Suburban
Suburban Reporter
Government had identified vocational training centres (VTCs) as one way of fighting idleness among the youth and preventing them from engaging in social ills such as drug abuse.
To this end, the State has made provision in the 2023 National Budget to fund the revision of curriculum at vocational training centres (VTCs) to cope with the changing technology and be relevant to the job market.
Additional rehabilitation centres will be built to offer support to youths who might have fallen victim to the scourge of drug abuse. Presenting the 2023 National Budget last week, Finance and Economic Development Minister Mthuli Ncube said VTCs should provide short courses and help the youths to undertake productive economic activities and stay away from the menace of drug abuse.
“The 2023 National Budget will provide resources towards the revision of curriculum at Vocational Training Centres, to include short courses and tailor-made programmes to cope with changing technology and to match jobs on the market. This is against a background of high levels of unemployment, as well as the growing menace of drug abuse among the youths,” Minister Ncube said while delivering the 2023 budget.
He said expansion and capacitation of vocational training centres, as well as capitalisation of youth empowerment institutions, provides an opportunity for our youths to engage in productive economic activities, as well as transform their lives and livelihoods.
“Government is cognisant that youths are the foundation of the future and that the country has a youth dividend with approximately 32 percent of the population aged between 15 to 34 years old, who are the youths and productive part of the workforce.
“In this regard, the country stands to benefit from demographic dividend, if strategically harnessed for economic development. Empowering the youth with knowledge and skills is critical for them to realise their full potential and contribute to economic and social transformation,” said Minister Ncube.
The Minister said the new curricula will also equip graduates to become employers in their own right adding that Government will also undertake renovation of training facilities and equipment at the colleges.
Lending institutions such as the Empower Bank will also be further capacitated and decentralised to all parts of the country to provide funding for the youths to start businesses.
“In addition, more resources will be channelled towards the refurbishment and retooling of Vocational Training Centres across all provinces. The budget will continue to capacitate the Empower Bank to enable the youth to access finance for start-ups and boosting their businesses. In the spirit of the devolution agenda, efforts will be made to decentralise the services provided by Empower Bank to provinces and districts,” said Minister Ncube.
Government will also capacitate the Zimbabwe Youth Council to enhance its visibility and effectiveness. “It is critical that our youths participate in all facets of the country’s development, including governance matters. The budget is capacitating the Zimbabwe Youth Council (ZYC) with resources to enhance its effectiveness and visibility through decentralisation, conduct awareness campaigns and youth exchange programmes, as well as support youths Volunteer Services and Community Engagement.”
Minister Ncube said drug abuse is now a national concern affecting every facet of life in the nation and there was need for interventions to tackle the problem.
“Drug and substance abuse has become an issue of national concern, affecting individuals, families, communities and societies at large. No nation can prosper if its productive working population is actively involved in drugs and substances abuse. As part of a strategy to address this challenge, the 2023 National Budget will prioritise the construction of additional rehabilitation centres to support those affected. Resources will also be made available for retooling, recreation and youths interaction centres in a bid to improve platforms of awareness campaigns against drug and substance abuse.”
The Finance Minister said funding will also be provided for sport and recreation, which can also help youths to be occupied and lessen the drug abuse challenge.
“With regards to sport and recreation, ZWL$1.2 billion has been set aside for the rehabilitation and upgrading of sports facilitates and recreational centres, with the aim of modernisation to conform to international standards.”
