Govt tackles inadequate skills problem

PRESIDENT Edgar Lungu says his government is cognisant that inadequate skills can lead to low labour productivity and constrain sustainable economic growth and development in the country.

Posting on his facebook, the head of state said to address the imbalance, his government was undertaking a robust infrastructure development project programme to create more space for skills training.

“Against this background, my Government has placed strategic focus and made significant progress in developing the ‘critical mass’, as evidenced by some of the completed and on-going projects by Government.

He named the projects as King Lewanika University, Paul Mushindo, Kapasa Makasa Universities, Frederick Titus Jacob Chiluba (FTJ) University, Mwense Trades Training Institute, Kwame Nkrumah University and Chalimbana University among others.

President Lungu said apart from upgrading some colleges to universities, the PF Government had also constructed several Trades Training Institutes countrywide.

He said in addition, the Governament had constructed student hostels and rehabilitation of lecture theatres and institutes at the University of Zambia, Copperbelt University, Mulungushi University, and Evelyn Hone College of Applied Arts and Commerce.

“I believe that the mainstay of achieving shared and sustainable national prosperity hinges on developing a critical mass of highly skilled and innovative human resource. Developing the skills of our people empowers and enables them to participate meaningfully in economic activities,” he said.