Following the ever increasing youth unemployment rate in the country and due to the fact that majority of the university graduates lack of employability skills, Members of Parliament think it is candid for Parliament to pass a bill pertaining to the institutionalization of a National Youth Service and Internship scheme.
This was during a press conference at Parliament earlier today addressed by Hon. Mwine Mpaka (UPFYA Chairperson and Western Uganda Youth MP), Hon. Waira Kyewalabye Majegere(Bunya County East MP) and Hon. Bagoole John Ngobi(Luuka North County MP).
For a long time, UPFYA and NYC have advocated for the establishment of the National Youth Service and Internship programme. In 2015, a motion was moved on the floor of Parliament urging government to begin this programme.
In the proposed scheme, a Secretariat will be established that will be in charge of receiving information about young people graduating from universities and tertiary institutions, be responsible for finding suitable placements for these young people, pay their stipend during their respective placements and at the end of one year of their placements issue them with certificates that will increase their ability to be employed or even start their own businesses. Placements will be in government and non government sectors and will run for a year according to this proposal. The secretariat will be funded by money from the national treasury. MPs propose that at least 5% of the Pay As You Earn (PAYE) deducted from all employees in the country be channeled to the Youth service Secretariat to facilitate their work and all programmes aimed at promoting this proposed scheme.