Government to introduce new practical courses at Presidential Industrial Hubs
LIRA, February 14, 2025: President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has praised the work done by the Presidential Skilling Industrial Hubs across the country, saying they are helping to fight unemployment by equipping young people with practical skills for self-employment, and job creation.
Museveni, who was recently in the Lango subregion on a regional tour to assess the performance of the Parish Development Model [PDM] and wealth creation programmes, said while commissioning the Lango Presidential Skilling Hub in Ayere Cell, Barapwo Ward, Lira West Division, Lira City. He pledged to expand the skilling courses offered at the hubs across the country.
“I am pleased that you, the parents, have responded so positively to the initiative of training these young people for free. We are going to expand the skills offered here to include motor mechanics, plumbing, and electrical installation, so that they [the children] have a broader base of skills,” Museveni said.
Currently, the 19 Presidential Industrial Hubs, established under the Presidential Initiative on Skilling the Youth, focus on practical fields such as building and construction, carpentry, welding, hairdressing, baking, tailoring and fashion design, leatherwork, and agriculture, with the aim of equipping over 12,000 young people annually.
President Museveni expressed satisfaction at the new curriculum introduced by the Ministry of Education and Sports, which includes practical studies, a concept that was taught even during the colonial period.
“So please, if you appreciate what is happening here, go and spread it out in the primary and secondary schools,” he added.
However, Museveni voiced concern over schools that continue to undermine the objectives of Universal Primary Education [UPE] and Universal Secondary Education [USE], which were established to provide free education to all Ugandan children. He criticised the imposition of unnecessary charges in government schools, which he believes contributes to high dropout rates among students.
“But I am also unhappy because we began this effort in 1996 when we introduced UPE and later USE. We wanted the children of the poor to study for free in government schools, but you did not implement it. You went on introducing charges in schools, and as a consequence, many children dropped out. That mistake of blocking children from education must be stopped,” Museveni stated.
“Now, here I am providing free education for these children, and yet what I am doing here is much more expensive than it would have been if you had implemented UPE and USE properly.”
Museveni explained that the idea of having a primary school in every parish and a secondary school in every sub-county was to accommodate children studying locally, thus reducing costs associated with feeding and accommodation. The government would focus on paying teachers, constructing infrastructure, and providing textbooks and laboratory equipment.
The President also promised to support children who have acquired skills through their SACCOs established in each district, so they can borrow and create wealth after gaining skills.
He donated Shs 30 million to three skilled finalists who shared their testimonies and pledged another Shs 30 million to the SACCO of the regional chairpersons.
Vice President Jessica Alupo welcomed President Museveni and the First Lady, who is also the Minister of Education and Sports, Janet Kataaha Museveni, to Lango. She reaffirmed the National Resistance Movement’s [NRM] vision of securing the future of all Ugandans through wealth creation and shared prosperity, emphasising priority areas such as wealth and job creation, delivering quality education, providing health and safe water, ensuring justice and equity, protecting life and property, and achieving economic and political integration.
“Your Excellency, there is no doubt that the NRM, under your leadership, is fulfilling the promises made to the people of Uganda,” she said, adding that significant progress has been made in ensuring that all Ugandans can join the money economy through various inclusive government programmes such as Emyooga, the Youth Livelihood Programme, the GROW project, and PDM.
The Zonal Chairperson of the Lango Regional Presidential Skilling Hub, George Abudul, informed the President that the hub is shared equally among the 11 administrative units of the Lango subregion. A total of 243 youths, 30 of whom come from disadvantaged areas, are recruited every six months, with each district sending 21 children for training. To date, 910 youths, 453 of whom are female, have been trained.
“Since the majority of jobs are in the private sector and since our economy is private-sector led, I would like to thank you for the vision of establishing the Presidential Skilling Hubs in all the zones of this country. Not only do they help close the skills gap, but they also enable our young people to acquire skills and competencies for the world of work. This is in line with your vision of job and wealth creation,” he said.
He requested President Museveni to increase the number of trainees per intake from 240 to at least 500, given the growing demand for skilling.
The ceremony was attended by ministers, Members of Parliament, the Vice Chancellor of Lira University, Prof. Jasper Ogwal Okeng, resident district commissioners from the region, LC5 chairpersons, district NRM chairpersons, Chief Administrative Officers, district security officers, and youth leadership, among others.
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