The government plans to provide certificates to skilled workers who do not have any formal education to help them get better-paid jobs at home and abroad.
A large number of workers in informal sectors who have expertise in certain fields will get the certificates, officials said.
Over one million people work in 270 informal sectors in the country, according to estimates by the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training.
Many skilled people go abroad for jobs, but their skills are not recognised and they get lower wages, the officials said.
“We have taken a decision to give skilled people institutional recognition, and their certificates will be evaluated abroad,” Md Mojibur Rahman, joint secretary of labour and employment ministry, told the Dhaka Tribune recently.
Citing an example, he said a local barber knows how to cut hair, but he cannot prove it on paper.
“If we give him a certificate, he will be recognised and he can prove his skill,” Rahman said.
He added that there were thousands of skilled people in various occupations, including wielding, mobile phone servicing and car repairing.
Rahman said the certification programme will be implemented under the secretariat of the National Skill Development Council (NSDC).
NSDC, which was formed to strengthen vocational and technical education in the country, is a high power committee headed by the prime minister. An executive committee implements the council’s decisions.
Abul Kashem, chairman of Bangladesh Technical Education Board and a member of the executive committee, said a massive campaign about the certification programme will be launched soon.
Kashem said a certificate-holder can easily change his or her job at home and claim higher wages.
The media and non-government organisations will be utilised to create awareness about the programme, he said.
Kashem said skilled workers would have to qualify pre-vocational 1 and pre-vocational 2 tests to get certificates. The tests will be held at different assessment centres, he said.
Different institutions, including technical training centres, will be given approval for assessment, he added.