New orientation training centres yet to get licence

KATHMANDU:

Applicants of new orientation training centres, set up to provide training to foreign employment aspirants, despite meeting the criteria have not yet received licence from the government. There are 15 such centres that are awaiting permission to start operations.

As per the government provision, the Foreign Employment Promotion Board (FEPB) is responsible for checking the criteria of the training centres and if found eligible, recommending to its board, which is headed by the Minister for Labour and Employment, to grant permits. And, based on the decision of the board, the Department of Foreign Employment (DoFE) issues the licence.

The government is reluctant to provide licence to new training centres citing that there is a need to first manage the existing ones. A decision of the board meeting held about seven months back had decided to first manage the existing orientation training schools before issuing permits to new companies, according to FEPB. It is not yet clear how long it would take the government to manage the existing centres.

“Of the total 23 applicants, 15 are eligible to get the licence,” said Raghu Raj Kafle, executive director of FEPB. He added that they are hopeful of bringing existing centres under new operation criteria and allowing new centres to start operation soon. There are currently 102 registered training centres that are responsible for imparting basic training to aspirants before they leave the country for employment.

Applicants have criticised the government for not only dillydallying in taking action against erring orientation centres but also not allowing the new eligible centres to start operation. After a rise in the number of instances of centres not providing training properly and only selling certificates, the government about two months ago also introduced a new guideline for registration and permit renewal of orientation centres.

The directive has made it mandatory for each centre to maintain CCTV in the classroom for remote monitoring by the Ministry of Labour and Employment, FEPB and DoFE. FEPB officials said the new directive has been implemented for effective monitoring and regulation of training centres so that aspirants get good training.

Lack of proper pre-departure orientation training is considered as one of the main causes behind outbound workers facing difficulties in destination countries. Quality orientation classes will also contribute to bringing down the accident and death rates among workers in labour destinations. Each aspirant who wants to go for foreign employment through manpower agencies must undergo 10 hours of orientation training for males and 11 hours for females, according to the directive.

During the training, outbound workers learn basic information about the destination country, culture, environment, labour laws, traffic rules and other do’s and don’ts. The centres are permitted to charge Rs 700 per person. Tika Bhandari, director of FEPB, said that they have written to the directive implementing body — DoFE — to do the necessary.

Meanwhile, the government is also working on introducing a provision which will require outbound workers to take orientation training depending on the destination country. “The International Labour Organisation is designing a course book and training manuals,” Bhandari added.

Source: THT