PS links youth vulnerability to economic factors

COMMENT - Of course there was a time without elimination exams and universal education, when there were no children hanging around on the street - because they were in school. Another neoliberal economic decision.

PS links youth vulnerability to economic factors
By Christopher Miti in Chipata
Fri 24 Dec. 2010, 04:01 CAT

THE prevailing economic situation, coupled with the high incidence of HIV/AIDS is pushing the majority of young people into the state of vulnerability. This is according to sport youth and child development permanent secretary Teddy Mulonga.

Mulonga made the remarks when he officiated at the graduation ceremony of the third intake of trainees who undertook the life skills training programme at Chiwoko Zambia National Service (ZNS) camp on Wednesday.

He said the government was committed to ensuring that young people were given the necessary support for them to grow into responsible adults capable of contributing to national development.

“…68 per cent of Zambia’s population are young persons below the age of 24. This is a category of our population that is expected to play a major role in the development of this country,” Mulonga said.

“We therefore need to invest in this category of our population who are the majority for future prosperity of our nation.”

He said the government had continued to support the skills training programmes so that more youths could be accorded the opportunity to acquire the necessary survival skills.

Mulonga said the problem of children and youths living on the streets did not affect the government alone, but all the people.

He said a workable solution should be found to address the problem.

“The problem of streetism is a time bomb, which if allowed to grow, can explode and have a telling effect on the security and economy of our country,” Mulonga said.

Mulonga said the ministry had worked out an exit strategy which would, among other things, ensure that the youths were united with their families.

And ZNS commandant representative Brig General Nathan Mulenga said the centre initially received 315 youths out of which number five deserted and two were discharged on disciplinary grounds.

Gen Mulenga urged the youths to work hard in order to survive in the world of competition.