Starehe Member of Parliament Amos Mwago on Wednesday proposed the introduction of mandatory community service for all learners upon completion of secondary education.
Mwago is set to present his proposal to the National Assembly for deliberation. If approved, the introduction would come in handy for students who may not have the financial capacity to advance their education.
According to the MP allied to the Jubilee Party, this would equip students who do not qualify for higher education with the necessary skills to earn a living.
"Mandatory community service for all students upon completion of secondary school education would equip them with technical and life skills for the marketplace," he reiterated.
He emphasised that introducing this would also reduce the high unemployment rate among the youth who are usually left in limbo while others join criminal gangs.
According to Mwago, introducing mandatory community service training would encourage learners to develop an understanding of civic responsibility to support and strengthen communities.
Mwago however did not reveal details of the training including what the learners may be subjected to. Naturally, community service includes, cleaning public spaces, volunteering, and planting trees among others.
The MP's proposal came almost a year after the Presidential Working Party on Educational Reforms proposed a similar idea to mimic the National Youth Service (NYS) program in the 80s.
On August 1 last year, the team proposed that students who complete their secondary school education should undergo the mandatory training for three months.
Additionally, the group proposed that all students graduating from university should also undergo the same training for nine months before joining the job market.
"MoE to develop and operationalise a policy for mandatory community service-learning programmes for all students upon completion for senior school, TVET and University education," read a report from the team.
The team made this recommendation for various reasons including promoting peaceful co-existence and appreciating the diverse cultures and work ethic among the youth. The team said this would prepare the learners for future responsibility.
