The high youth unemployment rate in PNG has been described as a national disgrace.
This is according to Minister for Labour andIndustrial Relations Mark Maipakai atthe opening ofthe National Youth Employment Framework workshop in Port Moresby on Tuesday.
The workshop aims to set up a national blue print whichthe national government will use to address youth unemployment.
Representttatives from boththe public and private sector met to discuss some ofthe cross cutting issues affecting youth employment.
He saidthe Department through his Ministry have carrlied out programs such as Trade Testing and Seasonal Workers Scheme. However,the problem needed a greater scope of collaboration from partners.
“We cannot continue to send our young people back tothe villagers or onthe streets…it is a national disgrace,” said Maipakai.
The workshop follows a two day symposium in Madang last year.
One ofthe six resolutions to have come out ofthe meeting was for the development of a national youth employment framework.
“Youth employment problems cannot be tackled through fragmented and isolated intervention that requires sustained and concerted action. That is whythe national framework is crucial,” said Sushil Ram, Commonwealth Youth Program.
Developing a youth employment framework has become an immediate concern ofthe National Youth Commission.
Commissioner for National Youth Commission, Norit Luio, saidthe government had no blue print to address youth unemployment. Thus,the NYC had to takethe initiative in establishingthe framework.
“I want this policy to be one of those long term approaches that we can work on,” said Luio.
The workshop ended today with recommendations made for the design ofthe framework.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=VGb_sSbFfbA%3Ffeature%3Doembed%26wmode%3Dopaque%26showinfo%3D0%26showsearch%3D0%26rel%3D0
previous post