Staff Reporter:
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman yesterday stressed introducing a unified, international-standard training and certification system to enhance the acceptance and recognition of the country’s youth in national and international job markets.
“If a unified and internationally standard training and certification system is introduced, it will not only enhance the skills of our youth but also increase their acceptance and recognition in the national and international job markets,” he said.
The Prime Minister gave the directives while chairing the third meeting of the Governing Body of the National Skills Development Authority (NSDA) at his office in Tejgaon, said his Assistant Press Secretary K M Nazmul Haque.
Tarique Rahman said the NSDA is playing an important role in developing skilled human re-sources based on the demands of national and international job markets.
“It is also an important platform for increasing demand for Bangladesh’s skilled workforce in the international job market,” he said.
Stating that Youth’s skill development is extremely crucial, the Prime Minister said, “Although many training programs are being conducted under different ministries to this end, these train-ing programs and certificates are often failing to play an effective role due to a lack of proper coordination.”
“As a result, our younger generation is not receiving the desired recognition at the national and international levels against these certificates,” he added.
The Prime Minister directed the NSDA Governing Body to formulate the necessary policies through a small committee within a short time and bring the skills development and training programs of different ministries under a coordinated framework.
He also stressed introducing a system of providing training and certificates under a common syl-labus.
The meeting was briefed on the administrative structure, manpower and functions of the NSDA.
Discussions also took place on the National Skills Development-related policy and strategy pa-pers, development of skilled human resources in line with the demands of national and interna-tional job markets, sector-wise analysis of skills demand, and short-, medium- and long-term action plans.
The meeting also discussed improvement of training quality, certification and mutual recogni-tion of certificates.
Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, PM’s adviser for Public Administration Md Ismail Zabihullah, Industries Minister Khandakar Abdul Muktadir, Education Minister Dr. A N M Ehsanul Hoque Milon, Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister and Labour and Employment Minister Ariful Haque Choudhury, and Prime Minister’s Adviser and PMO Spokesperson Mahdi Amin attended the meeting.
State Minister for Public Administration Md Abdul Bari, State Minister for Youth and Sports Md. Aminul Haque, PM’s Principal Secretary A B M Abdus Sattar, Executive Chairman of Bang-ladesh Investment Development Authority Chowdhury Ashik Chowdhury, Principal Coordinator for SDGs Prof Dr SM Abdul Awal, Executive Chairman of NSDA Dr. Nazneen Kawshar Chow-dhury, secretaries of different ministries and other senior officials were present, among others.
