Indian model eyed to get jobless youths into business

By HELEN TARAWA
THE Government plans to address the plight of the 80 per cent of children completing grade 12 who cannot find jobs, says National Planning and Monitoring Minister Richard Maru.
“At this time, 80 per cent of children leaving grade 12 will not find employment. And they are the ones with the energy and drive that we need to empower,” Maru said.
He told the Apec Business Advisor Council (Abac) and micro to small medium enterprise and Innovation summit yesterday in Port Moresby that the country’s biggest challenge was the high level of unemployment among young people.
The Government plans to build four regional youth business incubation centres around the country to address the problem. He said the incubation centres would use the Indian model, where youths were trained to, rather than seek employment, start their own businesses.
“We are looking for land to build the first regional youth business incubation centre with the help of the Indian government,” he said.
Maru said the Government was focused on economic growth and inclusion.
“We are looking at sustainable sectors and that are where the opportunity really lies. We need to deal with the rural population where the bulk of the people are.”
Maru said the informal sector policy was being reviewed.
“Our role in government is to provide a more conducive environment and we are going to do that by providing essential restructure reforms of legislations and bringing new structures to support the growth of this sector.”