MUSCAT — Thirty-nine agreements worth RO 3.5 million were signed here yesterday to train 1,235 Omanis in accordance with well-planned training and employment programmes to be conducted by private institutes. The agreements were signed on behalf of the Sultanate’s Government by Shaikh Abdullah bin Nasser al Bakri, Minister of Manpower, while the general managers and representatives of the training institutions signed on behalf of their establishments.
The pacts go in line with the Manpower Ministry’s policy of providing the labour market with well-qualified national manpower in diverse occupational specialisation, like craft industries, art, maintenance of mechanical equipment, travel, tourism, hairdressing, beautification, sales and basics in seaports and road control occupations that are demanded by the labour market.
Hamad bin Khamis al Amri, Manpower Ministry Under-Secretary for Labour Affairs, said that the training course lasts 6-9 months, depending on the type of occupation.
He urged the youth to take up the opportunity and engage more seriously in self-development.
In a press statement, Al Amri noted that the environment of the private sector is an encouraging one after the amendments introduced to the 
Labour Law articles and the raising of training allowance from RO 50 to 150.
This environment has become attractive as the government recently allowed Omani citizens working in either sector to move to the other sector, he added.
In reply to a question, about the budget allocated to the agreements, Al Amri pointed out that the Manpower Ministry is still following the old system of referring all training quotations to the Tender Board for approval, though the situation has changed as the governmental body can offer up to one million bids. He said that the Manpower Ministry has been signing many agreements on a regular basis with the purpose of enabling the national manpower to shoulder its responsibility. — ONA
