TEVETA committed to promoting vocational skills in rural Malawi
Technical Entrepreneurial Vocational Education and Training Authority ( TEVETA) has said it is committed to complementing government’s efforts in equipping the rural youths with vocational skills to ensure the energetic group effectively contributes towards economic growth of the country.
The remarks were made Friday TEVETA Executive Director, Dr. Ndione Chauluka when he handed over furniture and assorted trades training tools and equipment at Kasama Skills Development Centre, in the area of Chief Mwaulambia in Chitipa District.
Chauluka observed that when the youths are empowered with relevant vocational skills, they will be able to venture into entreprenurialship of their choice which will rake them a lot of money to ensure their self reliance besides helping to spur socioeconomic development in their respective areas.
TEVETA, with funding from World Bank, is facilitating establishment of a skills development centre at a Kasama area, which used to be a government tobacco estates, with an objective of improving youths’ access to vocational skills.
The center has the highest probability of graduating into a fully fledged community technical college, when it is successfully executed.
“Acquisition of vocational skills by the youths is key in promoting sustainable economic growth at both, community and national levels,” said Chauluka.
The Dr said once the youths obtain the skills from the center, they will be self employed, running their own business enterprises, which will in turn create job opportunities for other youths without the skills.
The Executive Director, however, lamented that the high rates of unemployment hitting the youths and wide-spread poverty in communities flooded with idle youths, are, to a larger extent, blamed on wrong mentality among Malawians who believe that education, at secondary school and university levels, only prepares students for a white collar job.
Explained Chauluka, “ Many countries which are feared rich today, switched to industrialized economy, by wildly investing in technical skills development.”
He then urged the community around the skills development center to encourage the youths who have nothing to do, to register with the center to train in trades of their choice.
Chauluka, however, said he was impressed with the commitment demonstrated by community members at the center, who he said, were too supportive to ensure the center is fully operational, within a space of five months from the launch.
Earlier, an official from Chitipa District Council, Franklin Twebabo Mwalwanda thanked TEVETA for mobilizing resources for the establishment of the skills development center at one of the district remotest areas, like Kasama.
Mwalwanda, who is also the National Registration Bureau (NRB) Assistant Registrar, described the skills development center as a big relief to the council as it will be drilling artisans who will be hired by the council to carry out some government and donor funded infrastructure development projects.
In his remarks, Chief Mwaulambia made a pledge that his subjects will always work in collaboration with the staff at the center so that the institution successfully achieves its purpose of fighting poverty in my area and Chitipa at large.
The Chief also made a strong assurance that the community around the center with provide maximum security to ensure safety of the tools and equipment as a sign of appreciation for the establishment of the center.
During the day’s function, which was called ‘Work Suit Day’ TEVETA mobilized 1000 tree seedlings which were planted at a fallow land, adjacent to the center.
Chauluka said his organization decided to plant trees because the center is providing trainings like apiculture and carpentry and joinery, trades he said can not be divorced from used of trees.
Kasama Skills Development Center, which currently admits informal sector students to rehabilitate the abandoned structures, while acquiring skills, is running trades such as tailoring, carpentry and joinery, apiculture, brick laying and electrical installation.
The center was officially launched five months ago, with initial funding of hooping K10 million from Word Bank, under TEVET Improvement Plan (TIP).
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