In Sierra Leone, the issue of youth employment had long been a major problem affecting the socio-economic and political development of the country, and it is an issue of general debate amongst Civil Societies, Local and International Non Governmental Organizations and the Government of Sierra Leone. The rate of youth unemployment in Sierra Leone, according to some school of thoughts is about 60% country wide. This problem has been and still creating serious threat to the hard won peace we have all paid for.

Firstly, one of the problems of youth employment is the issue of putting proper structure in place, such as Institution firms, factories, companies to name but few, which if put in place would minimize the rate of crime among the youth population in Sierra Leone.

If one can look at the present educational system in Sierra Leone, which is the 6334 meaning six years in Primary School, three years Junior Secondary School, three years in Senior Secondary School and four years in University was implemented by the past Government as a way of creating a particular system of education that would cater for all youths category. But if we can closely look at the said system, it lacks all the structures through which youths would have used to go through proper training that would enable them to gain employment. The system was called for the establishment and implementation of technical vocational in the various school system to be able to train other youths that lack the ability to go through the former educational system thus it lacks the structure of youths employment. The said system has left many youths in the street passing without any job. Most of these youths are engaged in picking things from the garbage, criminal activities and the use of drugs.

Another major issue of youths unemployment is qualification set up by companies, such as previous working experience as a criteria set by employers, such as what they called five or more years working experience. To be realistic, how someone can gain five or more years working experience without allowing the person to work. If premium is placed on past experience to gain job, young graduate from Universities, Poly-techniques, Colleges and even Institutes would not apply for such jobs, which as a result would create room for these youths to end up in circle of violence, crime and drugs abuse and excess that will pose threat to the socio-economic and political development of Sierra Leone.

Again, there is another strong stumble block to the youth employment in Sierra Leone, which is what we called ‘’SABABU’’. This is a common social term used among all Sierra Leoneans in search of employment and other assistance that may arise on daily basis, which means ‘’INFLUENCE’’. Most times even if somebody is qualify for a particular job pr position, but that person has no SABABU would not be awarded with the job or position. This issue of SABABU had played and still playing a hold back to the youth’s employment scheme, and many young energetic youths out there are unemployed.

The consequences surrounding this whole issue of youths employment has caused a great harm on the future of the country if not address. Presently, there are youths who are qualified, but do not have the stipulated years of working experience are out of jobs can be mostly found in odd places engage in taking harmful drugs and alcohol abuse. Also, many of these unemployed youths are can be found in the ghettos wasting their time and potentials.