The Executive Chairperson of the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) Andile Lungisa met the Minister of Higher Education and Training Dr Blade Nzimande in Pretoria yesterday to look at areas of cooperation between the two institutions towards improved youth development initiatives. The meeting followed an observation by both institutions that the challenges of lack of education and skills development continue to have a negative social impact on the country’s youth.
“Our respective institutions serve the same constituency, which is young people. As such this has necessitated that we look at collaboration projects that we can undertake to alleviate the plight of young people,” said Minister Nzimande at the meeting.
During the meeting the Minister and the NYDA Chairperson undertook to collaborate on various projects in education and skills development including the national youth service programme.
“We have always acknowledged that there is a direct link between youth unemployment and lack or quality of education and skills development. The question we had to respond to was what are we as the various institutions doing to bridge the gap,” says Lungisa.
Having acknowledged that post-school opportunities are scarce unless a young person acquires a matric exemption, the NYDA agreed to support the Ministry of Higher Education and Training to facilitate second chance opportunities for young people who have passed matric but are unable to proceed to higher learning institutions. They agreed to facilitate skills development programmes through the existing infrastructure of the Department of Defence and Military Veterans, Further Education and Training (FET) Colleges and Adult Basic Education and Training (ABET) Centres to ensure that young people are able to improve their livelihood opportunities when they leave school.
The skills programmes would range from carpentry work, artisanship and community schooling. The two institutions will bring on board other relevant government departments and agencies to strengthen coordination of the programmes and to ensure exit opportunities for young people enrolled in the different programmes. The Ministry of Higher Education and Training will also work with the NYDA on capacity building initiatives for youth co-operatives.
The NYDA will on Sunday, 18 July 2010 support the Ministry of Higher Education and Training in launching a career guidance programme in Giyani Limpopo as part of celebrating the 67 minutes campaign marking the 92nd birthday celebrations of former President Nelson Mandela. On the day the Ministry of Higher Education and Training will be hosting the Nelson Mandela Career Festival, which will see thousands of learners from schools around Giyani receiving career guidance counselling. The NYDA already offers career guidance counselling through its Youth Advisory Centres in the nine provinces.
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