Naima Onamika
Oniket Research Group
Recently, the daily Prothom Alo published a report titled, “Free Freelancing Training Upon Passing HSC, Daily Allowance of 200 Taka.” At first glance, it feels like a new door is opening for the development of the country’s youth. I completely agree with this sentiment. This is undoubtedly a fantastic initiative for our young generation. The primary goal of this project, enabling the youth to gain skills through hands on learning and become self-reliant, is highly commendable. However, we cannot ignore the potential challenges or inconsistencies that might arise during its implementation. Therefore, it is equally important to examine both the positive and negative sides of this initiative.
The Core Focus of the Project and Some Critical Questions
The government run project, “Employment Generation Through Freelancing Training for Youth,” primarily focuses on a three-month, 600-hour training program, a daily allowance of 200 Taka, free participation, and career-oriented skill development targeted at HSC graduates. Evaluating this project from a critical perspective brings several crucial questions and concerns to light.
1. Is the project promoting quick earnings as an alternative path?
The report emphasizes training, allowances, meals, and rapid employment. However, there are no guidelines regarding how this training connects with or integrates into higher education. This might inadvertently send an invisible message that short term skill training is a faster, more effective alternative to long term university studies. This can create a practical dilemma, especially for students from lower middle-class families. Naturally, they might find themselves torn between choosing a four-year university education or immediate income after a three-month training program.
2. Is it discouraging higher education?
Our second question is whether this initiative inadvertently discourages higher education. I would say it might not do so directly, but it will certainly have a subtle, indirect impact. Because the project targets the post HSC stage and directly links training with jobs and income, it lacks any messaging about the long-term value of a degree. As a result, families facing financial pressure might prioritize quick income. Consequently, some students or their families might delay or entirely skip university enrollment.
It is also true that many students can support themselves financially by learning freelancing alongside their studies. Therefore, the real issue is not freelancing itself, the problem arises only when freelancing is presented as a replacement for higher education.
3. Potential impact on secondary and higher secondary education
If students come to believe that skills alone are enough and a university degree is unnecessary, it could weaken general academic learning, research-oriented education, analytical skills, and humanistic or social values. Secondary and higher secondary education are not merely preparation for a job; they form the foundation of civic and intellectual development. An over emphasis on skill centric policies risks narrowing this broader purpose of education.
4. Structural limitations of the project
According to the report, the training requires eight hours a day for a total of 600 hours. This makes it essentially a full-time program. Consequently, juggling this alongside university admission preparation or regular academic studies could prove quite difficult. Furthermore, the project offers no clarity on how many participants generate a regular income afterwards, how many survive in competitive international marketplaces, or how many continue their higher education later. Thus, a cloud of uncertainty remains.
What the Government Can Do to Maintain Balance
The most vital and necessary part of this discussion is what the government should do in this regard. I believe this government initiative is KPI a commendable and promising step for our youth. However, incorporating a few adjustments into its execution could turn it into a landmark policy. For instance,
The project should be promoted as a “Skills + Degree” model, rather than “Skills vs. Degree.”
- This project could be launched in coordination with universities and colleges.
- The training should be made part-time or flexible to fit academic schedules.
- A system must be put in place to evaluate long-term outcomes and success rates.
- The critical importance of higher education must be explicitly highlighted during the campaign.
In conclusion, while this project is an important initiative for creating employment-oriented skills, its design and promotion need to be shaped carefully so it does not steer young people away from higher education. At present, the project is not directly anti higher education, nor is its intent negative, but without the right balance, it could weaken the trend of pursuing higher education in the long run.
