Youth and women graduated from TVET in Lakes. (Photo: Yang Ater).

At least 513 women and youth have graduated from a three-month Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) with skills in different professional aspects in Lakes State, facilitated by Across South Sudan.

The technical course funded by UN cultural agency UNESCO – equipped the youth with knowledge on tailoring, veterinary service, construction, masonry, hair dressing, and catering in TVET center in Rumbek.

Mark Makur Mathen Tuon said that I am one who is trained on construction in TVET centre in Rumbek, Lakes State on construction and masonry organized by across in collaboration with UNESCO.

“We earned essential skills which will help us in our daily lives, and today we are ready to be graduated and we are going to work through skills that is given to them,” said Makur Mathen, one of the beneficiaries of the course.

Ben Waigo, Director General in the National Ministry of Public Service, said the national government is preparing a bill establishing the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Authority.

“We have already finalized the TVET bill which will give us authority to be a separate entity and we concluded on Friday it will be given to justice ministry and from there it will come to the Council of Ministers and to the Parliament.”

According to him, the government has developed TVET qualifications framework from level 1 up to level 10. He encourages the youth to enroll in vocational training to acquire skills and start their businesses.

“In the government, you can be employed while you don’t have money. But for you, you are better. You are given a skills. You go to the market and you do your job and you will get your money. There’s nothing wrong with that. Let us take TVET seriously.”

Young people in South Sudan, make up an estimated 72% of the population, but face numerous challenges that limit their access to education and livelihoods opportunities.

The Minister of Youth and Sports Dr. Joseph Geng Akech has recently tabled the National Youth Development Policy 2024 in parliament, a key step towards a government-led youth empowerment.

The policy, initially drafted by the Ministry in 2013, was previously introduced to Parliament but sent back for review following the split of the Ministry of Culture, Youth, and Sports.

The policy aims to enable youth to contribute meaningfully to the nation’s peacebuilding efforts and to protect them from various challenges, including gender discrimination, abuse, violence, and exploitation.

It also focuses on fostering an environment where all young men and women can realize their full potential, contributing to a peaceful and prosperous South Sudan.

Meanwhile, Across South Sudan Representative Bamu Duku, said the organization is partnering with the government in the areas of education, labor, agriculture and health.

He said with funding from UNESCO, the organization managed to implement TVET activities in seven 7 counties of Rumbek Centre, Rumbek East, Wulu, Yirol West, Yirol East, Awerial and Cueibet.

Mr. Duku said technical trainings are very important and can change people’s lives.

“Sometimes, people can go to university and can study for four years and after four years, they will work and get money, but with TVET, three months is enough to work on your job and start getting money. It is very fast,” he said.

He pointed out that neighboring Kenya has developed its TVET sector and graduated hundreds of thousands of skilled laborers who help in nation building.

“TVET is very important, because it is cause of industrialization in the country and it also helps in the economic development by addressing youths unemployment.”

According to him, TVET has played a vital role in contributing to community development by producing middle level human resources and also aligned students and industry needs.

“Young people nowadays find it very difficult for them to get married, but when they graduate, they can work and buy cows and get married and that’s a social economic development and it is very important.”

He said the target of the vocational training was to graduate one thousand and five hundred youths with skills, adding that they already graduated 747 youth in July 2024.

“You can see the impact is already there when we graduated many people. What I want to stress is that knowledge if it is not put in practice, it has no impact.”

“I want to urge each one of our graduands the knowledge you got from here. You go and implement, open some workshop, open a restaurant and start doing small scale agriculture. Do your best because when you do that you will change your life and life of the people who depends on you.”

Lakes State Minister of Education Nelson Makoi Makur urged the participants to be agents of change and use their entrepreneurial skills to contribute to social projects in their communities.

He urges the graduating youth to mentor their young siblings, engage in community building projects and advocate for the value education and vocational training.

“I urge to commit to lifelong learning, the skills you have learned here are starting points and it is important to continue adopting and involving and seek additional training and stay courage and keep improving yourself.”

“Your ability to learn, and grow will be one of the greatest assets in your life journey. I call upon you and I challenge each of you to think beyond individual success.”