President Museveni Approves Three New Skilling Hubs to Expand Vocational Training Opportunities for Vulnerable Youth

What the report says

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has approved three new Presidential Industrial Skilling Hubs in Ntungamo, Bushenyi and Kalangala as Uganda expands vocational training for vulnerable young people. The announcement was made by State House Comptroller Jane Barekye on Monday, August 24, 2026, during stakeholder meetings at the Ankole and Greater Masaka zonal hubs, according to Watchdog Uganda.

Two of the new centres will be in the Ankole sub-region, while the third will be built in Kalangala to better serve youth in the island district. The expansion is intended to reduce pressure on existing hubs, where regional leaders have raised concerns about limited intake slots and heavy competition. The current Ankole hub serves 17 administrative units, while the Greater Masaka hub serves 10, with some areas receiving only a small number of places per intake.

Watchdog Uganda reported that construction will begin once local governments provide suitable land. The State House team also said four additional courses will be introduced: weaving and knitting, plumbing, electrical installation and electrical wiring. In addition, applicants without national identity cards may now present letters from LC1 chairpersons while they work on getting IDs, a change aimed at preventing vulnerable youth from being left out.

The report also noted concern over low uptake of SACCO loans by graduates of the programme. Officials and local leaders said the broader expansion could improve access to practical skills, support self-employment and bring training closer to communities that have struggled to reach existing centres.