UVTAB Enlists Clergy to Champion Skilling and Combat Youth Unemployment

In a strategic move to address the country’s rising youth unemployment, the Uganda Vocational and Technical Assessment Board (UVTAB) has partnered with religious leaders to champion vocational education. Authorities are urging faith leaders to use their weekly pulpits to encourage congregations to embrace technical, hands-on training as a direct pathway to job creation.

Speaking during a consultative meeting in Kampala, UVTAB Executive Secretary Onesmus Oyesigye highlighted the limitations of Uganda’s traditional, theory-based education system. He noted that many graduates hold academic papers but remain jobless due to a mismatch with labor market demands. By dedicating a short period of three to six months to practical skilling, many unemployed individuals can unlock new economic opportunities.

Official records underscore the urgency of the initiative, revealing that over 50 percent of Ugandans aged 18 to 30 are not in employment, education, or training. Furthermore, the country’s dependency burden sits at 83 percent, adding severe economic strain to households. To make vocational paths more accessible, UVTAB is proposing that lower-level TVET courses be made tuition-free and is working to formally assess and certify informally acquired skills.

Religious representatives have welcomed the collaboration. Rev. Daniel Token Wejuli of the Inter-Religious Council of Uganda noted that faith platforms reach over 25 million believers weekly, making clergy ideal partners for driving mindset change. Officials hope this joint effort will reshape public perception, steering youth away from the belief that vocational training is only for academic failures and toward practical economic self-reliance.

Read the full report on the Daily Monitor.