KATHMANDU, Dec 20: High-Powered Federal Administration Restructuring Committee is preparing to recommend to the government to integrate all skill development programs and training, and introduce programs based on classification of skills for effective utilization and production of skilled manpower.
Talking to Republica, the committee's chairperson Kashi Raj Dahal said that skill development trainings so far are in operation in a scattered way and hence their expected outcomes are hardly achieved. “Therefore the committee will recommend for integration of such trainings conducted by different government agencies,” Dahal said, adding that the government will be recommended to streamline skill development trainings classification of trainings based on subjects.
The government spent more than Rs 3.54 billion for such skill development programs and trainings in the last fiscal year which, according to experts, were largely ineffective. As many as 30 ministries implemented 228 projects and programs across the country and this spending, many government officials admit, has gone to waste.
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Dahal said that skill development training centers should be restructured in the new federal set up so that they can provide better services to recipients. Human resources at such centers should be multi-talented and capable enough to providing trainings in more than one subject, added Dahal.
Government officials also acknowledge that huge amount of money is going to waste due duplication of programs.
Dahal said that they would specify criteria and qualification of entities providing training institutes for efficient integration of scattered training programs. “Most of the training institutes will be operated under provincial governments in order to make the services accessible to youths interested to acquire vocational skills,” he added.
The committee has been asked to make recommendation to the government for restructuring government operation as part of implementation of federalism.
According to spending statistics of Financial General Comptroller Office, Ministry of Industry spent Rs 636 million to run 14 different trainings and skill development programs in the last fiscal year alone. Minister of Women, Children and Social Welfare ranked second in terms of spending for trainings and skill development programs in Fiscal Year 2016/17. It spent Rs 540 million to implement eight programs and projects. Likewise, the Ministry of Health and Population, and the Ministry of Agricultural Development spent Rs 435 million and Rs 353 million, respectively, for the same purpose in the last fiscal year.
A study conducted by the National Planning Commission (NPC) in 2009 had found that such training and skills development programs were not yielding desired outcomes and hence were a complete waste of money. The study had found that none of the sampled programs were found spending the money for generating skilled manpower.
On the basis of the report, NPC members had recommended to the government to change the spending modality. However, it did not happen.
