24 Nov 2024

To achieve 500 000 jobs in five years as stated in Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) manifesto, each of the 61 constituencies has to be able to produce about 8 196 jobs, says Assistant Minister of Higher Education Mr Justin Hunyepa.

Speaking at a Youth Business Forum in Masunga on Saturday, Mr Hunyepa said the UDC  encouraged youth, women and People With Disabilities to venture into business and create jobs for themselves as well as others.

“UDC encourages rural productions where employment is created for the rural community,” he said.

He said UDC anticipated the economy to grow by 10 per cent every year, adding that surplus commodities could be sold in SADC region at higher profit margins.

He noted that the UDC government was going to look at Science Technology Engineering Arts Mathematics (STEAM) with every child taught according to their abilities and capabilities from primary school.

“As the UDC we do not have a child who would be labelled as failed, and making schools to compete according to the pass rate, every child would be competing with themselves as they have the gift and potential given by God”, Mr Hunyepa said.

“If a child is good in singing at primary school level, good at cooking, good at dancing, good in football, they should be trained on that line,” he said adding that children should not be forced to do a subject that was difficult to them but should instead engage on education with production.

Organiser of the Youth Business Forum Ms Taboka Wilson said the objective of the event was to share ideas with youth who were interested in venturing into business.

She said she was manufacturing many products among them body lotion, paint, perfume, lip balm, lip stick, hair food, pine gel, sausages, sauces, marinates, peanut butter, sandals.

Ms Wilson said the other objective was to train participants on manufacturing of dish washing liquid soap, paints, and bar codes amongst others.

Mosojane/Mulambakwena/Pole ward councillor Mr Mbaakanyi Smarts encouraged youth to take the training seriously as they could supply schools and other government facilities with the products.

He said they could even produce in large quantities and export their products.

District Officer Development Ms Omphile Mogorosi said government encouraged youth and women to make use of available financial institutions to get funding and start business that would create employment.

This, she said, would reduce poverty and improve the economy of the country. Ends