Government Moves to Track and Train Six Million Idle Youth

The Ugandan government is taking decisive steps to track down an estimated six million young people who are currently Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET). Authorities warn that this growing demographic presents a significant socioeconomic challenge and a threat to public security.

Speaking in Mbarara City during a visit by delegates from the African Union Inter-African Bureau for Animal Resources and the Africa Agribusiness Incubators Network, State Minister for Gender, Labour and Social Development Jacqueline Mbabazi highlighted the urgency of the situation. She noted that the number of idle youth aged between 18 and 30 has surged to around six million.

According to the ministry, the lack of productive engagement has driven many young people into drug abuse and crime. Communities across various sub-regions have increasingly reported incidents where unemployed youth steal agricultural produce, livestock, and poultry from older citizens.

To address this, the government plans to mobilize these individuals, provide targeted skills training, and implement mindset change programs to integrate them into the workforce. Minister Mbabazi also challenged educational institutions to shift their focus from merely churning out graduates to measuring the real-world impact of their training and research.

During the same event, partnership agreements were signed between incubation networks, agribusiness centers, and women’s business groups. These collaborations aim to expand hands-on skills training, provide affordable financing, and connect vulnerable groups to viable markets.

Read more details in the original report by the Daily Monitor.