KATHMANDU, Jan 22: The government’s decision to hike the fee for the Pre-Departure Orientation Training (PDOT) for Nepalis opting for foreign employment has sparked a strong protest. The fee which was earlier Rs 700 has been increased to Rs 2,800 as per the demand of the training providers.

There are 143 organizations that provide PDOT for those going for work overseas. According to the demand of these organizations, the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security (MoLESS) increased the fee to Rs 2,800 which includes orientation training fee of 2,100 and examination fees of Rs 700.

The prime minister instructed the MoLESS not to implement the decision after there was widespread criticism regarding the increase in the fee. Krishna Bhusal, the information officer of MoLESS, said that the decision to hike the fee has been temporarily halted after the instruction from the PM.

The Department of Foreign Employment (DoFE) asked the training providers to update the standard of training after the hike in fee. Accordingly, the 143 organisations across the country have spent around Rs 150 million to enhance their infrastructure. However, the training providers have been disappointed after Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal instructed the ministry not to implement the decision immediately.

The Orientation Training Operation Procedure, 2076 BS was amended by a ministerial decision on September 23. After the amendment, the ministry had sent letters to all stakeholders to maintain the specified standards and necessary infrastructure within 35 days.

The DoFE issued a notice on December 14 and asked the stakeholders to submit the updated details in line with the revised procedure by January 3. The DoFE had extended the deadline till January 19 after the service providers were unable to fulfill the criteria by January 3.

Similarly, the department issued a notice stating that every training class must have an 84-inch smart board, a computer, printer and an iris retina attendance machine (iris scanner) compatible with the DoFE's Foreign Employment Information Management System (FEIMS).

Raja Ram Gautam, president of the Federation of Nepal Foreign Employment Orientation Association Nepal, said that based on the DoFE's circular, the training organisations have already spent around Rs 150 million. He said that the training providers have prepared the infrastructure according to the standards set by the DoFE.

Gautam said he has added two smart boards, one iris scanner and other infrastructure at his training center – Sangam Management Services Pvt Ltd for which he spent more than Rs 1 million.

On the basis of the MoLESS’s decision to allow them to charge Rs 2800 for the training, Gautam said that the training providing organisations prepared infrastructure accordingly.

The Foreign Employment Board has been paying the orientation training fee for women who go for work abroad. However, Gautam said that the fees for the orientation training for men opting to go abroad are usually paid by the manpower company owners.

“Our aim is to provide quality training. It is to ensure that the young people who go abroad do not get stuck in trouble in foreign country,'' he said.

Workers pay millions of rupees to manpower companies. However, the training fee has been increased to Rs 2,800 only.

The training institute owners say that their investment and business are at risk after the prime minister's directive. Gautam said that the money they spent on upgrading infrastructure is at risk.

Speaking at a meeting of the Parliament's Industry and Commerce and Labor and Consumer Welfare Committee on Thursday, Kewal Prasad Bhandari, the secretary of the MoLESS, said that the fee was increased after it became impossible to provide training under the previous fee structure.

According to Bhandari, the training aims to give the aspiring migrant workers all the necessary information before they leave the country. He said that the government decided to increase the fee to make the training more effective, but it has not been implemented following the instructions from the prime minister.

Bishnu Gopal Gadtaula, central member of Bhainsepati National Coach Institute Development Committee, said that he has been providing training at a fee of Rs 700 since 2060 BS. He recalls that the procedure was revised in the year 2076 BS mandating them to provide the training for two days. He said that although the teaching period was increased, the fee remained the same.

He claims that the government increased the fee as it was not possible to train the outbound workers at the existing fee structure. Now, the procedure has been revised which mandates teaching for three days (18 hours) instead of two days.

“The outbound workers are provided with quality training through video for three days so that young people do not face difficulties in foreign countries in the future. Similarly, it is to give general knowledge about the language of the destination country, to manage the stress of the workers and to make the workers proficient," said Gautam.

Gautam shared that youth completing the orientation training exam will receive a certificate if they answer 10 out of 20 questions correctly.

Published on: 22 January 2024 | My Republica