Youth policy sets new priorities
Malawi’s newly launched 2023-2028 Revised National Youth Policy has spelled out ambitious priorities coupled alongside implementation strategies targeting millions of young people to effectively contribute to the country’s economy.
President Lazarus Chakwera launched the policy in Lilongwe on Tuesday which the government hopes will empower the youth to deal with the social, cultural, economic and political challenges in order “to exploit various opportunities towards the fulfilment of their potential.”
The policy’s set priorities include youth employment and skills development, recruiting others into the National Service and Nation Building, transform leadership and take on board youth into governance systems at decision-making level as well as promote science, technology and innovation.
Under the youth employment and skills development priority, the government wants to, among others, review education curricula to be responsive to skills demands of the industry and incorporate 1 million young people into agriculture.
Those that would be involved in agriculture activities are expected to benefit from incentives such as soft loans, start-up capital, and equipment and tax exemptions.
Reads the policy: “Promote review of education curricula that are responsive to skills demands of the industry and other sectors that underline the spirit, skills and infrastructural capacities for innovation, entrepreneurship and decent job creation.”
The policy also seeks to provide a platform for engaging the youth in community service activities to strengthen service delivery by recruiting 500 000 under the Youth in National Service and Nation Building.
It also touches on health to promote health so that youth-led organisations, civil society organisations and district councils provide sexual and reproductive health and nutrition education services.
Meanwhile, Youth and Society executive director Charles Kajoloweka has warned that the priorities may end up to be ‘another dead policy’ if the government fails to commit to its fulfilment and provide sufficient funding to the implementing ministry, the Ministry of Youth and Sports.
“It is the obligation of the government and stakeholders to spearhead the realisation of the policy. What we need is implementation. We are coming from a policy that has not been accounted for,” he said.
Kajoloweka further urged the government to fund not only the ministry, but also the National Youth Council to champion the implementation of the policy.
Similarly, youth activist Emmanuel Mwanyongo, who works with Young and Winning, said political will is needed to fully implement the policy to benefit young people who comprise 60 percent of Malawi’s population.
Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences Students Representative Council president Gershom Nyirenda said the ball is in government’s court to make what is contained in the policy document a reality.
According to the 2018 Malawi Housing and Population Census, 50 percent of the Malawi population falls in the 10–35-year. age bracket.
