Dhaka, July 15 – About 26 lakh workers are added to the job market every year, but they fail to get jobs as they are not skilled enough as required for their employment. Side by side, the country’s workforce fails to attain global recognition. To overcome this shortcoming, the government is working to effectively turn its large workforce into skilled manpower.
Education Minister Dr. Dipu Mani said this while speaking at a discussion organized on the occasion the World Youth Skills Day (WYSD) 2019 as the chief guest at the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre (BICC) yesterda.
Imran Ahmed, Minister for Expatriates’ Welfare and Oversees Employment spoke at the programme as special guest. Sajjad Hassan, Secretary, Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) presided over the discussion. Faruque Hossain, Executive Chairman, the National Skills Development Authority (NSDA) delivered welcome address at the discussion.
Earlier a rally was brought out from the South Plaza of the National Parliament led by education minister.
Dr. Dipu Moni said, the government would make technical education mandatory in all schools and madrashas from 2021. From the next year, it will be included in 640 schools where primary knowledge will be provided from class six to seven and students from class nine to ten will have to take one particular technical subject.
Bangladeshi labourers giving hard labour abroad but are not getting proper wages due to lack of required skills, she added. Mentioning that there is no alternative to skills, she said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has set a target for creating employment opportunity for 1.5 crore of youth within 2030 and for this, the NSDA has been formed to turn the population into workforces.
Expatriate Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister, Imran Ahmed said the youth community including educated segment are demanding for employment opportunity. The educations they acquire do not come into use if they do not earn any special skills. Workers do not get due remuneration while working abroad if they are not skilled.
Referring a quote of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman ‘Build Golden Bangla by Building Golden People,’ Faruque Hossain said, ‘Those who are honest, morally strong, dedicated, welfare-oriented, and patriotic and can build themselves as well as the country, are golden people.
Bangladesh has taken timely steps for timey and fundamental transformation in technical and vocational training programmes focusing three issues–youth community, technical and vocational education and skills training.
A lion share of population is youth community and if we can make them skilled then it would be possible to build a golden Bangladesh dreamt by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman which would open an avenue. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has given priority on this issue and for this it is a prime need to make all awake through mass campaign.
NSDA is working to coordinate, strengthen skills training through setting standards, assessment and certification at national and international levels, recognition to prior learning, industry linkage, train trainers and ensure acceptability of certificates at local and global level, Faruque added.
Sajjadul Hassan said, Bangladesh is now at the growth trajetcory under the leadership of prime minister and for this she has been globally well recognized. The country has attained tremendous development during last ten years, he added.—Staff Reporter
