Al Bilad newspaper Mufeez to “Al-Bilad”: “Tamkeen” is developing a plan to control violations related to the employment program – 2024-02-11 00:27:35

• Reviewing performance evaluation periodically and activating oversight to verify the safety and smoothness of procedures

• “Tamkeen” is a dynamic organization… and we pursue flexibility in our work

• An opportunity to bring about change in the market and increase Bahraini competitiveness in the private sector

• We have developed partnerships with local and international training bodies to develop national cadres

• Digital transformation and electronic system development contributed to improving the quality of services

• Increased oversight visits to institutions benefiting from our programs 6 times more than before

• Every challenge is an opportunity to develop, update and learn

• We aim to support 50,000 Bahrainis per year

• Continue the digital transformation process this year to improve services and oversight

• A sum of 10,290 dinars was recently recovered from a violating company

Maha Mufeez, CEO of the Labor Fund (Tamkeen), revealed to Al-Bilad that a plan has been developed to control violations related to the employment program, which includes new procedures.
In an interview conducted by Editor-in-Chief Mu’nis Al-Mardi, she spoke in detail about the measures taken to limit the misuse of support amounts.
She said: All “Tamkeen” programs are strict and subject to regulatory regulations and standards. In order to support and preserve public funds and the rights of beneficiaries, and it is updated from time to time; With the aim of ensuring the protection of public money.
She added: We have developed the oversight process by creating a plan to control employment-related violations, which includes new procedures at the Oversight Department and affiliated mechanisms, including increasing the number of oversight visits to institutions benefiting from our programs directed at supporting employment and career development, at a rate of 6 times more than before, and creating a new mechanism with the Ministry. Work to notify “Tamkeen” in cases of dismissal, and take the necessary measures according to the list of violations, which include recovering support amounts, or depriving the employer of benefiting from the program, in the event that the employers are proven to have violated the terms and conditions of the programs and the Fund’s regulations.

Most notable changes
First, can we talk about the most notable recent changes that occurred in Tamkeen’s programs and support plans?

This year, “Tamkeen” went through radical changes at various levels, as we witnessed a major transformation in our programs and services, especially after restructuring all our programs according to 3 main initiatives, which include supporting employment, supporting career development, in addition to supporting institutions.
Through this package, we aim to expand the scope of the beneficiary groups, so that 50,000 Bahrainis are supported annually, and this goal is the largest since its founding.
Of course, without a doubt, “Tamkeen” is an effective and prominent institution within the Bahrain Team system, and thus our work is integrated with all partners in this system. Because the common goal is to contribute to the advancement of the Kingdom of Bahrain and serve its honorable people, and to focus on the Bahraini citizen, and we carry this goal with all seriousness, and we continue our work to play our role in adding positively to the national economy, and enhancing the role of the Bahraini and his competitiveness in the labor market, as part of our role within the market system. Labor and the private sector.
“Tamkeen” is also naturally a dynamic institution, as we pursue flexibility in our work by constantly monitoring market variables and studying the needs of different sectors, whether current or future, and thus ensuring that our programs and services are compatible with these variables.

the biggest challenge
What challenges do you face in implementing support plans?

Every challenge is an opportunity, an opportunity for you to develop, update, experiment, learn, and also review performance and decide whether to build on it or evolve your way of working to improve results.
Today we face a great responsibility, and the biggest challenge we face lies in how to redouble our efforts. Because what is required of Tamkeen in the coming period is more than double the efforts made in previous years.
We are happy that we have the opportunity to bring about change in the market and increase Bahraini competitiveness in the private sector, through a number of initiatives that support new entrants in the labor market, as well as expanding career development and training programs to a much greater extent than before.
We are proud of this package of programs and initiatives that we have launched, and this, if anything, indicates the leadership’s belief in Tamkeen’s ability to carry this responsibility with all seriousness and ability, and to contribute to achieving economic impact at the level of the institution or individuals, and on the national economy in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

Digital transformation
How does the Labor Fund (Tamkeen) evaluate institutional performance?

