Even if you climb to top of prayer mountain, no prayer can stop a poor person from stealing

In a thought provoking address, Ms K Loy Abaine Muhwezi, the Commissioner for Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Operations and Management, challenged religious believers to rethink their approach to poverty alleviation by not only relying on prayers.

Mujwezi was speaking at the internal skilling competition exhibition organised by Uganda Technical College Kyema in Masindi Municipality, where she urged believers to focus on equipping children with practical skills instead of waiting for miraculous transformations through prayer.

Muhwezi expressed her concern over individuals who spend excessive time in churches hoping for divine intervention to change their dire circumstances.

“No prayer can stop a poor person from stealing, even if you climb to the top of a prayer mountain,” she stated.

Only enrolling your children in technical and vocational institutions for hands-on skill development will help them prosper, Muhwezi urged.

She noted that the skills are necessary for driving a country’s industrialisation and can only be obtained through vocational and technical education.

Muhwezi called on stakeholders, including religious leaders, to support government efforts in mobilising people to pursue educational opportunities.

She stressed that there should be no excuses for anyone missing out on education and training, particularly given the availability of programs like Universal Primary Education (UPE) and Universal Secondary Education (USE).

Addressing both Christian and Muslim leaders in attendance, she cautioned that even with the fervent preaching, those who remain idle and unskilled may continue to engage in sinful behavior.

“I urge you to partner with us to ensure Ugandans are skilled and educated,” she urged.

Muhwezi also remarked on the societal misconception that technical education is for academic failures, encouraging learners and the general public to shed this negative perception.

“Vocational education is crucial for addressing unemployment, as graduates become self employed and can even employ others,” she said.

Andrew Musazi, the Principal of Uganda Technical College Kyema, said that the exhibition was initiated by Enable Abelgeum International Cooperation Agency to expose stakeholders to the skills of learners, thereby motivating youths to pursue technical and vocational education.

Musazi, however, also urged members of the general public to embrace vocational skilling, noting that the skills acquired helps one become self-reliant.

“A person who has handson vocational skills is never poor. He or she easily gets employed or uses the same skills to employ him or herself thus making them self relevant,” he noted.

However, a parent who preferred to remain anonymous urged fellow parents to embrace vocational education studies for their children, noting the scarcity of white collar job opportunities in the country.

“Giving our children chances to vocational education is another plus to them giving emerging industries in the country,” he said.

More than ten learning institutions, including primary, secondary, and technical schools from the Bunyoro region took part in the event, highlighting a collective effort to promote education and skill acquisition.