Youth must acquire proper skills before working in Japan: Bobby Hajjaj

State Minister for Primary and Mass Education, Bobby Hajjaj today said Bangladeshi youths will be prepared according to international standards through language education, technical skills and technological knowledge considering the demands of the international labour market, including Japan.

He said the government's goal is not only to send manpower abroad, but also to develop skilled, language-proficient and world-class human resources.

The state minister made the remarks at a view-exchange meeting with Bangladeshi students, professionals and community representatives living in Osaka and Kobe at a local community centre in Osaka, Japan.

"Bangladesh's youths are our greatest strength. The government is continuously working to develop them with international-standard language education, technical skills and technological capabilities," he said.

If skilled manpower can be created according to the demands of the labour market of developed countries like Japan, it will make an important contribution to the country's economy, employment and foreign earnings," Bobby Hajjaj added.

He said necessary policy and institutional initiatives will be taken to further strengthen language education, skill development and quality technical education. 

The experiences and recommendations of expatriate Bangladeshis will be considered with importance through coordination with the relevant ministries and agencies, he continued.

Assuring that the issue of ensuring that no talented student misses the opportunity for higher education abroad only due to financial constraints will be given due importance, Bobby Hajjaj said Bangladeshi students studying abroad are important assets for the country. 

Their experiences and practical suggestions will play an important role in formulating future policies on education, skill development and human resource formation, he said.

Participants at the meeting emphasised improving the quality of Japanese language education in Bangladesh, introducing a national accreditation system for language education institutions and establishing specialised training institutes for language teachers. 

They also called for integrating technical and vocational education and training (TVET) with information technology education.

They also proposed policy support to utilise the skills acquired by young people returning home after training in Japan in the engineering, technology and automotive industries.

Responding to the recommendations, the state minister said the government would work with importance to improve the quality of Japanese language education, formulate a quality control system, enhance teachers' skills and expand technical education suitable for the international labour market.

He also said policy support would be ensured to utilise the knowledge acquired by returning expatriates in the country's industrial and production sectors.

Officials from the Bangladesh Embassy in Tokyo, Bangladeshi students studying at different universities in Japan, expatriate professionals, businesspeople and community leaders attended the exchange meeting.