Final article: Bringing policy "closer" to the people

(Baonghean) - It can be said that one of the reasons leading to the high poverty rate in the 3 poor districts of our province is that young workers here lack stable jobs. In order for labor export to truly be an effective and sustainable channel for hunger eradication and poverty reduction for poor districts according to the objectives of the Project, in the coming period, one of the solutions is that all levels and sectors will strengthen and innovate propaganda work so that people can easily access the policies of Decision 71/CP.

As mentioned, the Government's Decision 71 was implemented in our province 5 years ago, according to which, the policies for overseas workers are very practical, but the number of young workers in the poor districts of Que Phong, Tuong Duong and Ky Son who go abroad to work is not much. Ms. Xa Thi Xi - Secretary of the Ky Son District Youth Union, said: "For a long time, the District Youth Union has not directly introduced and guided union members and young people to go abroad to work according to Decision 71/CP, although every year the District Youth Union has integrated propaganda for this program through meetings and training sessions". That means, the authorities have not had close coordination with political organizations, including the District Youth Union, which is a close-knit organization of union members and young people. Ky Son district has about more than 10,000 union members and young people, of which about 2,000 union members and young people have stable lives in their hometowns. Except for the union members who are students, Ky Son has about 6,000 union members and young people who need stable jobs. To contribute to meeting that desire, it requires all levels, sectors and grassroots union organizations to introduce reliable labor addresses, whether domestic or foreign.

Tailoring training for young workers in the Northwest region of Nghe An. Photo: Tran Ngoc Lan

Also discussing the above issue, Mr. Kha Dinh Phe - Head of the Department of Labor - Invalids and Social Affairs of Tuong Duong district, said: In order for children from extremely difficult areas to go to work abroad according to Decision 71/CP, the State needs to introduce many reputable companies in operation and consulting, and at the same time expand the labor market to countries with higher incomes. The State needs to consider increasing funding to meet the needs of high-income markets. Currently, banks lend a maximum of 30 million VND, while labor export to Taiwan, Japan, and Korea costs a lot, and people do not have the conditions to invest. However, for children from extremely difficult areas, the labor export market to Malaysia may be the most suitable, because the cost is low, the demand for skills is not high, and even unskilled labor is used.

Que Phong district is considered the most effective locality in implementing Decision 71/CP, with 351 people having been sent to work abroad under the policy of this Decision. Although it has not yet reached the annual target of sending 100 people to work abroad each year, Que Phong has really taken action in a systematic manner, which can be considered a good way for localities to apply. Ms. Truong Thi Tuyet Mai - Vice Chairman of Que Phong District People's Committee, said: In Que Phong district, there have been units consulting on labor export under Decision 71/CP such as Lien Viet Development Company; Vinh Cat Investment Joint Stock Company; Hai Phong Labor Supply and Trade Joint Stock Company, Viet International Human Resources Joint Stock Company and currently SimCo Song Da Joint Stock Company is actively cooperating with the locality. Evaluating the effectiveness of labor export under Decision 71/CP in Que Phong shows that out of 351 people who were sent to work abroad, all were ethnic minorities, of which 261 were from poor households, the rest were near-poor. The amount of money that the Social Policy Bank Branch lent these people to work abroad was 10.7 billion VND, and so far, their children have sent money back to pay off the debt of 3.2 billion VND, and many households have paid off all their bank debts.

Many young workers are surplus in poor districts.

The goal of the 21st Que Phong District Party Congress, term 2015 - 2020, is to send 150 - 160 skilled workers abroad each year. To achieve that goal, the District People's Committee recently coordinated with SimCo Song Da Joint Stock Company to provide vocational training for young workers through the District Vocational Training Center. Accordingly, every year, this Company coordinates with the District Vocational Training Center to open vocational training classes according to orders from foreign labor recruiters to open classes in the commune. Mr. Nguyen Trung Kien, in charge of labor export of SimCo Song Da Joint Stock Company, said that the way Que Phong district does is very reasonable, creating favorable conditions for the people and the company. Otherwise, the company would have to send people to Hanoi for vocational training, which would be very costly for the people and cause difficulties for their children.

Mr. Nguyen Van Hung - Director of the Social Policy Bank Branch of Que Phong District, said: The capital for labor export under Decision 71/CP at the Branch is always ready to disburse, but in reality, the number of people going to work abroad every year is not much. In order for workers to really pay attention to labor export, in addition to propaganda and direction from all levels and sectors, the labor export consulting company must be truly dedicated, considering this as a job to help the locality eliminate hunger and reduce poverty. In addition, the local authorities at the commune level, by all forms of propaganda, so that people understand the labor export support policy under Decision 71, then the young labor force will feel secure to register for labor export contracts. After that, guide people to directly register with reputable labor export consulting companies, with the introduction of competent agencies at the district, provincial and ministerial levels. On the people's side, families who send their children to work abroad must be truly passionate about it, going to work and help their families escape poverty.

Thus, one of the main reasons for the low number of children from the three poor districts of our province going to work abroad is poor propaganda work. In which the most important role is played by the district and commune authorities. Recently, the monitoring delegation of the Provincial People's Council also pointed out that: Some documents guiding the implementation of Decision 71/CP have not yet been issued, such as programs and documents to supplement cultural knowledge suitable for the poor and ethnic minorities. In the past, propaganda work has had many shortcomings and is not deep, especially the coordination between mass organizations is not good, leading to workers not fully understanding the preferential policies of the Government. Some commune-level establishments have not yet issued state management documents to implement documents of higher levels on labor export. Not fully grasped, not properly aware of the responsibilities of the locality, especially not including the work of labor export in the resolutions of the Party Committee, plans and projects of the government in organizing the implementation of Decision 71/CP. In order for the period 2015 - 2020, all 3 districts of these labor export projects to achieve the project objectives, according to the proposal of the Provincial People's Council: The Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs is the agency directly implementing this project, must soon advise the Provincial People's Committee to develop a project to implement Decision 71/CP in the period 2015 - 2020 in the province. Strengthen state management of enterprises participating in labor export in the area, ensuring effectiveness when participating in labor export for poor districts. Coordinate with the People's Committees of Que Phong, Tuong Duong, and Ky Son districts to develop plans and organize the implementation of assigned targets for each district, putting labor export into the core content of job creation in the period 2015 - 2020.

In propaganda work, the authorities of poor districts need to innovate methods, forms and contents suitable to the characteristics, terrain, cultural level, customs and language of the locality. In particular, it is necessary to propagate the benefits of workers when participating in labor export, introduce effective labor export models, and truly reduce poverty in the locality. Localities coordinate well with reputable and responsible enterprises, creating favorable conditions for enterprises to operate in the locality to advise, select and send local workers to work abroad effectively.

Xuan Hoang