President Museveni has called on Ugandans to embrace free vocational education, saying it is crucial in complementing formal education and equipping youth with the skills needed for economic self-reliance.
Speaking at the commissioning of the Rwenzori Presidential Initiative Industrial Hub in Kasese, the President emphasized that vocational skills are not a fallback option but a vital component of national development.
“We need a mindset change,” Museveni said. “Let us stop looking down on vocational work. Our young people must value skills training and use it to create jobs and wealth.”
The industrial hub, which is part of the Presidential Initiative on Skilling the Girl and Boy Child, offers training in trades such as carpentry, tailoring, welding, baking, and hairdressing. It targets out-of-school youth and school leavers, especially those unable to access higher education.
Museveni also urged parents, local leaders, and communities to support the government’s policy of free education — including vocational learning as a way of broadening opportunities for all.
“Facilities like this are a bridge between education and employment. We must ensure they are fully utilized,” he noted.
The President’s remarks come amid growing demand for practical skills training across Uganda, with vocational centres being seen as a key to solving the youth unemployment crisis and reshaping perceptions of education beyond the classroom.
