Nairobi: African youths have been encouraged to embrace soft skills to be able to solve problems and in readiness for future job opportunities in a rapidly evolving global job market. Speaking at the African Regional Conference organized by the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award Foundation in partnership with the President’s Award-Kenya, Nigeria’s Minister of Finance and Chairperson of the International Council of the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award Association, Wale Edun, emphasized the importance of equipping young people with personal and life skills.
According to Kenya News Agency, the award, Finance Minister Edun says, is about the empowerment, support, encouragement, and provision of funds for young people to help them as they grow and develop. “About one million young people in a year go through this award worldwide, in Africa, Asia, America, Europe, and all the other regions of the world. It has been three days of intense discussions, planning, preparations, and engagement with the government,” stated the Nigerian Finance Minister.
He underscored the importance of governments knowing how young people are progressing and preparing for the future. The award, he noted, has a structured programme that helps young people in readiness for the future. “Africa is where young people are; it is the young continent. In a decade or two, Africa will be providing 25 percent of the workforce of the world. Africa is going to pay the pensions and taxes of many other countries and continents,” said Minister Edun.
He further emphasized the importance of providing young people with experiences, inspiration, and funding as they grow to empower them for the future. In the wake of digitalization, the award, he noted, gives young people physical experience through volunteering, learning a skill, and giving them leadership training. “The award balances the digitalization of the world. There are many people today who are worried that we are doing too much online and losing so many other areas of human interaction,” he said. “The award, in a nutshell, balances the two. Digital skills, digital tools, as well as the human interactions and what it means to connect with communities and individuals,” added the Minister, emphasizing that the award helps young people to find a place in society.
The Secretary General for the Award, Mr. Martin Houghton-Brown, revealed that Kenya has the largest cohort of young people in Africa participating in the Duke of Edinburgh International Award. “Around the world, the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award is recognised as the one true international accreditation for young people,” said Houghton-Brown. Through the award, he explained that young people participate in skills, physical activity, and volunteering services, and they take part in adventurous journeys in nature, camping, and walking, getting to learn how to overcome challenges.
The growing youth population, he noted, needs new skills around problem-solving, resilience, confidence, and teamwork. “In addition to the technical qualifications that young people receive from reading, writing, and arithmetic. They need these skills to be taught to succeed in the coming generations. Those skills are best learned through practice and experience outside of the classroom,” he said, urging young people to join the Award. He further welcomed the government’s move to recognise the award and promised that young people who hold the gold certificate of the award will be given precedence in public sector jobs.
The CEO of the President’s Award-Kenya Margaret Kiogora, urged young people not to be left behind as the award is looking forward to providing skills that are needed in the job market. “You can be very good technically, but are you good in the social skills, and that’s what the President’s Awards come in and provide,” she stated, adding that they are determined to provide the opportunity for every young Kenyan. To ensure inclusivity, she said the Award will be rolled out in marginalised areas for young people to embrace it. “The President has been able to acknowledge and give a proclamation that young people who go through this programme will be recognized when they are looking for opportunities out there,” she said.