended CRSG for the MOU adding that the initiative is going to help the students get placements, adding the institute lacks tools and equipment for training the students.

He called on the Government to put in place a law that would compel the private sector to allow students to carry out industrial training in their establishments. He noted that the training institution was finding it hard to get placement for the students seeking an internship.

He noted some establishments levy a fee ranging from shillings 100,000 to 500,000 to admit the students and most parents are too poor to raise the money.

"Some students end up not attaining such industrial training because of this challenge yet industrial training is a course unit and at the end of the day a student fails to complete his education,” he said

CRSG country director Bian Peng said the MOU is aimed at strengthening the relationship with the community in their area of operation and promoting vocational skills development. 

CRSG country director Bian peng said the MOU is aimed at strengthening the relationship with the community in their area of operation and promoting vocational skills development. (Photo by Peter Abaanabasazi)

He commended the Government for trusting the China Seventh Group to implement different road construction projects in the oil region and other parts of the Country.

He promised that the company would continue to provide quality work to ensure that the projects serve its intended purpose of foresting development.

He added that the implementation of projects is done by environmental protection guidelines.

Kikuube Resident District commissioner Amlan Tumusime commended the Government for establishing the technical institution in the area adding if this institution gets utilised by youth it will help them to attain skills that will help them to create jobs instead of being job seekers and also to offer services in the oil and gas sector.

He noted with the increasing unemployment among the youth, empowering them with vocational skills is the way to address the challenges.