Minister Rishad Bathiudeen has instructed the heads of institutions providing vocational training and courses to look into facilitated means for rehabilitated youths in the north and the east to undertake vocational courses that lead them to formal employment opportunities.

The minister stated this addressing a meeting held at the Minister of Industry & Commerce, Resettlement of Protracted Displaced Persons, Co-operative Development, Vocational Training & Skills Development yesterday (09).

Speaking further, he said that there are nearly 12,000 rehabilitated youths in the north and the east with expectations of re-socializing.

A proper study must be done on the level of education of these youths as well as on their skills, Minister Bathiudeen said emphasizing on the contribution of these youths for the development of eastern and northern areas in the country.

Minister Bathiudeen has also pointed out the importance of these rehabilitated youths entering the competitive job market just like any other young person in the country.

However, the vocational courses that have already been established can be quite complex for the rehabilitated youths, hence, a better learning environment must be prepared that allows them to learn the courses of their choices without any difficulty, the minister added.

Accordingly, the existing vocational courses have to be revised and made available for the rehabilitated youths to be learnt at their respective areas of residence, Minister Bathiudeen said, requesting the heads of private institutions to join the institutes of the ministry in this regard.

The ministry can provide the infrastructure facilities required for these vocational courses, Minister Bathiudeen commented further.