Regional Manager for Technical, Entrepreneurial, Vocational and Training (TEVETA), Elliot Mulanje said TEVET had powers to close technical colleges offering substandard education.

He made the remarks on Tuesday at the Boma in reaction to Option Y Project by Save the Children International (SCI)'s failure to meet curriculum requirements.

Mulanje said it was unfortunate that learning was being conducted in such a manner saying the youths were receiving a raw deal.

"If learning materials have never distributed up to date it means students are blank and for this to be addressed there is need to extend days," he said.

Mulanje added TEVETA would closely monitor compliance by the project so that the problems will be addressed.

One of the mentors in carpentry, Precious Nyala of Nkuchira village Traditional Authority (TA) Likoswe concurred with Mulanje saying there was need to extend the project as trade such as carpentry could not be learnt through theory.

Option Y is a two year project where among other things 2000 youths from the areas of Traditional Authority Likoswe and Mpama are to be trained in tailoring, welding, electronics, saloon, knitting, carpentry, issues of sanitation as well as farming.

However recently a team from the district council conducted assessment where among other things it was discovered that the youths were learning without learning materials.

Option Y project is a two year project which started in December, 2016 to December, 2018 implemented and funded by SCI to equip youth with technical skills for them to be self-reliant.