MARONDERA, Zimbabwe, Feb. 21 — Thousands of young Zimbabweans on Saturday gathered in Marondera District of Mashonaland East Province to mark the National Youth Day to honor the role of young people in national development.
Held at Igava Training Center, the event, which is celebrated annually on Feb. 21, brought together young people from across Zimbabwe and featured cultural performances, exhibitions and awareness campaigns.
In his official address at the event, Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa emphasized the need to equip young people with relevant skills, saying young people are not merely spectators, but are active participants in the ongoing national development journey.
He said the government, along with other stakeholders, is implementing programs and projects that benefit the youth.
“To this end, my government will guarantee that many more of our young people have access to education, training and empowerment opportunities across different sectors,” said Mnangagwa.
The government is also expanding technical and vocational education to equip the youth with relevant, market-driven skills, he said.
“Additionally, the 2026 national budget allocated resources to strengthen innovation hubs and the training of young people in cutting-edge digital and industrial skills.
I urge more of our young people to acquire these skills and embrace the expanded opportunities, essential for a modernized and industrialized Zimbabwe,” said Mnangagwa.
To ensure that skills match industry needs, the government will continue to reform the technical and vocational education training curricula, expand apprenticeship programs, and strengthen trade testing infrastructure, the president added. (Namibia Daily News/Xinhua)
