Govt steps up efforts to eradicate unemployment - By Sello Tatai Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa says skills development, education and a knowledge economy should be prioritised if the country is to overcome youth unemployment. Ramaphosa says government is stepping up its efforts to address youth unemployment. Government hosted a Youth Development Expo at Itsoseng township at Lichtenburg in the North West on Sunday. The expo was aimed at imparting information about small businesses, higher education and training. South Africa’s youth is desperate for employment and economic opportunities. Over 34 % of youth between the ages of 15 and 34 are unemployed. Currently, there are plans in motion to address what many have termed, a ticking time bomb. “No private sector company will employ a young person who does not have a matric certificate or the requisite skills and therefore - we are saying let us prioritise education and skills development, let’s make education fashionable,” says NYDA Chairperson Yershen Pillay. Government says emphasis should now be placed on producing more knowledge to grow the economy. “ The good thing is that we have got partners like Google, Microsoft and many others who are prepared to join us on this journey of spreading the many opportunities, when it comes to it, ICT and knowledge economy, ” says Ramaphosa. A multi-faceted approach by different government departments and agencies will be rolled out throughout the country to help the youth access opportunities brought by government. Youth development remains one of the contentious issues since the advent of democracy. Many in Itsoseng maintain that events such as the expo are a good platform for information sharing and creating economic opportunities for the youth. Article provided with the kind courtesy of sabc.co.za
Posted on: Mon, 17 Nov 2014 04:39:45 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015