Govt prepares final draft of employment policy
KATHMANDU:
The Ministry of Labour and Employment has prepared the final draft of the National Employment Policy 2013, which, among others, focuses on promoting entrepreneurship, bringing in youths to agricultural sector, encouraging youths to take up vocational courses, career guidance counseling for high school graduates and timely dissemination of labour market information such as job vacancies.
The draft, prepared in cooperation with the International Labour Organisation, revolves around job creation in five key areas—agriculture, manufacturing, construction, information technology based enterprises and tourism. But acknowledging the role of workers’ remittance in poverty reduction and economic development, and considering foreign employment sector as the key job provider in the medium-term, the draft also incorporates provisions on providing skills training to at least 50 per cent of people leaving the country for employment purpose.
“We will now hold discussions with key stakeholders like trade unions and employers organisations and incorporate their suggestions in the draft. Discussions will also be held at regional and central levels, and with various ministries that will have to formulate policies in line with this document,” under secretary at the Ministry of Labour and Employment Paban Kumar Timilsena said. These consultations, as per Timilsena, will be completed prior to the end of this fiscal year after which the draft will be forwarded to the cabinet for final approval.
Over the years, Nepal’s labour market scenario has remained bleak. This was because of low growth rate, dominance of works in the informal sector, labour disputes and inadequate skills, among others.
It is said around 450,000 people join the labour market every year of which only a small fraction get employed in the domestic market. Around 400,000 accept placements abroad. While jobs are rare in the country, youths do not want to take up jobs such as carpentry and masonry as they are looked down upon. “Rather they feel that a higher academic degree is required to obtain a good job. And even employers list education degree as the most important qualification for young jobseekers seeking professional posts,” says the draft policy, a copy of which is secure with THT. This calls for increased investment in vocational education and training, adds the draft, which will replace National Labour and Employment Policy 2062 once endorsed.
At the same time, the draft policy also proposes to encourage youths, who have taken up trainings, to set up their own businesses. “Then enabling environment should be created so that they can expand their operations and generate more income,” the draft further says. This then should be complimented by establishment of Labour Market Information Analysis Unit to disseminate information on labour demand, notably the skills gap and requirements of enterprises.
While pointing out the need to promote vocational education, the draft policy also acknowledges that low levels of higher education, especially with significant differences across groups and regions, are major impediments to economic growth, employment creation and eradication of poverty. “Efforts are, therefore, needed to link education and training to labour market wherever possible,” the draft says. “Further, it should be ensured that the type of training being provided to the youth matches the skills that are in demand in the labour market.” And at the same time ‘career guidance counseling should be introduced as a mandatory element in schools, especially at main exit levels such as secondary and higher secondary’.
The draft policy also acknowledges the need to raise agricultural yields through better irrigation facilities and supply of modern tools so that more youths are attracted towards farming. “The emphasis shall be given to increase competitiveness of the agricultural sector through improvement in productivity; and cooperatives will be effectively mobilised from the very beginning of the production phase to market products by extending wholesale credit through the banking system,” says the draft of policy which aims to create a better functioning labour market that provides improved access to productive and decent employment opportunities and thereby contribute to the national economy and poverty alleviation.
Some other features of the policy include establishment of ‘one stop shop’ to provide necessary facilitation for establishment of businesses and formalise informal establishments, extension of incentives to labour-intensive manufacturing units, setting up of industrial security force to provide security to industries, introduction of schemes to bring in qualified individuals working in construction sector abroad and free availability of internet in public schools and universities to boost IT literacy .
Highlights
• Career guidance counselling for high school graduates
• Vocational training for high-school drop-outs
• Programmes to ensure youths overcome social stigma
attached to jobs such as masonry and carpentry
• Establishment of a unit to disseminate information such as job vacancies
• Provision on employment guarantee scheme for youths
• Skills training for at least 50 per cent of migrant workers
• Free internet facilities at public schools, universities
• ‘One stop shop’ to help set up businesses
• Setting up of industrial security force to provide security to industries
• Attracting youths to agriculture
Source: THT
