By Joel Phiri

Mzimba, February 17, Mana: At least 129 youths in the area of Traditional Authority (TA) Khosolo in Mzimba on Friday graduated in various vocational trades after completing a three months mobile training programme under Technical, Entrepreneurial and Vocational Education and Training (TEVET).

Speaking at the graduation ceremony held at Kanjuchi Community Day Secondary School in the district, Inkosi Khosolo appealed to the graduates to put the skills learned to better use.

“The skills should enable you embark on various income generating activities. You should apply such skills by starting various businesses and secure jobs in your various areas of expertise,” Khosolo said.

Inkosi Khosolo appealed to TEVET Authority to scale up mobile training to more youths saying the 129 graduates represent a small number of youths who are looking for such training opportunities in Khosolo, Kanjuchi and other areas.

TEVETA Director of Training Programmes, Modesto Gomani, said the Authority will continue with the mobile training programmes to ensure more youths, who live in far flung areas of the county, are offered an opportunity to train and hone vocational skills that would enable them earn a living.

Two young ladies with disabilities, Dorothy Banda and Dinah Banda, graduated in tailoring.

Gomani said TEVETA is promoting positive discrimination to promote people with disabilities.

M’mbelwa District Council Acting Director of Trade, Chimwemwe Sichinga-Kumwenda, expressed hope that the trained youths will remain in the country and use the vocational skills to develop their district.

“More youths are jobless because they lack skills. Vocational skills are good because they enable one to employ themselves which we hope these youths will do,” Sichinga said.

One of the graduates, Esnart Shaba, described the training as worthwhile saying she was loafing at home because she could not enrol in a college after completing secondary school education in 2021.

The graduates were trained in bricklaying, carpentry and joinery, cosmetology, edible horticulture and motor vehicle mechanics, among other trades.