Khaberni - The Financial Parliamentary Committee held a meeting chaired by Dr. Nimr Al-Saleihat to discuss the budget of the Ministry of Labor and its affiliated departments, attended by the Minister of Labor, Dr. Khaled Al-Bakkar, Assistant General Manager of the Development and Employment Fund, Nizar Al-Saoub, General Manager of the Vocational Training Corporation, Ahmed Ghraibeh, in addition to the Acting General Manager of the General Budget Department, Ayman Abu Al-Rub.
During the meeting, Al-Saleihat emphasized the pivotal role of the Ministry of Labor as the body responsible for developing and regulating the labor market, stressing the need to translate budget projects into enhancing employment opportunities and improving the work environment in the Kingdom.
He pointed out that monitoring the reality of the labor market has become an urgent necessity to ensure the improvement of economic performance, clarifying that the files of substitution, labor regulation, development of vocational and technical training, and enhancing partnerships with the private sector form fundamental pillars for building a more efficient and responsive labor system to market requirements.
He also called for enhancing institutional coordination to address issues of expatriate labor, protecting children from labor, and developing inspection procedures, besides maximizing opportunities for employing Jordanian talents abroad, particularly in the German market, to achieve a regulated and fair labor market capable of providing sustainable employment opportunities.
On his part, Al-Bakkar stressed the Ministry's commitment to keeping pace with the priorities of the upcoming phase, explaining that the proposed budget was prepared to meet the demands of the labor market. He pointed out that the Ministry is strongly heading towards employing technology and artificial intelligence for monitoring market data, improving operational and oversight procedures, and developing smart training platforms that enhance the quality of training programs.
Al-Bakkar noted that investing in technology has become a central axis in the Ministry's strategy, aiming to align the outputs of the workforce with the requirements of the digital economy.
He explained that the Ministry's budget reached 36.3 million dinars, with an increase of about 18 million dinars from the previous year due to a significant increase in capital expenditure, which amounted to about 25 million dinars.
In his turn, Al-Saoub said that the Fund represents the financial arm to support small and micro projects, aiming to empower youth and create new job opportunities. The Fund operates according to financing programs aimed at small and medium official projects, with ongoing management of interest files and collection and addressing financial struggles, where its budget reached about 2.8 million dinars, an increase of 226 thousand dinars.
For his part, Ghraibeh presented the development features witnessed by the institution, confirming that it is undergoing a significant transformation through the establishment of modern institutes equipped for theoretical training and digital skills.
He referred to the development of the institution's workshops to keep pace with modern professions such as digital technologies, maintenance of electric vehicles, hydroponics, and advanced industrial engineering, in addition to the increase in the number of workshops from 262 to 307 after adding 45 new workshops.
He clarified that the institution's budget reached 27 million dinars, with an increase of 5.7 million dinars, most of which is allocated for capital expenditures supporting development.
The members of the committee raised several observations regarding the budget of the Ministry and its affiliated departments, confirming the importance of improving the efficiency of employment and vocational training programs, regulating expatriate labor, and directing capital spending towards productive projects that provide sustainable job opportunities.
They stressed that developing the training system and aligning it with market needs are essential paths to support the economy and empower youth.
