Technical, vocational skills inevitable, says King Oyo

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Toro King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV has urged his subjects and the youth to embrace technical and vocational skills.

The king says the move is inevitable considering the fact that white-collar jobs are dwindling every passing day.

According to Oyo, formal education was introduced in Uganda to create a force of white-collar workers to support the protectorate administration and up to today, there still exists a big and wrong mindset in Uganda that education is meant to prepare people for white-collar formal sector employment for life, with a pension on retirement.

“Inevitably, we must now turn to technical and vocational education and self-employment. Attitudes towards work should change, and the fallacy that education contributes significantly to employment and that jobs are available and people should be able to identify job offers should change. We need to revisit the concepts of employment and employability. Employment should also include self-employment,” Omukama said.

The king hailed President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni for skilling the youth with employable vocational skills. (PPU Photos)

Oyo adds that lifetime jobs are getting fewer everyday as employers prefer short-term performance-based contracts, where they even avoid pensions as a way of reducing costs.

King Oyo’s remarks were contained in a speech delivered on Tuesday, April 23, 2024, at the graduation ceremony of 489 youths who have completed vocational training at the Toro Presidential Industrial Hub at Kijwiiga in Kyenjojo district.

Students drawn from the districts of Bunyangabu, Kyegegwa, Kyenjojo, Kitagwenda, Kamwenge and Kabarole districts were awarded certificates in seven vocational disciplines: Tailoring and design, hairdressing and makeup, building and construction practice, carpentry & joinery, welding and metal fabrications, bakery & confectionery and leather processing (shoe making).

“I want to thank the President for establishing industrial hubs across the country to skill the youth in different trades,” Omukama Oyo said.

His speech was delivered by the kingdom's deputy prime minister in charge of finance and administration, Kwemara Ngabu William.

The king hailed President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni for skilling the youth with employable vocational skills.

He said the President’s initiative enables Uganda’s young population below the age of 30 to join the money economy.

“I want to thank the President for establishing industrial hubs across the country to skill the youth in different trades,” Omukama Oyo said.

A total of 19 regional Industrial hubs have been set up by the Government across the country Under the Presidential Initiative to skill youth into the money economy.

Oyo pledged on behalf of the kingdom to support all efforts to improve the young people's lives and to contribute to the President’s effort in skilling the youth.

Kingdom's pledge

He pledged on behalf of the kingdom to support all efforts to improve the young people's lives and to contribute to the President’s effort in skilling the youth.

“We have a youth skilling centre, and we are replicating it in all our counties, we have an ICT centre to train the youth in ICT skills and artificial intelligence and model farms for demonstration and experiential learning. Skills development and employment creation for the youth is one of the pillars of the Kingdom Vision 2045. The above notwithstanding, I have directed my ministers and saza chiefs to mobilise all Tooro kingdom subjects to take advantage of the training offered by the industrial hubs wherever they are,” King Oyo added.

The Omukama also called upon the education ministry to ensure universities and other tertiary institutions improve the pathways for vocational and technical education for those who want to improve on what they have acquired in skilling hubs.

The Omukama also called upon the education ministry to ensure universities and other tertiary institutions improve the pathways for vocational and technical education for those who want to improve on what they have acquired in skilling hubs.

At the ceremony, students were awarded Uganda Vocational Qualifications Level One Certificate by the Directorate of Industrial Training (DIT) which is equivalent to the Uganda Certificate of Education level, according to the directorate’s senior qualifications officer, Wanakina Fred.

“This is an occupational certificate to help you get a job and not a course. Don’t end here, keep on practising. Look for a job as a volunteer and that’s where your skills will prove that you indeed know what you’re doing,” Wanakina said.

40 youths from each district

Hub manager Cynthia Kamasaka informed the guests that the training centre receives 40 students from each district in Tooro region with the help of the district committees. She described the skilling programme as one of the successful ones.

“I would like to thank the President for his thoughtfulness. This is one of the most successful programmes of the Government, offering practical skills in six months and we dispatch them when they are ready for the job market. On top of the skills, we have mindset change and ideology spearheaded by the UPDF,” Kamasaka said.

President Museveni lauded

Kyenjojo Resident District Commissioner Julian Ayesiga thanked President Museveni for prioritising Toro region in a special way with three skilling hubs.

“I also thank the parents for sending us children who are disciplined. Go to the field and remain as good as you have been. I wish you well wherever you will be working and do what is required of you to represent the good image of the President and the NRM government,” the RDC said.

Kyegegwa RDC Monica Karungi appreciated President Museveni for his parental love for the unprivileged children.

“We thank the President for establishing this hub to skill the youth, especially the girl child for them to be able to do something for themselves and get empowered. During our tour, we have seen very innovative work done by our children and I would like to thank the instructors for training our children,” Ms. Karungi said.

Local government ministry commissioner local economic development Anthony Namara congratulated the graduates who successfully completed the six-month course, describing the achievement as a significant step towards propelling themselves into the realm of economic prosperity.

“I must express our profound gratitude to the President for his unwavering commitment to empowering the youth and women of our nation. His vision for economic transformation resonates in programs like this, and we are grateful for the funds provided through the State House Comptroller to make this initiative possible,” Mr. Namara said, adding that.........

The Local government ministry, in collaboration with other stakeholders, will continue to provide post-skilling support and follow-up to ensure their success in the money economy through initiatives like local economic development and investment committee linkages.

Students gave testimonies while thanking President Museveni for the opportunity.
Faridah Kemirembe from Kyegegwa, who qualified in carpentry and joinery, thanked President Museveni for the 'wonderful programme for the young people'.

“When I went to look for a job, they thought I didn’t have skills but when I was given an interview, I impressed them and they employed me. I call upon my fellow youth to encourage colleagues who are loitering on the streets,” Kemirembe said.

Murungi Kenneth from Kabarole qualified in tailoring. He informed the guests that after working for a few months he managed to buy his own sewing machine which he put at home to start his own business and he is doing well.