The Small-Scale Industries Department will organise a basic training course on bamboo handicraft in Sittwe, Arakan State.

The training course will be conducted in the Arakan State capital from December 1-15, according to the head of Arakan State’s Small-Scale Industries Department.

“The purpose of this training is to help small businesses develop in Arakan State, establish manageable-scale business, and create employment opportunities and contribute to the development of the region,” the official explained.

The course will accommodate 20 trainees, with a daily allowance of K3,000 per trainee, according to the state’s Department of Small-Scale Industries.

“There will also be food training courses on how to make a variety of jams, juices and baked goods,” he added.

Those who want to attend the training course can register at Arakan State’s Department of Small-Scale Industries in Sittwe or by calling 09 250 188 552.

The training course will be conducted commercially and if trainees want to start a business, they will be provided with advice and support from the Department of Small-Scale Industries, the state department head said.

Similar training courses will be conducted in all Arakan State townships in the next fiscal year, he added.

Daw Nyo Aye, chairwoman of the Rakhine Women’s Network, said she was concerned that the trainees would not be sufficiently educated as the course on offer is short, though she added that the course’s objective to create more employment opportunities was a worthy one.

“This training is a good sign. For one thing, it is a short-term course, so we need to re-evaluate whether the trainees can get a full education. Another thing is [to consider] how much knowledge they have gained will enter the market. We need to think about it,” she said.

The Rakhine Women’s Network is currently conducting six-month tailoring courses for women from camps for internally displaced people (IDPs) in Arakan State.