Youth in focus

Muscat: Omani youth has been making major strides in all walks of life and today their presence is felt in almost all areas that concern human life on earth. From astronomy to research and to higher diplomacy, the true Omani touch can be felt across all the sectors.

These attributes to the attention of the government in encouraging Omanisation, unrelenting efforts to educate and promote local talent of the country that has nearly 50 per cent the young population.

“We value the vital role played by our youths in continuing the march of development for a renewed Omani renaissance, putting forward their aspirations and hopes for a brighter future in which they contribute to the prosperity and flourishment of Oman’’, HH Sayyid Theyazin bin Haitham al Said, Minister of Culture, Sports and Youth, said in a speech delivered on the Omani Youth Day which was celebrated on October 26.

The Omani youths have responded positively to the efforts of the government and they showed a high level of national responsibility and full awareness of their contemporary issues and are armed with a strong determination to participate in building a renewed renaissance with openness to other cultures and readiness to coexist with others in peace and love. Omani youth has been considered as the national wealth, asset and resources for steering the nation forward. This attention was culminated by the establishment of the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Youth to serve as an umbrella to the youth’s aspirations and creativity in various fields.

“The ambitious Oman Vision 2040 underscores the importance of developing the skills and knowledge of the young Omani generation and supporting their national projects and initiatives that contribute to pushing forward the development march while keeping up with the developments the world is witnessing in the fields of the fourth industrial revolution, sciences and the novel economic fields’’, said Sarah al Jarrah, an Omani journalist.

Nearly 3,000 Omanis between the age groups of 15 and 29 years have been trained in skills development under the National Youth Programme for Skills Development which is focused on developing the attitudes, skills and knowledge associated with the 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR).

The two schemes, Al Nashia scheme and Al Shabab scheme, which target Omanis aged between 15 and 17 years, and 18-29 years old respectively help develop a variety of their skills such as coding, programing, critical thinking, digital media and digital citizenship in order to build a community ready for the 4th Industrial Revolution.