ASSESSMENT OF NEET AMONG YOUTH IN RWANDA- A SOCIOECONOMIC APPROACH

Abstract

This research is about people who are not employed, not in education, or in Training (NEET) in Rwanda since the beginning of the year 2024. This research hinges on the fact that most of the NEETs are clustered in youth. It also hinges on the fact that NEET people are associated with a lot of socioeconomic problems, including lack of income, joblessness, psychological issues due to the stress of being unemployed and other related problems. Therefore, this research aims to depict the issues of NEET people in Rwanda and their living situation and how they can be helped to get rid of this socioeconomic livelihood. In our research, we used both quantitative and qualitative research and fieldwork. In quantitative analysis, we used regression analysis and interpretation of data and their visualization through Python. Around 360 sample size was taken from both secondary school and university graduates in Rwanda who have no jobs nor are in education or training - NEET. We provided an online questionnaire and an administered interview guide. We used both qualitative and quantitative methods (Q2). In qualitative methods, we used snowball sampling, and we administered a questionnaire on the situation of NEET and the interpretation of their living condition as observed in the population, while in quantitative, we used Python – a machine learning system, to visualise data through graphs. In this paper, we highlight that the issues of NEET in Rwanda are very serious and need quick solutions, among which is improving the chances of getting jobs for young people. There is a challenge of having a job, and the labour market is minimal. Second, there should be opportunities to enable people to create jobs, including offering them capital incentives for their projects, increasing the chance of paid internships so that they both get experience and money to invest for their own after that period and including NEET people in family and community businesses. The high period of being NEET was identified at 2 years among clusters in Rwanda, and NEET people exist in both rural and urban places with some chances of getting what to do in urban places. The research finds that there is less NEET in rural areas compared to the city but with many years of staying in that condition – 2 years and above.