By: Ismael Kasooha
KIRYANDONGO
The Government of Uganda is to rollout vocational skills training in all Secondary Schools in Refugee Hosting Districts in the country.
This was revealed by the Minister for Relief, Disaster Preparedness and Refugees Eng. Hillary Onek during a working visit to Panyadoli Refugee Settlement in Kiryandongo District.
The Minister was accompanied by the Netherlands Ambassador to Uganda Her Excellency Frederieke Quispel.
Onek said that they have piloted vocational skills training in selected schools in the Refugee host districts in the country which has proven effective.
Minister Engineer Hillary Onek planting a tree at Panyadoli Self help Secondary and Vocational School
The delegation visited Artisanal workshops of the people who were trained under the intervention and Panyadoli Self Help Secondary and Vocational School in Kiryandongo District.
“We shall ensure that vocational skills training is rolled out in all Secondary Schools in Refugee Hosting Districts in the country to benefit both the national and the Refugees,” said Onek.
He said that the vocational skills training empowers the students with knowledge and skills to start up their own enterprises instead of waiting for white color jobs from government and other partners.
“Using the vocational skills training we are empowering our young generation to be self-reliant and create jobs for themselves and even others. This is part of the interventions to make them independent,” said Onek.
Onek said that skills development will help in pacifying African countries and Government wants Africans to get skills in exchange for guns.
“We want to use the pen and knowledge instead of the gun to attain their needs and demands in Africa and even this will reduce on the number of Refugees in Africa,” said Onek.
Frederieke Quispel, the Netherlands Ambassador to Uganda said that the Government of Netherlands will continue supporting Uganda in its quest to host Refugees and the concerned Minister from her country will be in Uganda in two weeks’ time.
“My minister will be coming in Uganda in two weeks’ time and she will make pronouncements. But I want to assure you of our commitment to continue supporting Uganda’s development agenda,” said Quispel.
The Commissioner for Refugees at the Office of the Prime Minister Patrick Okello says that the number of Refugees is continuing to increase and has now hit 1.74 million people with more still coming from Sudan.
Okello said that international support for Refugees is dwindling and there is need to come up with sustainability interventions.
“The Humanitarian support in the management of Refugees is dwindling despite the fact that numbers are increasing. The support from development partners has reduced from $459 million in calendar year 2018 to $148 million this calendar year 2024. This makes service delivery more difficult,” said Okello.
The LC V Chairperson Kiryandongo Edith Aliguma said that Kiryandongo is grappling with high school dropout rates and child pregnancy but is optimistic that skills training will help in addressing some of the challenges.
The 74 year old Refugee mother (right) from Sudan with her only 52 year old son who lost his both hands during war in Sudan last year
Meanwhile the beneficiaries of the Vocational skills training are happy that they can now make ends meet.
Nancy Apio and Obbo Emanuel, some of the beneficiaries, said that skills acquired are helping them earn a living although with some few challenges.
A 74-year-old Sudanese Refugee (names withheld), is appealing for help for her 52-year-old son who lost his two hands during the war in Sudan, to at least get artificial limbs to allow him start work.
Latest statistics indicate Uganda provides a home to over 1.74 million refugees and asylum-seekers. Most refugees come from South Sudan (57%), the Democratic Republic of the Congo (32%), Somalia (3%), Burundi (3%) and of recent Sudan.
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