Skills that build a nation |15 July 2025

Maarco Francis

• What youth in Seychelles really need

Every year, World Youth Skills Day reminds us of a universal truth: that the most powerful investment a nation can make is in the skills and creativity of its young people. The day calls on governments to equip youth with the tools they need for decent work, employment, and entrepreneurship. Yet in Seychelles, for all our progress, that goal remains unfinished business.

We boast an impressive 99% youth literacy rate. But beneath this surface, the cracks show. In early 2024, youth unemployment stood at 12.2% while the national unemployment rate for the entire population was just 3.2%.

By the leader of the Seychelles United Movement, Maarco Francis

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