This archive report was first published on 26 September 2019.
On September 26, 2019, the Kisumu County Executive Committee Member for Education, Dr. Obiero Ogone, received the Kisumu County Integrated Youth Development Plan (CIYPD) from Cardinal Elias Odhiambo Komenya, Kisumu County Coordinator for the Ecumenical Centre for Peace and Justice (ECJP).
The plan, developed over two years, emphasizes the need for young people to acquire skills that can generate income. According to Ruth Masime, Executive Director of ECJP, technical and vocational training offers quicker job opportunities.
‘TVET graduates have skills that immediately get applied in the economy: carpenters, vehicle repair technicians, plumbers, masons and so on,’ Masime said.
According to a February 2019 report by World Vision, the youth unemployment rate in Kisumu County is alarmingly high at 61 per cent. The report also found that 92 per cent of unemployed youth in the county lack vocational or professional skills demanded by the job market.
Dr. Ogone acknowledged the need to develop and enact youth-centric policies and provide young people with options for economic progress. He emphasized the importance of civil education with the youth to help them effectively tap into opportunities made available by the national and county governments.
Dr. Ogone plans to present the document to stakeholders and work towards its implementation into law, which would enable budgetary allocation and make it effective.
