After six months of hands-on training, a total of 4,201 students under State House’s sponsored Presidential Initiative on Skilling the Girl/ Boy Child (PISGBC) are set to be assessed this week by the Directorate of Industrial Training (DIT).
According to Mr. Dan Wejuli, a State House official who is in charge of planning and welfare for the PISGBC project, the assessment will kick off in all the nine skilling centres in Kampala.
Mr. Wejuli made the remarks last Friday in Wandegeya, during the final day of a showcasing ceremony of products made by the students who underwent a six-month vocational skills training.
Some of the courses taught in the nine skilling centres include welding and metal fabrication, leather designing/shoe making, embroidery, knitting, carpentry, building and construction, as well as baking and confectionery.
Other courses include hairdressing, knitting and tailoring, as well as plumbing, recycling and value addition. Upon completion of the practical skilling, each of the students is awarded a certificate which is equivalent to Uganda Certificate of Education (O’Level).
According to the Special Presidential Assistant on Skilling and Education and Head of PISGBC project, Dr. Faith Katana Mirembe, the initiative was started in 2017 by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni to reduce unemployment among the less privileged youths by equipping them with practical and employable skills that can enable young adults from poor-urban communities to earn a decent living.
Dr. Katana commended KCCA for availing the PISGBC free space in Wandegeya Market, which accommodates one of the first two skilling centres under the PISGBC project.
“This space is free; Subway and Luzira are also free. We do not pay rent for it. We thank KCCA for this free space,” Dr. Katana said.
Dr. Hillary Musoke Kisanja, the Senior Presidential Advisor on agribusiness commended State House for the project that has improved the livelihoods of the youths in Kampala.
Ms. Sheillah Birungi, KCCA’s director of gender, youth and production said skilling has empowered young women (17 to 35 years of age) by making them productive.
“Recently, I also learnt how to bake cakes. I turned 50 years of age in December last year, but I was inspired by Dr. Katana when she said she is now 69 years of age and yet still so vibrant,” Ms. Birungi noted.
Ms. Birungi pledged to talk to the Executive Director of KCCA to consider availing PISGBC a space in Busega to also establish a centre.
“If we can get a centre in Busega, in the new market, that would make it better for the residents to be empowered with skills,” she suggested.
