Members of Parliament have called for a policy framework to absorb thousands of National Youth Service (NYS) graduates into government institutions and private security firms, citing rising youth unemployment despite heavy public investment in their training.
The legislators backed a Motion by Kilifi County MP Gertrude Mbeyu in the National Assembly on Wednesday, seeking to establish a structured pathway for graduates to secure employment using the skills acquired during their training.
About 18,000 young people graduate from the NYS annually, but many remain without jobs even as public institutions continue to engage private security companies to supplement security services provided by uniformed officers.
MPs seek employment opportunities for NYS graduates
Ms Mbeyu argued that the graduates have the discipline, security awareness, public service ethics and emergency response skills required to serve in the security sector, making their absorption into the workforce both an employment opportunity and a way to utilise their training.
The Motion urges the national government to develop guidelines prioritising NYS graduates for supplementary security roles in ministries, departments and agencies, in line with Article 55 of the Constitution, which requires the State to take measures to ensure young people access employment opportunities.
It also proposes clear rules governing recruitment, deployment, remuneration, further training and career progression, as well as defining the respective roles of NYS graduates and private security firms.
Kitutu Chache MP Japheth Nyakundi said the government risked wasting resources if young people trained at public expense were left unemployed after completing their courses.
“We have invested a lot of money as a country to train these youth, only for them to remain jobless after graduating from the NYS,” he said.
Mr Nyakundi urged the government to explore opportunities in the private security industry, arguing that employers could benefit from recruiting graduates who already possess relevant training.
Legislators call for standards in private security recruitment
Ol Kalou MP Sammy Douglas Waweru said NYS training extended beyond basic security duties, calling for policies that would require private security companies to recruit personnel who meet prescribed training standards.
He said the government should establish a clear mechanism through which trained young people could transition into the private security workforce.
Mbeere North MP Leonard Wa Muthende also backed the proposal, questioning why some security guards were deployed after only a few days of training while NYS graduates underwent more rigorous courses.
“I support this Motion because it is not proper to have security personnel who receive only two to four days of training guarding us when NYS graduates have undergone rigorous courses and are ready to serve as security officers,” he said.
Embu County MP Pamela Njoki said the country needed a legal and policy framework to guide NYS trainees from training to employment, arguing that their career prospects after graduation remained a critical concern.
“The Government should have a legal framework and policy that looks at the exit programme for trainees. What is the exit plan for the NYS trainees after they have been trained?” she asked.
The proposed framework seeks to link youth training more directly to employment by creating a defined pathway for NYS graduates to enter the security sector, while establishing standards for their recruitment and deployment.
Reader Discussion (0)
Sign in to comment