“Tamkeen” is an institution based on clear objectives according to the Fund’s law, as well as on quantitative and qualitative performance indicators, so as to enhance the efficiency of the process of measuring the performance and impact of all programs and services.
We have developed many partnerships with accredited local and international training bodies. To develop national cadres and provide them with the skills required in the labor market, and among the specializations that have been focused on are training and programming in the field of information technology, in addition to professional programs in the field of insurance, actuaries, and other companies, and we are happy with the positive results of these training programs.
We are also keen to review the performance evaluation periodically, and also activate the role of oversight. To verify the safety and smoothness of procedures.
We also rely heavily on employing technological solutions, as we undertook a comprehensive transformation process that included restructuring and digital transformation. The system was linked with the relevant bodies and the use of technology to communicate with customers and beneficiaries for monitoring and follow-up.
The digital transformation process will continue this year. With the aim of continuing to improve services and oversight.

A plan to control violations
Tell us more about the measures taken to reduce the misuse of support amounts, and what solutions are adopted in this regard? To what extent do you follow up on cases whose contracts are terminated after the end of the support period? How is coordination done with the relevant authorities to reduce these violations?

We take our responsibility to direct support to those who deserve it seriously, through continuous development and updating of the procedures adopted at the internal and external levels.
At the program level, all “Tamkeen” programs are robust and subject to regulatory systems and standards. In order to support and preserve public funds and the rights of beneficiaries, which are updated from time to time; With the aim of ensuring the protection of public money. We are keen to follow a regulation of violations, which includes a list of violations and the penalties resulting from them.
We have also developed the oversight process by developing a plan to control employment-related violations, which includes new procedures in the Oversight Department and affiliated mechanisms, including:
Increasing the number of oversight visits to institutions benefiting from our programs aimed at supporting employment and career development, at a rate of 6 times more than before.
Verifying withdrawals from employment support programs during or after the end of the support period; To verify that there are no violations.
Developing a new mechanism with the Ministry of Labor to notify “Tamkeen” in cases of dismissal, and to refer any suspicions related to dismissal by the Fund to the relevant authorities.
Taking the necessary measures according to the list of violations, including recovering support amounts or depriving the employer of benefiting from the program, in the event that business owners are proven to have violated the terms and conditions of the programs and the Fund’s regulations.
Recently, we created a hotline; To encourage those affected to report any violations or suspicions.
We also conducted a recent investigation and conducted surveys with a large number of individuals who completed the support period within the National Employment Programme. From the results of the survey, we found that the number of dismissals does not exceed 1% of the number of current beneficiaries, and they have been referred to the relevant authorities. To verify all these cases, and take the necessary measures in accordance with the violations regulations.

Recruitment and development
What are Tamkeen’s strategic priorities for the coming period?

Our focus in the coming period is on supporting employment opportunities and career development for Bahrainis, through expanding programs to integrate Bahrainis into the labor market, providing support for Bahraini wages, and training them in appropriate skills, which contribute to raising their opportunities for career development.
Tamkeen’s support includes developing the private sector and ecosystem, and advancing the labor market through a number of initiatives, which include, for example, Bahrain Skills.

Our doors are open
In conclusion, what message do you send to all beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries of support programs?

Today, we are working according to a promising vision and an ambitious goal more than ever before, by aiming to support 50,000 Bahrainis. This requires a double effort from us to ensure that the support reaches its beneficiaries in full, expand the support segments, and build an effective and fruitful partnership with all the entities that make up the market. Working with the combined efforts of our partners in the Bahrain team.
It is also a shared responsibility with the private sector; Because delivering this support requires initiative from individuals and institutions in submitting their requests for programs that are compatible with their developmental stages and development goals.
Our doors are open to every Bahraini who wants to hone his skills and accelerate his journey in career development, and to every owner of an organization who believes in the ability of Bahraini cadres to build success and excellence and increase the productivity of his organization.