President Museveni has approved the establishment of three new Presidential Industrial Skilling Hubs in Ankole and Greater Masaka subregions as the government moves to expand vocational training opportunities for vulnerable youths.
Two of the hubs will be established in Ntungamo and Bushenyi districts, while the third will be constructed in Kalangala District, a hard-to-reach island district in Greater Masaka.
State House Comptroller Jane Barekye announced the development during separate stakeholder engagements at the Ankole Zonal Presidential Industrial Skilling Hub and the Greater Masaka Zonal Presidential Industrial Skilling Hub.
Barekye said Museveni approved the additional hubs after local leaders raised concerns about stiff competition for the limited training slots available at existing centres serving several administrative units.
The Ankole Zonal Presidential Industrial Skilling Hub currently serves Ibanda, Ntungamo, Mitooma, Mbarara, Isingiro, Kiruhura, Sheema, Bushenyi, Mbarara City, Rubirizi, Rwampara, Kazo and Buhweju, as well as municipalities in the region.
Barekye said the large number of administrative units means some areas receive an average of only 14 training slots per intake, compared with more than 25 in some other zones.
She asked the local governments of Ntungamo and Bushenyi to expedite the identification and allocation of suitable land to enable State House to begin establishing the two hubs.
“Please expedite the process of finding land and inform us as soon as possible so that we embark on the establishment of the hubs. If you fail, please tell us so that we look for other options,” Barekye told leaders.
Ntungamo District Vice Chairperson Asuman Kigongo said the district was ready to provide about 150 hectares of land in Rubaare Town Council, together with infrastructure valued at about Shs500 million, for the hub.
Bushenyi District Secretary for Finance Didas Ihoza Tumwijukye said the district would provide approximately 30 acres at Ruyonza in Nyakabirizi Division, Bushenyi-Ishaka Municipality.
He said the district had another option of about 100 acres in Buyanja, Kyeizoba Sub-county, should State House find the proposed site unsuitable.
At the Greater Masaka hub, Barekye announced that Museveni had also approved a new centre in Kalangala following concerns about competition for enrolment slots and the difficulties young people from the island district face in accessing the existing facility.
The Greater Masaka hub currently serves Kalungu, Kalangala, Bukomansimbi, Masaka City, Masaka District, Rakai, Lwengo, Lyantonde, Sembabule and Kyotera.
Barekye said the administrative units would be shared between the two centres once the Kalangala hub is established, with each serving five units and consequently increasing the number of youths who can benefit from the programme.
She asked Kalangala leaders to identify and provide suitable land to State House to enable construction to begin.