President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has emphasised that human capital development is key in helping the country achieve effective economic transformation.
The President made the remarks today during the commissioning ceremony of the Bugisu Zonal Presidential Industrial Hub in Lukhonge village, Lukhonge sub-county in Mbale district.
He expounded that there are two channels of human capital development; education and good health.
“Education can improve a person’s chances of getting a job and earning more money. It can also help people develop the skills they need to be productive in the labour market. Good health is also important for human capital development. When people are healthy, they can be more productive,” he said.
“In the 1996 manifesto we proposed Universal Primary Education (UPE) and we put more money for UPE, in 2007 we added Universal Secondary Education (USE) and put money for that but the teachers even the parents through Parent Teacher Association agreed to pay some money in government aided schools which has led to an increased number of school dropouts. So, all these children you see here once you listen to their stories, God can’t be happy with us. They are all victims of not listening to the President’s advice.”
The President wondered why the teachers in government-aided schools ask children for school fees, yet they are given salaries plus the school textbooks.
He gave an example of Bukedi where 80% of the children are school dropouts because they were asked to pay school fees in government-aided schools.
The President was however happy to note that after six months of training at the industrial hub, the beneficiaries came out while economically empowered.
He announced that because of the Presidential skilling program, after a short time, the importation of shoes, bags, belts, furniture, and other items produced in Uganda would stop.
After inspecting the trainees’ products and listening to testimonies from three beneficiaries (Mugaya Francis, Mayafu Abdurahim, and Namono Hanna) of the skilling program, the President awarded each of them with Shs.10m as start-up capital.
The President also challenged the beneficiaries to open Savings and Credit Cooperative Organisations (SACCOs) at the districts so that the government is able to help them get startup capital for their enterprise.
The three beneficiaries thanked the President for giving them capital, training them freely, empowering them economically, and making them better citizens with a new mindset.
Mr. Waniala Phillip, the hub manager said the hub has had four intakes totalling to 938 trainees.
“In the first intake, there were 215 trainees, 2nd intake had 242 trainees, 3rd intake had 240 trainees, and the 4th intake had 241 trainees.”
He mentioned that the hub offers seven courses which include; Carpentry, Welding, Hairdressing, Leather processing, Bakery, Tailoring, Building and construction.
The distinguished guests at the event were; Ministers, Members of Parliament, His Highness Jude Mike Mudoma the Umukhukha III of Bamasaba Cultural Institution, Inzu Ya Masaba, Resident District Commissioners (RDCs), Chief Administrative Officers (CAOs), Town Clerks, Parents of the 1st,2nd,3rd, and 4th intake beneficiaries, among others.
