Conference Proceedings (Development Studies)

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Browsing Conference Proceedings (Development Studies) by Author "Tukundane, Cuthbert"

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    Excluded youth and skills training in Uganda.
    (2015-02) Tukundane, Cuthbert
    This paper shares insights into how the youth population in Uganda that is excluded from education can best be helped to develop skills necessary for the labour market and for other livelihood opportunities, such as productive self-employment. The paper shows that technical and vocational skills may not be enough to help excluded youth gain access to and maintain a decent job. They also need foundational and transferable skills. Moreover, I argue that it is important to enhance partnerships between training institutions and industry. In addition, given the Ugandan context, the informal, agriculture and ICT sectors are crucial sectors that could absorb a large number of youth provided they have the requisite skills to work or to become entrepreneurs in these sectors. It is also important to note that excluded youth may not only require skills. Those who desire to start their own businesses will require other forms of support such as access to finance.
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    Learning for sustainable futures:
    (2015-09) Tukundane, Cuthbert
    With 70% of Uganda’s population of 34.9 million below the age of 30 and 56% below 18 years, the country has one of the youngest populations in the world. The youth bulge that the country is experiencing demands for educational actions that enable these young people to learn for sustainable futures, especially for decent and sustainable work. Currently, youth unemployment in Uganda is estimated at 65% and is largely attributed to the slow growth of jobs in the economy, as well as a poor education system that produces graduates with inadequate skills for the labour market and for livelihood opportunities. This paper underscores the importance of partnerships between training institutions and industry in preparing young people for decent and sustainable work in Uganda. Drawing on research experience in the area of vocational skills development for marginalised youth in the last five years through the use of participatory methods; and experiences in facilitating an undergraduate class on Agriculture and Rural Development with a component of interaction with practitioners, I argue that one of the best ways to prepare learners for decent and sustainable work is through partnerships with industry. Not only do such partnerships enhance practical skills development, they also improve the quality of education generally and transitions from school to work. The paper concludes with a formulation of ingredients of effective partnerships between training institutions and industry that should enrich the preparation of learners for decent and sustainable work.
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    Long-term socio-economic development through harnessing the demographic dividend:.
    (2015) Tukundane, Cuthbert
    In the last thirty years, Sub Saharan Africa has undergone a remarkable demographic transition. The region now has the youngest population in the world with some 600 million people under the age of 25. This young and energetic population can be a great resource for socio-economic development if properly developed. To realise its demographic dividend and achieve long-term socio-economic economic development, Sub Saharan Africa must build its young people’s human capital and provide them with livelihood opportunities. The current high unemployment and underemployment rates, as well as low productivity self-employment among the youth in the region are causing severe economic and social marginalisation of the youth. This marginalisation has increased socio-economic problems such as illegal migration, prostitution, crime, drug abuse, recruitment into terrorist groups and political instability in some countries. Thus, Sub Saharan Africa has to provide livelihood opportunities to its young population through access to quality education and skills. Having a skilled workforce will not only lead to increased access to job opportunities but also to innovation, development of new industries and expansion of economies. However, the current education systems in the region do not equip majority of the graduates with the requisite skills for the labour market, self-employment and innovation. This problem is compounded by high rates of early school leaving where millions leave without having acquired foundational skills and/or skills for work and livelihood opportunities. Accordingly, my current research focuses on interventions for skills and productive youth development using participatory methods. In my presentation I would like to share insights from my research and also to pose some unsolved questions. For example, how do we develop holistic solutions to reduce obstacles to youth skills development, employment and other livelihood opportunities in Sub Saharan Africa?