The Ministry of Vocational Education has launched a new initiative to visit the homes of schoolchildren and school leavers individually to raise awareness of vocational education opportunities available across the country.

Speaking to The Daily Morning yesterday (23), Deputy Minister of Vocational Education Nalin Hewage said the expansion of vocational education opportunities had contributed to a decline in the national unemployment rate, while the new programme aimed to provide every child with personalised attention.

“We are going to every single house individually to make the child aware of the opportunities they have in vocational education. We let them know about the chances they have, the facilities, where to go to start, and about the loan schemes individually,” he said.

Hewage said the initiative was intended to steer young people away from informal occupations such as three-wheeler driving and encourage them to pursue skill-based careers after completing school.

“There are more than 1.1 million three-wheelers at the moment of speaking, with individuals engaged in three-wheeler driving,” he said.

He stressed that blaming children for turning to such occupations was unproductive, as many were unaware of the opportunities available to them after leaving school.

“But now there are opportunities waiting for them. By the time we came to power, the unemployment rate was 4.4, and now it has been reduced to 3.9,” Hewage said.

He also pointed to widening job opportunities in the tourism sector, as well as increased openings in Government services. Some youth are also being sent abroad for employment.

Looking ahead, the Deputy Minister said that once vocational pathways were firmly established and youth embraced those opportunities, the Government planned to introduce a minimum age requirement of 40 for three-wheeler drivers.

“Only because we want them to go for the vocational opportunities now available for them,” he added.

A tendency among youth to take up three-wheeler driving after leaving school is widely observed, driven by various factors, including the fact that no specialised skills are required and regulations remain fairly loose.

As a result, the number of three-wheeler drivers has increased significantly over the past several decades. The Government’s move to promote vocational education comes in this context.