The Bhutanese Leading the way.
The Ministry of Labor and Human Resources (MoLHR) during their Mid-Term Review (MTR) focused on 4 key focus areas, Build Bhutan Project (BBP), TVET reform initiative, National skills development program and skill share.
Under BBP, they have engaged 633 job seekers under different level of skills and have skilled 712 candidates of which 451 completed and are currently on the job training while 261 are undergoing training in various TTI’s.
In collaboration with MoWHS, they have established 36 specialized firms. The ministry is also working into transforming TVET system into an attractive learning and career choice.
Under National skills development program, they have identified training partners, identified 82 courses in 9 priority sectors (Agriculture, Beauty and Wellness, Energy, Film and Media, ICT, Language and Culture, Production and Tourism and Hospitality) and 4,545 youths are to be trained under the program.
MoLHR Secretary Sonam Wangchuk presented that in general they have 15 indicators of which 4 are at risk and 11 are on track. He said that of the four they have dropped 3 as instructed during the Ministry APA 2019-20 presentations to the Prime Minister.
“TVET institutions accredited by National/Regional and International bodies, TVET instructors with Diploma level qualification and above and Incidences of occupational hazards/injuries are the three that will be dropped,” he added.
However, employees under Provident Fund scheme is one risk indicator. The target (100 percent which was revised to 61.4 percent) will not be achieved due to several factors, he said. Initially, the calculation was made using the population data from the year 2017 and as such the denominator was relatively lower.
Furthermore, he said that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a severe impact on the private sector.
They have targeted to train 5,045 youths under Youth trained in Entrepreneurship development programmes in 12 FYP, however they have revised and set the target at 1,320.
He said that though their target to create 52, 390 jobs in 12 FYP plan they have revised and set the target at 26, 609.
The decision to reduce the target from 52,930 to 26,609 was made in the second Employment Responsibility Committee (ERC) Meeting.
He said that the initial budget outlay of the ministry for 12 FYP was Nu 2,800 mn while the proposed revised outlay by sectors is Nu 2,764 mn to which the GNHC recommended the same budget.
Meanwhile, Lyonchhen Dasho Dr Lotay Tshering said that as per the situation the labor ministry has become one important and critical ministry. “There can be a huge mismatch in future. If the ministry can handhold those skilled people for few years, it can be than advantage for them and can encourage other youths,” Lyonchhen added.
Lyonchhen also asked the ministry to ask the master trainer and see the possibility of revamping the curriculum that the ministry have been following.
Lyonpo Tandi Dorji shared if the ministry can be more ambitious as the new set target for job creation and youths trained in new startup business has reduced drastically.
“The mandate of MTR is to realign and if we cannot meet the set target than we have to identify the factor and solve it. We cannot accept all the set new targets. New set target should come with a justification through which we can decide to drop or to continue,” Lyonchhen added.
