Jobless trainees accuse instructors of lacking skills

Kampala

Acquiring skills is one thing and putting them to practical use a completely different matter. The government has chosen to tackle the glaring unemployment in the country, by introducing a programme through which Ugandan youth, many of whom are jobless can acquire hands-on informal skills. However, this programme which started last year, is in the spotlight following reports that some of the trainers lack adequate skills to pass on to the youths.

Unhappy students
Some of the beneficiaries of the programme who spoke to Jobs and Career said they were stunned to see their trainers giving half-baked information about the various modules designed for the programme. According to the Ministry of Education, all the beneficiaries are supposed to get skills in mechanical engineering, candle and soap making, tie and dye, tailoring and embroidery among others.

Due to this shortfall, many of the intended recipients are still not fully empowered to engage in self employment. “Some of our trainers had difficulties in delivering the information – a clear indication that they were inadequately trained to handle the programme,” said Ms Victoria Nakyobe, who was trained to produce liquid soap.

Ms Nakyobe’s assertions were corroborated by Ms Emmanuel Ssekaya who trained to make bakery products.
“At times a trainer could enter a class without knowing exactly what to teach and we were the ones to guide him basing on the previous lesson,” he said.

Payments elicited
Although the programme is free, trainees were compelled to pay some money to be enrolled in the three-month programme. “We were told that some money was to be used to purchase training materials but I hear that all this had been catered for by government,” said Mr Julius Ssekiziyivu, another trainee.
The shocking revelations were revealed last week in Kampala during a workshop organised by the Ministry of Education to assess the progress of the Shs3b programme. But the commissioner for business and technical education, Engineer Henry Okinyal dismissed the claims, saying all the trainers they engaged were competent enough to do the job. “We advertised in all the local print media inviting interested and competent training providers and those who possessed the suitable training facilities and staff applied and were considered,” Mr Okinyal said.

He said despite some challenges, many youth have greatly benefited from the programme.
“Yes, there could be some problems but many beneficiaries have acquired the skills and ready to start their own enterprises. And where mistakes have been identified, they will be corrected in the next phase,” he told Jobs and Career.

The ministry official says at least 10,000 youths cross the country have so far benefited from the programme, with government spending Shs270,000 on each trainee. The programme that took place between May and August attracted beneficiaries ranging from illiterates to university graduates.

The Shs3b fund is to be managed by the Uganda Directorate of Industrial Training and will also help youth set up businesses. Available statistics indicate that 400,000 youths join the labour market annually but only 80,000 get absorbed in formal employment leaving 320,000 with no option but to join the informal sector.

Population report
According to the new State of Uganda’s Population Report, the country has the lowest labour productivity compared to neighbouring Kenya and Tanzania. The report, which analyses the labour productivity of Ugandans, says six Ugandans are employed to do a job that can be done by one Kenyan. Also, one Tanzanian national can do a job that is done by four Ugandans.

It cited unemployment, underemployment, lack of skills, a poor culture towards work, gender relations, inadequate and poor state of economic infrastructure as some of the factors which contribute to the low productivity level in Uganda.