Minister Muyingo advises youth on skills training

Apr 11, 2012

The state minister for higher education has urged youth to change their mindset of what he called ‘university degree syndrome’ and embrace employable skills to fight unemployment in the country.

By Joseph Wanzusi
 
The state minister for higher education has urged youth to change their mindset of what he called ‘university degree syndrome’ and embrace employable skills to fight unemployment in the country.
 
Dr. John Muyingo made the remarks while on a fact-finding mission at the Uganda Technical College Elgon (UTC Elgon), Mbale district.
 
Muyingo’s visit followed reports that Mt. Elgon Labour Based Training Centre (MELTEC) was attempting to grab land and a building belonging to UTC Elgon.
 
“Considering the amount of money parents and the Government spend on educating university students, the youth should be encouraged to go for vocational training courses to acquire employable skills,” Muyingo said, adding that the booming construction industry, in the country needs skilled manpower.
 
He urged technical colleges in the country to aggressively market their institutions, saying Uganda’s economy will develop with the promotion of technical education.
 
“Every year over 400,000 job seekers graduate from universities and colleges yet the formal sector can only employ about 130,000 of them leaving the rest to roam the streets,” the minister added.
 
During his interaction with the college governing council and the members of staff, Muyingo was surprised to learn that the college has never received any textbooks from the Government since the early 1990s.
 
He told the meeting that in the next financial year, the Government will set aside sh504b for the construction of staff houses for lecturers and teachers across the country, adding that another sh250b will go towards the teachers’ take-home package.
 
Miyingo directed the UTC Elgon governing council led by Jane Magombe and MELTEC administration headed by Eng. John Kisira to start a dialogue over the buildings, stating that the building and the land on which it is located legally belong to UTC Elgon which is under the education and sports ministry.
 
 

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