Address bad behaviour among youths polytechnics asked

Stakeholders in vocational training centres and other institutions have been urged to come up with proper models and policies that will help address unhealthy behaviours among youths.

Speaking at Nyahururu Vocational and Training Centre, Executive Director of the Community And Progress (CAP) Youth Empowerment Institute Ndung’u Kahihu urged the stakeholders to give youths opportunities to learn skills and gain experience that contribute to positive lifestyles and enhance their capacity to make healthier life choices.

Kahihu said such approaches should effectively engage young people in activities that challenge them to develop skills, gain critical awareness and participate in opportunities that are necessary in influencing change in the community.

He noted that unemployment poses as a major challenge in the country and called for measures to help bridge the gap.

His sentiments came just one week after Baringo Senator who is also Kanu National Chairman Gideon Moi described youth unemployment in the country as a time bomb and called for concerted efforts from the two levels of government to curb the rising unemployment rate.

Speaking at Kenya School of Government in Baringo, Senator Moi said thousands of Kenyan youth locked out of employment annually are at risk of being used to commit crime and other illegal activities in the society.

“If we do not seriously tackle this problem it will become a time bomb that will explode, and nobody will be spared,” he warned.

“I’m speaking of a bracket that has reached form four but cannot move forward because they attained a grade of C or less and now have nowhere to go,” he said.

“They’re stuck in a quagmire, a no-man’s-land. They can’t go forward or backwards. They can be misused,” he added.

Kahihu was speaking during the graduation ceremony at the institution where 200 youths graduated in various courses ranging from mechanics, dress making, carpentry among others.

By Peter Mwangi