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.

Chauluka hands over training tools to Chief Mwaulambia via Mwalwanda

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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