The National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) was established in 2009 to address poverty, inequality and unemployment among young people through programmes such as entrepreneurship funding, skills development and job placements.
However. many wonder if the NYDA is effective as South Africa continues to face a severe youth unemployment crisis, with almost 60% of young people without jobs, making it one of the country’s most urgent socio-economic challenges.
A recent editorial argues that despite the agency’s important mandate and a budget of about R1bn a year, its impact has been limited and it has been dogged by controversies, governance issues and questions about effectiveness.
The piece suggests solving youth unemployment will require a broader strategy including stronger education-to-work pathways, less bureaucracy and partnerships with the private sector.
TimesLIVE
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