National Youth Service returns . . . Govt moves to instil nation-building ethos

The national youth service programme has been relaunched and will resume this June, with an initial enrolment of 750 youths drawn from all provinces.

The six-month training program, now known as the Youth Service in Zimbabwe (YSZ), is expected to instruct thousands of young people. Dr. Jenfan Muswere, the Minister of Information, Publicity, and Broadcasting Services, made this announcement yesterday in Harare during a post-Cabinet press conference. Cabinet has been briefed on the re-establishment of the initiative by Mr. Tino Machakaire, Minister of Youth Empowerment, Development, and Vocational Training.

YSZ is a product of the government's efforts to foster a culture of service, youth involvement in positive nation-building endeavors, and the need to steer young people away from social evils like drug and substance misuse brought on by inactivity. Dr. Muswere stated that the Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Development, and Vocational Training has noted some progress since the Cabinet decision in 2021 to reinstate the national youth service program.

"Achievements to date include the creation of a six-month training program that will target youngsters between the ages of 18 and 35 and the drafting of the National Youth Service Bill subsequent to the acceptance of the principles in August 2023. "750 young people nationwide will be enrolled in the program, which consists of three months of institutionalized training and three months of community connection, starting in June 2024. Certificates of completion will be given to those who complete the training.

"Youth Service in Zimbabwe is the new name for the national youth service program, and 10,000 young people are scheduled to start training in 2024. The young people will be selected equally from each of the ten provinces in the nation. The new curriculum will combine life skills training and entrepreneurial development into national orientation, and the recruiting process will be cascaded to include adolescents from all wards and districts.

Dr. Muswere stated, "All production units are expected to fully utilize available land and engage in commercial production units for self-sustenance. New uniforms, signage, and a logo have been designed and will be registered." According to Dr. Muswere, an Inter-Ministerial Implementation Committee has been formed to supervise the program's execution. According to Dr. Muswere, young people who successfully complete their training will be given preference when it comes to jobs, enrollment in higher education, and public sector jobs. They will also be given preference when it comes to financial help for starting new initiatives and businesses.

The National Youth Service was established, among other important reasons, to foster a culture of service by assisting young people in constructively engaging in national development initiatives and instilling in them a sense of their role in advancing civic awareness. The majority of nations, including Namibia, Kenya, Nigeria, and numerous more nations in Europe and Asia, have implemented National Youth Service. In Nigeria, the program's declared objective is to include graduates in nation-building and development. Kenya's National Youth Service was founded in 1964 with the goal of educating youth on critical national issues, including paramilitary and regimentation, national construction projects, and technical and vocational training in a range of crafts and abilities. According to those in Namibia, the goal is to grow young people into individuals with exceptional moral and ethical character, integrity, and physical and mental endurance. It also aims to inculcate discipline and a sense of patriotism in the youth.