Lawmaker calls for reforms in skills training and rehabilitation centre

The Woman MP for Kyegegwa District, Ms Flavia Kabahenda, has raised concerns about the current state of skills training and rehabilitation centers in Uganda, urging immediate regulation and reform.

In a recent interview, Kabahenda highlighted the need for practical, real-time skilling initiatives and criticized the unregulated nature of many training programs, warning that they could result in a generation of underqualified workers.

Kabahenda emphasized the importance of cottage industries in empowering young people to develop their careers and contribute to their communities.

She believes that these industries can serve as a vital platform for skills development, ensuring that the youth acquire the expert skills required by the market.

"We need to focus on cottage industries that allow young people to grow their careers and contribute meaningfully to their communities," Kabahenda stated.

"This will also ensure they acquire the skills demanded by the job market."

She expressed concern over the widespread unregulated skills training structures in the country, cautioning that these programs could produce inadequately trained individuals who are not truly skilled.

"The unregulated nature of many skills training programs is alarming. If we don't address this, we risk producing a generation of mediocrity," Kabahenda warned.

In addition to skills training, Kabahenda urged the Ministry of Education to ensure that schools allocate time for students to learn essential homegrown skills, which she described as foundational for acquiring other marketable skills.

"Schools must ensure students have time to learn homegrown skills like peeling, cleaning, and digging. These are the springboards for other skills that help them fit into the job market," she argued.

Kabahenda also highlighted the dire conditions in rehabilitation centers for young people with disabilities. She described these facilities as dilapidated and lacking essential tools and supplies for learning, calling for urgent improvements.

"The state of our rehabilitation centers for young people with disabilities is appalling. They lack basic learning tools, food, and non-food items," she revealed.

She called for the implementation of work-based learning policies that would allow young people to gain practical experience in various sectors, including hotels and industries.

"Work-based learning is crucial. Employers should provide opportunities for young people to gain experience through policies that support this type of learning," Kabahenda emphasized.

Kabahenda also addressed the challenges faced by young innovators in Uganda, particularly the barriers created by bureaucracy and corruption. She urged the government to create a more conducive environment for innovation without unnecessary obstacles.

"Young innovators often face demands for bribes or connections to get their innovations recognized. This stifles creativity and forces us to rely on foreign innovations," she remarked.

Spera Atuhairwe, the country director of BRAC Uganda, also expressed concern over the growing skills mismatch in Uganda, especially given the rapidly increasing youth population.

She emphasized the need to integrate 21st-century vocational skills into the national curriculum.

"To prevent a skills mismatch among the youth, we must revise our educational curriculum to meet the needs of the 21st century," Atuhairwe stated.

Joseph Kikomeko, the commissioner of Technical and Vocational Education and Training at the Ministry of Education and Sports, highlighted the ministry's efforts to vocationalise education, aiming to equip students with practical skills early in their academic journey to better prepare them for the job market.