20 June 2024
The Zambia National Service (ZNS) has started constructing the competition arena for the World Skills Africa Competition which Zambia will host in Livingstone in April 2025.
ZNS is constructing the multi-purpose arena which will host 13 out of the 20 skills competitions which over one thousand youths from 54 African countries will compete for from 7 to 12 April 2024 at the Livingstone Institute of Business and Engineering Studies (LIBES).
Technology and Science Minister Hon. Felix Mutati, who was represented at the ground breaking ceremony in Livingstone this morning by Tourism Minister Hon. Rodney Sikumba, diisclosed that ZNS will build the competition arena at the cost of 44 million kwacha.
Mr. Mutati said the competition arena will include a lounge, a secretariat for World Skills and a media area for photographers to have panoramic views of the competition.
“ZNS has six months to build and hand over this competition arena and we are hopeful they will deliver it on schedule,” said Mr. Mutati.
And Technical Education and Vocational Entrepreneurship Training Authority (TEVETA) Director General Cleophas Takaiza says a number of Zambian youths will next week be sent to China to sharpen their skills ahead of the World Skills Africa Competition next year.
Mr. Takaiza, who is also the World Skills Official Delegate for Zambia, says hosting the world skills event gives an opportunity to Zambian youths to develop their skills.
He says hosting the competition in Livingstone will also give an advantage to Zambia as a potential candidate to host the World Skills Secretariat which is yet to be established.
“LIBES will not be the same after the World Skills Africa Competition. There will be new infrastructure here and new skills among youths,” he said.
And LIBES Principal Ignatius Lubinda said the construction of the competition arena will benefit the college in infrastructure development.
Mr. Mr. Lubinda said the institute will support ZNS so that the works are speeded up and completed on schedule.
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