….As has given opportunity to vulnerable youth achieve their dreams
Samuel Mbewe
The increase in constituency development fund has proved to be a game changer not only in improving the lives of people but also giving an opportunity to some youths achieve their tertiary education.
Minister of Local Government and Rural Development Garry Nkombo said there has been an overwhelming response from the youths applying for skills empowerment and bursaries under the CDF.
He said the country is now grappling with unruly youths in communities known as junkies and the situation could be addressed by the skills empowerment that can be acquired through CDF bursaries.
“We have seen an increased number of applicants for bursary skills component under CDF, something we are happy with because we know that this will reduce the challenges of employment among our youths in communities,” said the minister.
The Minister noted that youth who had no opportunity to attain tertiary education have been given an opportunity to do so through the skills empowerment bursaries.
Mr. Nkombo also observed the mushrooming of skills training centers have been registered or opened but not offering quality trainings.
“Some of these skills training centers are not offering quality education as expected but are there to just get money from the students which he said such institutions should be looked into by the Higher Education Authority” said Nkombo.
Among the tertiary courses offered to students include carpentry, Bricklaying, electrical, catering amongst others. He said these courses will help youth to sustain themselves rather than waiting for a collar job.
Early this year, Minister of Local Government Garry Nkombo with immediate effect directed the shut-down of 2 Lusaka Based Skills Training Institutions; Vavika Academy and Salford, for operating under unsanitary conditions.
The Minister who led a team of Local government and TEVETA officials on an inspection tour to the erring institutions further ordered that the named institutions cover the cost of repatriating the CDF sponsored students back to their homes.
The Minister further echoed concerns that the local authorities who sent the students to these skills training institutions did not do a proper due diligence to ensure that they had the capacity.
On the continuous CDF spot check tour of projects in Chipata District a team comprising of officers from the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, Chipata City Council and Technical Education Vocational and Entrepreneurship Training Authority (TEVETA) visited Chipata Trades Training Institute and Eden University to appreciate the student’s welfare at these learning institutions.
The students visited are the ones benefiting from the Skills Development Bursaries component under CDF. The Students at Chipata Trades Training Institute expressed gratitude and urged government to continue supporting the vulnerable in the Country.
The beneficiaries are enrolled in different courses under the Skills Development Bursaries such as General Agriculture, Automotive Engineering, Electrical Technology, Bricklaying, Food and Beverages, Fashion, Design and Textile Technology, Secretarial Studies and Computer studies.
One of the beneficiaries Robert Mpundu in the General Agriculture class revealed that CDF is helping citizens from urban and rural areas and that many have benefited and still benefiting to this government`s initiative and that it has helped many families to alleviate financial burdens.
And an Electrical Technology student Anthony Banda said CDF has proved beyond reasonable doubt that it is a game changer in communities like Chipata and that it is bridging the gap for many without means to pursue further studies.
Banda said CDF enables students to enroll in various technical and vocational programmes which in turn equip them with skills that are critical for personal growth and community development in that individuals are acquiring the qualifications needed to contribute to the development of the nation.
Bertha Phiri another beneficiary at Chipata Trades also added her voice and said CDF is real in that it has sponsored her to pursue General Agriculture because her parents could not sponsor her to tertiary but that the coming of CDF has helped a lot.
She further called on other Youths in Chipata to visit Chipata City Council so that they can also benefit from CDF.
