Parkop to continue developing youths

 NATIONAL Capital District Governor Powes Parkop has reaffirmed his support to develop young people through education as the number of school dropouts and unemployed youth increase in the city.

Parkop said that in the last four years, more than K4 million was allocated as scholarship for students attending technical and vocational schools.

“6,000 students have benefited from this scheme, acquiring technical skills at various vocational and technical schools in the city and beneficiaries have secured full-time and part-time jobs,” he said.

Parkop said in collaboration with Ginigoada and the chamber of commerce, a further 15,000 youths had been industry-trained with 8,000 joining the workforce with full-time and part-time jobs.

The NCD is providing an annual grant of K100,000 to the Ginigoada Business Foundation to continue this programme  under the safe city programme and Yumi Lukautim Moresby.

He said the urban youth employment programme had been in existence since 2011.

“The objective of the urban youth employment programme is to provide skills and training for 17,000 youths and it is a five-year programme worth nearly K50 million.”

The program is in collaboration with the national government, World Bank and other partners,” Parkop said.

He said NCDC continued to support women and unemployed youths through various projects including the cleaning and beautification programmes around the city with the support of PNG Gardener.

His office has given K500,000 to PNG Micro Finance to assist youths and women groups.