Technical, Entrepreneurial and Vocational Education and Training Authority (Teveta) has appealed female students to consider taking up vocational courses in tertiary training institutions.
Teveta Northern Region Manager Joseph Chikopa made the remarks during the graduation of 53 students in vocational training at Kwithu Community Vocational Skills Development Centre in Mzimba.
He said he was impressed that more numbers of the graduating students were girls.
Said Chikopa: “As Teveta, we are impressed to see that most girls are taking an interest in vocational courses as 32 of the 53, who have graduated are girls.
“This shows that we are making a significant progress in our drive to encourage girls in pursuing vocational training courses.”
While commending Kwithu community-based organisation for the training, he appealed to more players such as non-governmental organisations, church and their development institutions as well as the corporate world to help government in the delivery of Teveta programmes.
Chikopa also tipped the students to access loans through Teveta to venture into business enterprises.
“After graduating from these kind of trainings, our graduates lack capital and tools to start their own businesses. Teveta partnered with financial institutions that are providing loans for these graduates to acquire equipment.
“So we are encouraging the youth to use this opportunity to acquire tools and equipment through the available loans.”
Kwithu CBO Programmes Director Wezzie Ngwimba said they were impressed with more number of girls undergoing training.
“For us, it is a milestone as most girls, who were taking bricklaying, have already been offered jobs where they were doing attachments. This is a testament of the quality of training they were offered,” she said.
Kinless Simkonda, who did tailoring, fashion and design, thanked the organisation, saying the course would help her to be self-reliant.
The six-month training also included, carpentry and joinery and food production.
