Summary:
- RDC Ssewandigi criticized the current allocation of PDM loans, arguing that funds are often misused by some recipients on alcohol and luxuries, while graduates from the Presidential Skilling Hubs struggle without startup capital.
RUBANDA: The Rubanda Resident District Commissioner, Eric Ssewandigi, has urged authorities handling the Parish Development Model (PDM) to prioritize graduates from the Presidential Skilling Hub when distributing seed capital loans.
Ssewandigi made these remarks on Friday while officiating the opening of the 2nd Western Region Schools Farm Camp 2024 at St. Agatha Girls Secondary School Kakore in Hamurwa Town Council, Rubanda District.
Selected schools from Western Uganda have gathered in Rubanda for a five-day camp where they will be equipped with various agricultural skills under the “Skilling in Agripreneurship for Increased Youth Employment” (SAY) project. This four-year initiative, launched in December 2021, is primarily funded by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in partnership with Avis Foundation Uganda.
RDC Ssewandigi criticized the current allocation of PDM loans, arguing that funds are often misused by some recipients on alcohol and luxuries, while graduates from the Presidential Skilling Hubs struggle without startup capital. His comments follow complaints from a section of youths under the Kigezi Ghetto Friends Association, who said they lack startup capital despite graduating from the Presidential Skilling Hub in Kabale District.
CUE IN: RDC SSEWANDIGI….ON PDM LOANS……ENG//
Speaking at the same event, Godfrey Willy Turyahikahe from the Kabale Diocese Education Office encouraged students to embrace the new lower secondary school curriculum, which focuses on skills that promote self-reliance after school.
CUE IN: TURYAHIKAHE….ON NEW CURRICULUM……ENG//
The Head Teacher of St. Agatha Girls Secondary School Kakore, Kereson Katongore, highlighted the significant impact the SAY project has had on students and teachers over the last four years.
CUE IN: KATONGORE…..ON IMPACT……..ENG//
“For instance, we now have students growing green vegetables for school consumption, and they have acquired skills in agriculture, baking, and mushroom cultivation. We even have a mushroom training and research center,” Katongore said.
Schools participating in the five-day camp include the host St. Agatha Girls Secondary School Kakore, St. Adrina Seminary from Rubanda District, Brainstorm High School, Trinity College from Kabale, St. Paul’s S.S Bukinda, St. Aloysius Girls S.S. Kitanga from Rukiga, St. Boni Consilii S.S from Isingiro District, Mary Hill High School from Mbarara, St. Kagwa Bushenyi High School from Bushenyi, and St. Charles Lwanga S.S from Mubende District.
The students will engage in various skilling programs, including a benchmarking trip to Kigali, Rwanda, this coming weekend. The theme of the camp is “Promoting Sustainable Agripreneurship through Mindset Change, Innovation, and Climate Smart Agriculture.”
