BY PATRICIA SIBANDA

BULAWAYO provincial education director Olicah Kaira has challenged youths to consider taking up life skills training programmes because government is facing challengers in employment creation.

Speaking at an event to recognise academic achievements of youths held at United Congregational Church of Southern Africa in Mzilikazi, Bulawayo on Sunday, Kaira said the new curriculum’s primary goal is for learners and school dropouts to take life skills training seriously for them to survive in the harsh economic environment.

“Those of us who are familiar with the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education’s competence-based curriculum will recall that its thrust is on exit profiling. This means, therefore, that if learners leave school at whatever level they will exit with life skills that should enable them to survive and compete with the demands of everyday life,” Kaira said.

“The individuals who are not academically gifted can join the non-formal education which is second chance education. In schools, we have already adopted that in our curriculum through income-generating projects, self-help projects among others. Nowadays in school it’s no longer an issue to find a student running a small business just to make ends meet,” Kaira said.

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Kaira urged school dropouts to return to school and acquire life skills.

“All these forms of livelihoods are being celebrated in many countries which we, as Zimbabweans, look down upon. Some of us, especially the young people here present, could be viewing this ceremony with hazy glasses because they don’t envision themselves taking any leading role or being recognised in their life time. What I have mentioned is just the tip of the ice-berg to open up our minds to make us realise that we also have an opportunity to be celebrated,” Kaira said.