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Farirai Machivenyika, Harare Bureau

ALL is set for the Youth Empowerment Forum and belated Africa Youth Day commemorations at the Magamba Vocational Training Centre (MVTC) in Manicaland Province today where over 10  000 young people from across the country are expected to gather.

President Mnangagwa will be the guest of honour at the events that will also coincide with a graduation ceremony of students at the MVTC.

Africa Youth Day commemorations are traditionally held on November 1, a day that was set aside by the African Union to recognise youths as key agents for social change, economic growth and sustainable development.

Manicaland Provincial Affairs Minister, Advocate Misheck Mugadza, said preparations for the President’s visit were on course. “Our preparations to host President Mnangagwa have gone on well and everything will be in place come tomorrow (today),” Advocate Mugadza said.

On Tuesday, Youth Empowerment, Development and Vocational Training Minister, Tino Machakaire, updated Cabinet about the event and other programmes being spearheaded by his ministry including the fight against drugs and substance abuse.

Manicaland Provincial Affairs Minister, Advocate Misheck Mugadza

The forums were designed to allow the President to engage with young people, identify and unlock socio-economic opportunities for them by engaging policymakers in key sectors of the economy to harness the youth dividend towards the achievement of Vision 2030 of an empowered upper middle-income society.

They are also aimed at promoting vocational skills and reducing young people’s vulnerability while increasing their participation in economic affairs.

The forums have so far been held in Mashonaland East at Nhakiwa Vocational Training Centre and Mushagashe Vocational Training Centre in Masvingo province.
In addition, the forums are aimed at increasing awareness, commitment and investment in youth development initiatives, programmes and projects.

There are 45 Vocational Training Centres across the country’s 10 provinces and these are also linked to 25 satellite centres set up by the Ministry of Youth Empowerment to decentralise the skills training initiative.

Last year, 25 000 young people benefitted from youth programmes to support the human capital development drive as espoused in the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1), which highlights skills development as key in attaining an empowered upper middle-income economy by 2030.

Furthermore, the training being undertaken at the institutions focuses on market-driven and community-based technical, vocational and entrepreneurial development approaches.

The courses offered include mechanical engineering, automotive engineering, tourism and hospitality studies, electrical, textiles technology, agriculture, carpentry and joinery, solar installation and repairs, cosmetology, brick and block laying and plumbing.

VTCs also offer cross-cutting subjects such as entrepreneurship, health education and information and communication technology studies. The 2022 national census statistics indicate that young people make up about five million of the country’s 15,2 million population.