According to head of the Social Evils Control Department under the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Tran Viet Trung, the number of people getting vocational training and jobs remains low, standing at just 20-30 percent.
Vietnam now has approximately 83 detoxification establishments, which can accept as many as 40,000 drug abusers, trebling the 2000 figure.
70-80 percent of the detoxification centers has set up workshops for vocational training or have co-operated with enterprises in providing vocational training and jobs for their inmates.
After one year of implementing a pilot model of providing vocational training and jobs for detoxified drug abusers, HCM City organised nearly 1,000 vocational training in office computer, motorbike repairs, automobile driving, welding and carpentry for 21,700 person. 73 enterprises in the city have spent around VND62 billion creating different jobs for trainees and helping them gradually re-integrate into the community.
According to Mr Trung, There remains many shortcomings in vocational training for detoxified drug abusers. The duration of a vocational training course is short, while the quality of vocational training activities is low and unequal among localities. Vocational training activities are only suitable with labourers working at the centres, but not suitable with those who seek a steady job in the community. Only a few detoxified drug abusers can find jobs and their salaries are not enough to ensure their daily lives.
Another difficult problem is that more than 81 percent of detoxified drug abuser only have secondary-level education, 66.2 percent of them are out of job or partially employed, and more than 25 percent live in rural areas without much experience in agricultural production activities.
In addition, there still exists discrimination against former drug abusers and many, therefore, have found it difficult to borrow loans and apply for jobs.
Other shortcomings lie in mechanisms and policies, such as low funding for vocational training (VND240,000/person), and reluctance of enterprises to generate jobs for former drug abusers through preferential tariff, land leasing, loan assistance.
Relevant sectors and agencies at all levels should closely co-operate with each other to comprehensively implement socio-economic programmes and mobilise additional funding for vocational training and job creation to help detoxified drug abusers gradually stablise their daily lives.
Add new comment