The MDC’s plan for Zimbabwean youths Tuesday, 23 July 2013 The MDC has a comprehensive plan to effectively deal with the myriad challenges that confront young people of Zimbabwe today. We are acutely aware that social and political stability cannot be attained unless we deal with the issue of joblessness, which has affected the youths. Zimbabwe’s future cannot be secured if today’s youths are not adequately skilled to play a meaningful role in the country’s development. Rapid deindustrialisation under Zanu PF has resulted in job losses in many sectors of the Zimbabwean economy. Unemployment currently stands at more than 80 per cent and this has largely affected the youths. Every year hundreds of thousands of youths are graduating from high schools, polytechnics, colleges and universities but the economy is not creating enough job opportunities for them. Youths have not played a key role in setting Zimbabwe’s development priorities as they have largely been relegated to inferior roles that include being used as perpetrators of state sponsored violence. The MDC has a comprehensive plan to deal with these challenges. The number one priority of an MDC government is the creation of jobs as enunciated in the Jobs Upliftment, Investment Capital and Environment (JUICE) document. We pledge to create one million jobs in the first five years of an MDC government. We will create a conducive environment for both domestic and foreign businesses to grow and generate wealth that results in the creation of decent jobs. Through our education plan we will also build an education system that balances the academic requirements of society and the practical needs of industry. We will immediately restore student grants for tertiary institutions to allow talented Zimbabweans to access education. We will also avail training opportunities to equip youths with requisite business management skills to allow them to start and run their own businesses. An MDC government will immediately establish a National Youth Development Fund that will be governed by an independent youth board. The Fund will avail resources to young people for business incubation and will be apolitical. The Fund will support the training of potential entrepreneurs on how to run successful businesses. This will ensure sustainability of businesses and will pave the way for growth and employment creation. Linked to entrepreneurship is the Party’s commitment to supporting Small to Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in all sectors of the economy. Young people will benefit from SME development schemes that an MDC government will support.
Posted on: Sun, 28 Jul 2013 16:46:10 +0000