Marape’s pledge spurs 5-year youth strategy

The National Youth Development Authority [NYDA] has launched a five-year National Youth Engagement Strategy in direct response to Prime Minister James Marape’s promise to reach out to unemployed and out-of-school youths.

NYDA Director General Joe Itaka said the plan translates the Prime Minister’s statement, ‘Youths with no school and job, I will find you,’ into action.

“We are not waiting for youths to come to us, we are bringing this strategy to every district,” Mr Itaka said.

The 2025 - 2029 strategy is aimed at creating opportunities for school dropouts and unemployed youths to actively participate in the country’s development.

Itaka said the strategy provides a platform for youths to register with the authority, enabling referral pathways to integrate or reintegrate them into mainstream development programs.

“This strategy will guide and empower our youths over the next five years to participate in various government programs covering tourism, industrial and labor skills development, social initiatives, and church-based networking,” Mr Itaka said.

While youth empowerment programs such as SME loans, seasonal work schemes, labor development, and community mobilization currently exist, accessibility remains uneven.

“In urban areas, youths have better access to these opportunities, but in rural communities, access is very limited. This strategy seeks to bridge that gap,” he said.

The initiative will be spearheaded by district and community youth coordinators nationwide, with rural engagement as the main focus. A new online youth registration portal has also been launched to capture bio-data of youths in remote areas. District youth officers have been provided with tablets to facilitate this registration.

“With this platform, youths can connect directly with district community development offices through online submissions, toll-free numbers, or email. Once expressions of interest are received, national agencies, provincial governments, and other stakeholders will work together to provide tailored interventions,” Mr Itaka explained.

The director general stressed that the strategy offers a second chance for school dropouts who otherwise slip into unknown territories, often leading to social issues in urban and rural communities.

“We want to identify these youths, process their applications, and channel them into various industries like agriculture, coffee, cocoa, oil palm, and other sectors, giving them a renewed opportunity in life,” he said.

He called for support from state agencies, provincial and district administrations, and non-government organizations to ensure the success of the initiative.

“This is a national strategy, here to stay. Stakeholders must take ownership, incorporate it into district and provincial plans, and implement it effectively. We are redefining youth service delivery to address today’s challenges and build a better future for our young people,” Mr Itaka said.

Meanwhile, the overall funding required for the strategy was not disclosed.

Mr Itaka clarified that budget allocations will be determined by respective sectoral agencies involved in implementing specific programs under the strategy.