Joyce Namugambe
The President of Uganda His Excellency Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has revealed plans to fight against people who ask for money to provide them government services such as free government education since they have scared a big number of Ugandans from accessing free government services and programs.
The President revealed these plans during the 4th graduation ceremony of Presidential initiative on skilling of the Girl/boy child at Kololo airstrip where over 16000 students have graduated in different fields.
The President’s concern comes at a time when more complaints are coming from parents who take their children to goverment schools that head teachers keep demanding for money from them and whoever fails, his/ her children are not allowed to access school.
Speaking to the people who attended the function, the President cautioned such head teachers to desist from the act since the plans that He has are to punish them severely. He noted that this is one of the reasons why the number of children in schools keep reducing due to the failure of poor parents to afford the fees charged.
He stressed that out of over 11million pupils who attend school in primary, only 2600,000 students join secondary level, connecting this to the fees charged by head teachers which scare parents. His Excellency added that goverment has plans to include more courses on the Presidential initiative skilling program such as paper making, ceramics among others as they have not been on the program.
He has commended the youth who have acquired skills in different fields under this program for being able to get out of the dependency of the colonial Era and now able to produce goods on their own, through the acquired skills, which is one of the reasons why he came up with this program.
However, His Excellency, has challenged people who have land to use it to engage in agriculture, farming and fishing for those who stay around the lakes but with Kibalo ( accountability) so that they can become busy and avoid engaging in useless things that don’t yield.
The minister of education and sports Janet Kataha Museveni commended the youth for the commitment, and challenged the society to avoid gender discrimination through considering the girl child centered programs to the boy child as well, just as the presidential initiative on skilling program does. She also challenged the youth to embrace the digital Era and to engage in every opportunity that comes from the ministry for their development. She noted that the youth should endeavor to work on their character as it drives whatever they do.
The state house financial controller Jane Balakye Commended the President for the skilling program. And expressed gratitude that the objectives of the program have been achieved. However, she noted that if the government works together with the skilling team to help the youth to up skill them, they will be able to get jobs in different projects of the country other than importing labour. She noted projects such as PDM, Emyooga, and petroleum industry among others which can help the youth to earn a living.
Faith Katana, who is in charge of Skilling program in Kampala reported to the president that her team has achieved the objectives of the program that he assigned them and noted that they have been able to bring out the Presidents dream of showing that Uganda can produce on its own. This manifests through the products presented to him such as shoes, bags, and clothes etc that were being produced by the students.
In the same way, the minister of Kampala Minsa Kabanda asked the president to fulfil the promises he made to the skilling team so that they can fully train Ugandan youth. She noted Nakivubo settlement primary school which the President promised to offer to the program.
Nakyazze Immaculate of class 2017 was given startup capital of 1 million shillings by the President and equipment’s for her business. She got money and expanded her business and she is now financially stable that she can easily pay for her house rent and business rent, look after her town and village relatives among others.
The graduads discourage the youth from joining peer groups as they mislead and put them into trouble. Some used to be sex workers but they got a chance to join skilling initiative program that helped them acquire skills and can now sustain themselves financially.
These students have graduated in courses such as carpentry, shoe making, weaving, Embroidery, electoral installation, Bakery and confectionery, Hair dressing, Plumbing, Construction, Electronics, Welding among others.
