LUSAKA, July 25 — About 1,500 students from across Africa will gather in Zambia next year to compete in 20 skills categories at the WorldSkills Africa, a government official said on Monday. Brilliant Habeenzu, permanent secretary of the Ministry of Technology and Science, said that the upcoming competition in April next year will provide the young people an opportunity to gain knowledge on how they can survive and earn a living. At the opening of a local skills competition in Lusaka, Habeenzu noted that skills development is a core focus of the government and expressed hope that the young people would compete favorably with their peers from other African countries. The event, he added, will significantly enhance the hospitality sector and other related industries, which will offer diverse services in the southern city of Livingstone, where the competition will be held.
Precious Lisulo, the World Skills Zambia Program Manager, said preparations for the event are progressing well and a team of experts has been identified and trained to mentor Zambian participants. Zambia will become the fourth country to host the World Skills Africa competition following its inauguration in Tanzania in 2016. The competition aims to give youth a competitive advantage in vocational education and training, improve their employability, and foster sustainable economic growth in African countries.
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