Kofi Asare, Executive Director of Eduwatch Africa, has expressed concern over the government’s approach to addressing youth unemployment.
He voiced his confusion that, despite billions of cedis invested in fast-track youth employment schemes since 2020, the data continues to show a concerning increase in youth unemployment.
Asare questioned the effectiveness of these initiatives, suggesting that the government’s resources may not be achieving the intended impact.
Accordingly, he emphasized the need for a thorough review of the programs to understand why the substantial investment has not led to a significant reduction in youth unemployment.
“I was interviewing a tertiary graduate for a vacant position in my office the other day. The lady had previously benefitted from separate catering & cosmetology training with equipment/ start-up support under the government’s youth employment modules, yet still unemployed”.
Kofi Asare
Asare further highlighted that some modules within these youth employment programs require just 4 to 8 weeks of training.
According to him, while this short duration may be convenient for participants seeking quick entry into the workforce, it comes at a significant financial cost to the state.
He questioned the sustainability and long-term effectiveness of such brief training programs, especially considering the substantial investment being made.
Asare suggested that the state should evaluate whether these short-term modules are delivering meaningful outcomes in terms of employability and skill development, given the persistent rise in youth unemployment.
He further raised concerns about whether the government is genuinely assessing the effectiveness of its fast-track training and start-up support programs in creating sustainable employment.
He questioned whether the focus is on measuring actual outcomes, such as long-term job placements and skill development.
Alternatively, Asare wondered if there is simply an assumption that completing the training guarantees employment, without verifying its real impact on the job market.
Asare Zeroes in on Monitoring Youth Training Effectiveness
Furthermore, Kofi Asare raised the question of whether there are effective mechanisms in place to track the progress of these fast-track training initiatives.
He emphasized the importance of having a robust tracking system to monitor participants’ outcomes after completing the programs.
According to Asare, without such data, it becomes challenging to assess the true effectiveness of the initiatives and make informed decisions about future investments in youth employment strategies.
He argued that ongoing evaluation is crucial for ensuring these programs deliver meaningful results and contribute to reducing youth unemployment.
“We must begin to re-think this fast-track approach to job creation which appears to have become another output-based enterprise with limited impact on sustainable employment, yet very expensive”.
Kofi Asare
Asare questioned how the outcomes of tracer studies are being utilized to inform the reengineering of youth employment policies.
He emphasized that these studies should provide valuable insights into the effectiveness of current programs and highlight areas for improvement.
According to him, by analyzing the data collected from participants after their training, policymakers could identify successful strategies and practices that lead to sustainable employment.
Asare stressed the need for a systematic approach to integrate these findings into policy development, ensuring that youth employment initiatives are not only responsive to current needs but also adaptable to future challenges in the job market.
He lamented that it represents a significant financial loss to the state when individuals receive skills training and start-up support but still remain unemployed.
Such outcomes not only waste public resources but also fail to address the pressing issue of youth unemployment.
He pointed out that this investment could have been more effectively directed toward expanding existing businesses, which would, in turn, increase their output and create more job opportunities.
By prioritizing the growth of established enterprises, the government could leverage these funds to stimulate the economy and foster sustainable employment, ultimately benefiting both businesses and the workforce.
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