Parliament to discuss Law Social Compulsory Training tomorrow

October 06, 2011 9:19 AM

ORANJESTAD — The parliament is to discuss the law Social Compulsory Training tomorrow. If the law is approved, the first group of twenty deprived youngsters will start the training this month.

The second group is scheduled to start in March next year.

The government announced the aforementioned. At the end of July, Premier Mike Eman (AVP) submitted the enactment for the Marine Formation and Training Course (MVO) to the States. The Social Compulsory Training focuses on youngsters between 18 and 24 years of age, who are unemployed, are not attending school or have not completed any secondary training. Figures from the Central Statistical Office show it regards approximately 725 youngsters of which 425 are male, according to the government. However, only 40 youngsters per year, two times twenty, can follow the one-year training. For the first three years, the Ministry of Defense and Ministry of the Interior of The Netherlands will finance the Social Compulsory Training, namely a total amount of 3 million euros.

Eman visited Curaçao earlier on to see how the project worked there, what its success rate is and how Aruba could introduce a similar law. For a moment, it was uncertain whether it would go through due to retrenchments in The Netherlands and the question whether the naval barracks would remain open on the island. At the end of August, the standing States Committee for Education also visited Curaçao to see how the island dealt with the Social Compulsory Training. Contrary to this island, this training is not compelled on Aruba. However, the government states there are consequences when youngsters do not complete the course. The government does not elaborate on these consequences.

The first twenty youngsters will start a four-month course at the naval barracks, where they will receive a training focused on discipline, manners and physical training. Attention will also be paid to educational aspects such as standards and values. Subsequently, the youngsters will follow a training course of eight months, which is to make it easier for them to find employment afterwards. During these eight months, they will follow classes four days a week and spend every Wednesday at the naval barracks, says the government.

Lianda Kemp-Westerhof (AVP), parliamentarian and chairperson of the standing States Committee for Education says it a ‘fresh’ new law, where a team of ‘young professionals will work on helping youngsters’. She also emphasizes the fact that youngsters requiring additional guidance and motivation will now be heard and receives attention from the government. Kemp-Westerhof finds it ‘very positive’ that youngsters are given guidance in qualifying and enter the labor market again. Governments often focus on various matters while the youngsters are ignored, according to the parliamentarian.

(Source: Newspaper Amigoe)

3 October 2011