The National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) has completed a two-day nationwide training program for staff associated with the ASHA Certification Program. The next phase of the program aims to certify 10 lakh Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) across the country.
The program was organized with the joint participation of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) and the National Health Systems Resource Centre (NHSRC). The main objective of the event was to upskill officials to ensure uniform and effective implementation of the certification program at the national level.
Dr. T.N. Giri, Director of Professional Education at NIOS, reported that the certification program is currently being implemented in 22 states and three Union territories. He specified that over 2.27 lakh ASHA workers have been registered, of whom more than 1.65 lakh have already been certified.
Dr. Giri noted that the next phase involves certifying 10 lakh ASHA workers. He added that this initiative aligns with the concepts of 'From Self-Learning to Self-Reliance' and 'Developed India, Skilled India.'
Dr. Rakesh Bohare, Senior Joint Director of the Madhya Pradesh National Health Mission, emphasized that continuous learning and experience sharing will be crucial for the success of the program, enhancing the competence and service delivery capabilities of ASHA workers.
Delivering the keynote address, Dr. Nilima Mishra, Director of the National Institute of Biologics, characterized ASHA workers as the backbone of India's public health system. She stated that the certification program will strengthen their professional skills and competencies while improving the quality of medical care through a transparent digital certification platform.
Mishra called this initiative a 'significant investment in building a Healthy India,' noting that it will contribute to increasing the efficiency of the country's public healthcare system.
The Chairman of NIOS, Professor Akhilesh Mishra, who presided over the closing session, stated that strengthening the training and ensuring quality certification of ASHA workers is an important step towards improving the effectiveness of primary healthcare in India. He also highly appreciated the joint efforts of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, NHSRC, and NIOS in implementing the program, expressing confidence that this initiative will be a milestone in ensuring transparent certification and quality training for ASHA workers across the nation.
The eThekwini city administration, in collaboration with the business sector, has announced the launch of a program aimed at training and employing local residents in jobs vacated by departing foreign nationals.
The program focuses on sectors such as the textile industry, machine operator roles, hospitality, and other service areas. According to the eThekwini Clothing and Leather Council, approximately 5000 jobs may become vacant, but filling these positions is proving to be an extremely difficult task.
The mass departure of thousands of foreign nationals, returning to their countries of origin under pressure, has led to a large number of available jobs. Recently, the Labour and Civil Society Organization (LACO) reported that thanks to pressure on companies to replace foreign workers with locals, about 4000 South Africans have secured employment.
The office of the eThekwini mayor stated that in partnership with the Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry, a program will soon be launched to train and place local residents in positions previously held by undocumented foreigners. The Mayor of eThekwini, Cyril Shabha, met with the CEO of the Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Palosa Phil, and representatives from the clothing and textile sector to explore ways to accelerate machine operator training in line with the industry's growing demand.
The municipality also intends to expand this program to the hospitality and scooter delivery services supporting retail trade, thereby increasing employment opportunities for local residents while simultaneously addressing a critical skills shortage in these sectors.
A representative of the eThekwini Clothing and Leather Council noted that although they were not present at the meeting, the situation is critical and poses a serious threat to the industry in eThekwini. Previously, the organization had acknowledged the employment of foreign nationals, including some who might have been in the country illegally. The Council stated that it could not find local residents interested in working, especially in the machine operator position, which is central to its operations. It added that finding such a specialist locally remains difficult, noting that 18 positions recently became available, but none have been filled yet.
Tanasagren Rubbanathan Mudli, a council representative, emphasized that training local residents would take about six months, but this is unavoidable as it concerns saving local jobs. He specified that in the industry, which employs around 10,000 people, roughly half are foreigners and the other half are locals. Without the participation of foreigners, local jobs cannot exist.
He also expressed concern about the training process, pointing out that even if locals are trained, who will conduct the training while the business fulfills orders? He noted that one can only train a person for a month before they leave, requiring everything to start over.
Mudli added that for effective training, there should be foreign workers who could train the locals, given that machines in the textile industry are not identical. Furthermore, he pointed out that the industry itself does not encourage people to take these positions. The fashion industry dictates the price of the product, meaning the only way for companies to remain profitable is to produce large volumes. Thus, the machine operator job is labor-intensive but is not paid even minimum wage because the company cannot afford it, leading workers to work for less than minimum wage.
He warned that if the necessary skills are not found in the coming weeks, companies will begin to close, leading to job losses even for local residents. Some businesses are already closing, while others are considering relocating their operations elsewhere.
