President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni yesterday commissioned the Teso Zonal Presidential Industrial Hub in Arapai sub-county, Soroti City.
The Teso Presidential Industrial Hub is one of the 19 hubs set up across the country with the aim of equipping over 12,000 youths every year under the Presidential Initiative on skilling of the youth to usher them into the money economy.
Commissioning the hub, President Museveni congratulated the beneficiaries of the skilling hub and thanked their parents for sending them to the hub to acquire skills.
President Museveni who is currently on a wealth creation and Parish Development Model (PDM) assessment tour in the Teso sub region, also issued a stern warning to head teachers to stop charging fees in government schools, describing the act as a great contributing factor to school dropouts.
“You have seen how useful these courses are and we could have done more for all the other youths if we did not have obstructions by some of the actors,” the President said.
He reminded the gathering that the NRM government strategy was to have all the children study free in primary and secondary schools as clearly indicated in the 1996 NRM manifesto.
“In the 1996 manifesto, we started UPE and USE, and the program is supposed to be free for government schools but some people bring back charges in primary and secondary schools so that is how the children are dropping out of school,” he said.
“So now go back and tell your parents that please stop these head-teachers from collecting money from children so that children study,” President Museveni stressed.
President Museveni also announced that the government is going to add more skills disciplines that will be aligned with the market demand.
“Because once you acquire a skill you should look at the market, who will buy what I will produce? are they many in number. After some consultations I would like them to add spinning and weaving so that you can make clothes not only tailor but also make because now you are tailoring a cloth that is already made, you should learn how to make the cloth yourself,” he asserted.
The President added that other components to be added for training skills include motor mechanics, ceramics- the making of cups and plates, carpentry – proposing that more of wood work be done like the making of wooden plates, combs even other products like the making of wooden instruments for music.
“In the 1940s we were using wooden plates not the ones you are using now because wooden plates and spoons would last much longer than those you are using today,” he noted.
President Museveni further identified food processing as one of the components to be added to the training at the hub.
On the startup capital, President Museveni was glad to note that the State House Comptroller, Ms. Jane Barekye together with some RCCs and RDCs had already opened up SACCOs in the districts to benefit the hub beneficiaries.
