French assistance to train construction sector technicians for tsunami rebuilding
 

by Manjula Fernando

The French Government granted Rs.66 million yesterday to train skilled construction sector technicians to meet the massive demand created by the need to build thousands of houses for the tsunami homeless.

The Memorandum Of Understanding for the grant was singed between the Skills Development Ministry Secretary Thilak Hapangama and French Ambassador Jean-Bernard De Vaivre at the Nipunatha Piyasa yesterday.

Skills Development Minister Piyasena Gamage who was the Chief Guest on the occasion said their network of vocational training and technical institutes have taken up the challenge to train 4000 construction sector technicians to meet the post tsunami reconstruction and rehabilitation needs.

The course covers five areas, carpentry, masonry, plumbing, electric/house wiring and Aluminium fabrication and has been specially designed for short-term training with one month theory and five months on the job training in tsunami reconstruction sites.

The French grant will cover training of 1160 youth. Under the project launched in February the Ministry has already trained 1500 skilled technicians assisted by the German Funding Agency GTZ.

"There is a huge demand for our trainees, particularly for masons in the tsunami reconstruction sites. No sooner the one month theory part of the course is over they are picked up by contractors," Minister Gamage said adding that foreign funding also covers an allowance not less than Rs.200 per day for the trainees during the full six months.

After negotiations with the Ministry the contractors have agreed to pay Rs.250 a day for the trainees during the five month's field training in addition to the allowance paid by the Ministry.

The Vocational Training Authority Chairman Lionel Pinto thanked the French government for funding part of the project that would contribute to increase the country's skilled labour force.

French Ambassador said the grant was expected to boost country's economic development through a skilled youth generation as well as to support post tsunami reconstruction and rehabilitation activities of the Government.

Deputy Minister Duminda Dissanayake and TVEC Director General Dr. T. A. Piyasiri were also present.