Formal Education and Youth Economic Empowerment: A case study of the Youth in Jinja Municipality.

Abstract

BAMPEERA RITAH KYAGERA (2010-MO92-20005) Formal Education and Youth Economic Empowerment: A case study of the Youth in Jinja Municipality This study is about formal education and youth economic empowerment; it was carried out in Jinja municipality and was guided by three objectives which included examining the relationship between formal education and youth economic empowerment, establishing whether youth economic empowerment is only as a result of formal education as well as finding out whether the Ugandan education system promotes youth economic empowerment. Various scholars‟ works were consulted and reviewed during literature review which was based on the different themes derived from the objectives of the study, such themes included; formal education and the youth, formal education and youth economic empowerment together with the theme of the Ugandan education system. A case study design was used to carry out the study because it gives an intensive analysis of an individual unit as well as minimising time and resources. The research employed qualitative open-ended interviews, structured questionnaires and the key respondents included education officers, teachers, and parents, on the one hand; but on the other hand, carefully selected respondents that included the youth in their respective categories i.e. formally educated and the formally uneducated youth. It involved structured and semi-structured interviews, questionnaires and observations. These methods coupled enabled the study to institute data harmonised with the study objectives. The findings revealed that there is a relationship between the two variables, formal education and economic empowerment of the youth but such a relationship should not be a reason not to consider different options for youth economic empowerment. Generally, the findings showed that there are other sources of economic empowerment of the youth other than formal education and hence they should be considered. The Ugandan education system which produces more job seekers than creators calls for adapting to the needs of the youth and the economy with skills that would lead to economic empowerment and not necessarily formal education. The study, therefore, recommended that there is need to reconcile development theories that are premised on the fact that solutions for economic empowerment of the youth should be tailor-made to their needs and not necessarily import solutions from elsewhere in the world. Key Words: Formal Education, Youth Economic Empowerment, Jinja Municipality .