Lawmaker wants more paid training courses

Lawmaker Leong Sun Iok has asked the local government to expand the government paid training program to more sectors. In Leong’s interpellation to the SAR government, the lawmaker pointed out that the first two phases of the program had shortages of supplies and recorded a large number of applications. The first two phases included a total of 1,200 vacancies and Leong wants more vacancies. He also wants the government to include workers who became unemployed before the fourth quarter of 2019 and this year’s university graduates in the program. The government should, according to Leong, also disclose support measures for currently employed workers whose jobs have been affected by Covid-19.

Special education amendment expected this year

The Education and Youth Affairs Bureau (DSEJ) has planned to submit the amendment of special education regulation to the Executive Council within this year. The bureau expects the proposal to be passed into law in 2020 as well. The amendment involves an assessment for integrated program students. In the academic year of 2019/2020, Macau has a total of 77 schools, 43 of which provide integrated education services, including nine public schools and 34 private schools. In the academic year of 2018/2019, all integrated program students were successfully put into a school. Currently, no special education students have been forced to drop out of school.

More municipal projects to provide 700 jobs

The Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM) said it plans to launch 60 municipal projects next month, which will yield over 700 jobs. The projects involved include the renovation and optimization of 60 public bathrooms, the maintenance of iron railings in the streets of Macau, the exterior decoration of urban areas, the renewal of door number boards, the optimization of pedestrian walkways, and the maintenance of roads, among others. The IAM already adjusted its tender system to increase opportunities for small and medium-sized companies by allowing more local SMEs to participate in construction projects, as well as to hire more local workers.