The government has prioritized engagement with the young people and acting on their demands to better their lives, Deputy President Kithure Kindiki said.
Kindiki said the administration considers the youth bulge as a resource to be tapped into for faster development of the country as opposed to being a challenge and a burden.
“The huge number of our youth is not a burden, not a crisis, it is a resource, an opportunity and a greatinvestment for Kenya now and tomorrow,” he said.
Speaking on Wednesday when he graced the commencement of International Youth Week at Pwani University in Kilifi County, Kindiki said the government will not shy away from holding consultations with youth in order to find solutions to their challenges.
“Young people are the present and the future of our nation. When they insist they don’t want to just be seen at the decision making table but to make decisions, it is because they are the present and the future of our nation,” Kindiki said.
Further, he revealed his interest in engaging in extensive conversations with students and other young people in town hall meetings to have a dialogue on the nation’s crucial affairs.
“Young people have a right to demand that correct decisions are made for the good of the country currently and in the future because they have a higher stake than the older people,” he noted.
Through various interventions, the government is intentionally enhancing skills and creating jobs through restructuring of various programs targeted at them.
Through the TVETs and technical institutes, the DP assured, it is now easier for learners to acquire skills through a program that will enable them study in modules hence allowing them to practice in between the modules.
University education is also being made more accessible, affordability, relevance and of high quality.
Kindiki indicated his desire to ensure no student is denied an opportunity to learn and acquire skills on all levels of study.
“I’m passionate about students having and affording university education. I have been an undergraduate, a postgraduate and a university professor so I understand what it means to get access to education especially from less privileged backgrounds,” he noted.
The government is also rolling out Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) to certify those with self-acquired skills, mostly youth, in order to empower them with necessary documentation to expand their job markets.
“Most of the people in the Jua Kali sector are skilled but they have not been formally certified.
Through RPL they will be certified by National Industrial Training Authority and other institutions and given certificates which will enable them to get more jobs and earn more,” DP explained.
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