ޓިވެޓް އޮތޯރިޓީއާއި ކްއީންސްލޭންޑް ޔުނިވަރސިޓީ އޮފް ޓެކްނޮލޮޖީއާ ގުޅިގެން އެޕްރެންޓިސްޝިޕް ޕްރޮގްރާމްގެ އޮނިގަނޑު އެކުލަވާލުމުގެ މަޝްވަރާ ބައްދަލުވުން ފެށުމުގެ ރަސްމިއްޔާތުގައި ރައީސުލްޖުމްހޫރިއްޔާ މުޙަންމަދު ނަޝީދު ދެއްކެވި ވާހަކަފުޅު

I will attempt to speak in both languages.

Good morning, officials from the Australian Queensland University of Technology, and also all those who are present here at this gathering.

We start this workshop as I understand, in a very appropriate moment in time. We have more than 27% of our youth unemployed. Meanwhile we have more than 73000 expatriate labourers, out of which a good 28000 are semi-skilled or skilled. The youth are unable to find work not because there is no work, but simply because they do not have the necessary skills for work.

We have a fair amount of young people leaving secondary school now, at least 10000 in a year. And we do have enough jobs to match that. But as most of the school leavers are not necessarily geared to the work that is to be done, we are now in this very difficult and awkward situation.

To overcome this, the government is working on a skills development programme, and it aims to train more than 8100 youth through out 2011 and 2012. So tonight just pointed out that we already have 405 students studying. And we have more than 2800 students contracted for a training programme.

So therefore because this workshop aims to increase capacity in technical, vocational training programme, I would assume that this is going to increase capacity in our training. And hopefully also because the training programme is measured for a period of time it is going to be conducted until we get 8500 young people trained. This programme hopefully will in-build, in a sense, in to our training programmes and education programmes so that this can be sustainably always maintained.

We are grateful to the government of Australia. Since 2008 the Australian government has drastically scaled up their engagement and their assistance to the government of Maldives and the people of the Maldives. They have increased their scholarship programme to 40 scholarships from 2, and their skill training programme. And I am sure we can continue, with the government of Australia on a number of similar skill training and capacity building so soon.

So therefore I am thankful to the Australian Prime Minister, and its government and its people.