The high youth population is a double-edged sword, presenting both a demographic dividend but also a ticking time bomb. It must be recognized that innate potential for innovation and entrepreneurship exists amongst the youth. It will take deliberate efforts to turn the potential to reality and create viable businesses that contribute to employment and wealth creation. The potential of the youth has remained untapped, and in cases where they come up with innovations or entrepreneurial ideas, they face challenges in turning these into viable businesses. While they have technical skills, the soft skills in financial management, design, branding and marketing are usually the ‘rate-limiting’ impediments.

Source: The Star December 20, 2018 17:03 UTC