The Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) hosted a launch event to mark the official integration of the “safe migration module” into the national TVET curriculum.
The launch was presided over by the ministry’s standing secretary of state Pich Sophoan. The event gathered approximately 100 key stakeholders involved in TVET (technical and vocational education and training).
In a joint press release, the ministry and IOM said the integration aims to raise awareness of safe migration among TVET trainees, many of whom are prospective migrants seeking better employment opportunities abroad.
They said that improving awareness about safe migration can help potential migrants make informed decisions.
“With growing numbers of international migrants, it is crucial to promote education and awareness on safe migration among potential migrants and youth in a sustainable and systematic manner,” it added.
Sophoan said the safe migration training programme will contribute to raising awareness among current and potential migrant workers about their rights, obligations and options for safe, orderly and regular migration, as well as the risks of irregular migration.
“This training programme will also offer the chance to all Cambodians to get clear information about the benefits and challenges of migration and hopefully they will come to consider employment migration as an option but not an obligation,” he added.
He continued that migrant workers are one of the main driving forces of socio-economic growth in Cambodia through remittances and the skills they gain from working abroad.
Kristin Parco, IOM’s chief of mission in Cambodia, commented that she sincerely hopes the TVET and relevant institutions as well as development partners will use this document as a compass for a successful implementation of the Safe Migration Training Programme to increase the positive impact of labour migration on Cambodia’s development, improving living standards and skills development of Cambodian migrants.
“As such, the integration of the safe migration module in the national TVET curriculum will contribute to the advancement of Sustainable Development Goals and the Global Compact for Safe, Regular and Orderly Migration,” she said.
According to the ministry, in 2021, Cambodian migrant workers sent home more than $3 billion in remittances to their families, representing a sharp increase from the $1.2 billion in 2020, which saw a drop in numbers due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The $3 billion sent from abroad is equivalent to about 4.9 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP).
