A MoU has been signed between SAMRIDDHI and five local governments from Koshi Province to provide Vocational Skills Training to unemployed youths under Sub-Component 1.3 Decent Jobs of RERP. A total of 1440 youths will be trained under a cost-sharing partnership with the local governments which is expected to be effective in institutionalizing a result-based financing system at the local level with the aim of state building at federal level.
After several stages of coordination and positive response from the local governments, contracts were signed with Myanglung and Fedap Municipality from Terhathum, Bhojpur, Barahakshetra and Belaka Municipality from Bhojpur, Sunsari, and Udaypur. The local governments will contribute between 5% and 10% of the funds for the implementation of the training, and they will also provide tools and equipment as facilitation to the graduates for employment support. The local government will take ownership, supporting and monitoring throughout the stages from participant selection to result measuring stages, and eventually replicating the modality in coming days.
RERP and Technical Assistance team visited the respective Municipality Offices for discussions, and the contracts were signed with the local representatives. Mayor of Barahakshetra, Mr. Ramesh Karki thanked the project for creating a base for institutionalizing VST at the local level. Similarly, Mayor from Myanglung, Mr. Sanjay Kumar Tunbahangfe added the result-based payment modality makes it more effective compared to the traditional method of merely delivering the training as an event. Mayor of Bhojpur Municipality, Mr. Kailash Kumar Ale admired the modality as it creates state building of result-based financing system directly at the local level, where the real need and demand for skills can be tracked. RERP Project Manager, Mr. Saroj Prasad Guragain expressed his gratitude towards the partnership with local governments to institutionalize the result-based financing modality.
