Uganda, Feb. 5 -- In the pressure cooker world of parenthood, preparing children for life beyond the classroom has become an even more urgent social issue as the world gets more competitive.

For Ugandan mothers and fathers, the issue is complicated further by the grim reality of run-away unemployment levels, yet formal sector job opportunities are few and falling. So, as the final school bell tolls, uncertainty looms for those who have completed school.

Unlike days gone by, school-leaving certificates, diplomas and degrees no longer guarantee a pathway to salaried employment. Gone too are the days when success was measured by the seamless entry into a white-collar job.

In the brave new 21st-century world, children must confront the lik...