Addressing the National Youth Day celebrations at
Mushagashe Vocational Training Centre in Masvingo province on Wednesday, Youth
Empowerment, Development and Vocational Training Minister Tinomuda Machakaire
said modalities are in place for the resumption of the programme.
“Your Excellency, the National Youth Service will be
commencing training in April this year in its institutions,” he said.
The programme is envisaged to play a crucial role in
nurturing well-cultured youths, especially at a time when the country continues
to face challenges like drug and alcohol abuse among young people.
“My ministry, through the National Youth Service, and
vocational training and empowerment programmes, will endeavour to address youth
delinquency, including drug and substance abuse, and also instil a
service-oriented, patriotic and people-first mentality in the youth as they
engage fellow countrymen in their communities and as workers in the public and
private sectors,” he said.
According to Minister Machakaire, vocational and skills
training programmes countrywide are currently undergoing transformation to
ensure they provide quality standards and contribute to national productivity.
In 2022, Cabinet approved the NYS policy guidelines and
implementation framework, which were informed by the Zimbabwe Constitution; the
Youth Council Act; the National Development Strategy 1; the National Youth
Policy (2020-2025); the African Youth Charter (2006); the Declaration on Youth
Development and Empowerment in SADC (2015); and the National Gender Policy
(2013-2017).
According to the framework, recruitment into the NYS
training programme will be voluntary, with two training intakes per year, each
lasting six months.
The recruitment will ensure equitable distribution of
opportunities, equitable regional representation and equitable gender
representation.
NYC graduates will receive first priority into institutions
of higher learning, including polytechnics, teachers’ colleges and nursing
schools.
They will also be given preference for jobs in the civil
service, among other institutions.
About 83 000 students were trained under the NYS after it
was first introduced by the late national hero, Cde Border Gezi, in 2000.
The Government plans to train more than 100 000 students at
the six existing NYS training centres currently being revamped, while four new
ones will be constructed to ensure availability in all the 10 provinces. Sunday
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