The government's ongoing skills certification programme-Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)-is hardly getting any response from the returned migrant workers for factors like a lack of publicity.
On the other hand, this certification does not assure job which is another vital reason behind such poor response from them, migration experts said.
The certification course has been designed for overseas returnees to formally recognise their skills and knowledge in the method of the National Training and Vocational Qualifications Framework.
The Bureau of Manpower Employment and Training (BMET) launched the RPL programme on November 04 this year.
Eighty-one workers have so far participated in the course to get their skills certified.
More than 270,000 workers have returned home from different countries from April 01 to November 11 last, according to data available with expatriates' welfare desk at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.
The workers returned home from overseas destinations being jobless following the fallout of Covid-19.
Besides, a significant number of workers come back home every year due to reasons like the expiry of jobs and the status of irregular workers.
Many of them do remigration abroad, but they go as unskilled workers even if they have gathered skills and knowledge from their previous workplaces.
Sector insiders said the RPL will help the returnees go abroad as skilled workers. It will provide certificates for their previous work experience.
The workers also can get jobs at home with the certificates, they added.
When asked, BMET officials said Bangladesh Technical Education Board is providing certificates after evaluating candidates.
The board is also providing three days' orientation before assessment.
On the other hand, BMET's technical training centres (TTCs) are providing logistics for the course.
It is a free course. Moreover, each worker will get Tk 1,000 in allowance.
Around 30 trades have so far been included in the course being run at eight TTCs.
The centres are B-K TTC Dhaka, B-K TTC Chattogram, Rajshahi TTC, Rangpur TTC, Jashore TTC, Barishal TTC, Mymensingh TTC, and Sylhet TTC.
Migration experts hail this certification course as a good initiative. But most of the workers are still not informed about it.
They recognised the need for a holistic campaign to popularise the programme. At the same time, the authorities should prioritise sending workers abroad.
Expatriates' welfare and overseas employment secretary Dr Ahmed Munirus Saleheen said the RPL will help the workers get good jobs at home and abroad.
But the TTCs are not getting a good response from the aspirants. Civil society can help them know about the process and importance of the course.
Ovibashi Karmi Unnayan Programme (OKUP) chairman Shakirul Islam said if the workers are assured of getting priority in jobs through this certification, they might be encouraged to enroll.
The authorities concerned should initiate a plan to this effect, he added.
His organisation will start an awareness campaign for the returnees under a project styled 'Skills-21' with support from the International Labour Organisation.
Under the project, Mr Islam said, the OKUP will also provide knowledge and information regarding the RPL.
