Lecturer has advised the newly graduated students from the vocational training centre in Eastern Equatoria to take good care of their equipment.
Speaking during the graduation ceremony, teacher representative, Patrick Olubakaya, encourages the students to improve their knowledge for better future.
About sixty students graduated last week on tailoring, masonry, Auto-mechanic, hairdressing and carpentry.
“Education does not finish in one day, learning does not finish in one day, so you, you have only finished six month aim to get more because what you have been getting is only what is called Basic. Learn more most of you am sure now they are planning if I get that tool boxes I will go and sell that tool will help you to get more money make used of your tools very well”
Sunday Peter is equipped with hairdressing skills while Odiongo Samuel with Auto-mechanic skills.
They are grateful with the training because they can now start their own business.
“I have benefitted a lot from this training because before I was not knowing how to make hairdressing, I have no knowledge to go to school but I have skills to make other work, so I got it in CDSS,I was thinking that people like us who have not gone to school we have no value in front of people but now I can able to sit in front of those who claim to be Educated now am able to laugh, talk and many others this certificate will take me higher Through the training we can develop our country even thieves will not be there someone will steal because he/she has nothing to do. For example if you’re doing something here in the town can you go and steal again it will not happen, am doing Auto mechanic by the time when we are starting we were not even knowing anything but now any vehicle that has mechanical problems we will just do a lone that mean we have made the difference”.
A Government representative, who is also a member of HIV commission, Bibiana Candido, suggests that such trainings be extended to the grassroots’ level to keep the youths busy.
“We should not end here in the town let us take this training to the counties, Payams, Bomas because people in these locations are suffering, they are hungry that’s why we used to hear a lot of cases like death harassment cattle raiding because this types of training are not there so let us take this types of training to grassroots and let us call others who are behind to come and join this training in January”.
William Laku is the Administrator of community development support services in South Sudan CDSS in Torit field office.
He says the purpose of the training is to promote self-employment among the youths.
Laku believes that through the training the youth will be self-reliant to start their business.
“We train this guys, we give those skills after their graduation and then they begin to do something for them they become self-employment we like that because you’re the BOSS of your own we are trying to change the life of the youth instead of the youth running around in the town we want them to do something keep them busy”.
This is the thirteenth graduation of CDSS in Torit starting from 2014-2021 under the theme; Nation Building through Vocational Skills.