Government Concerned
Ticos Losing Jobs For
Not Speaking English
The government of Oscar
Arias says it is
concerned that many
Costa Ricans are losing
jobs because they can't
speak English, this in
the face of a number of
new companies coming
into Costa Rica to set
up business.
Many young Ticos
continue unemployed when
they could be working if
only they could speak
English, is the object
of an analysis of the
Consejo de Gobierno
(cabinet) that held its
session at the home of
president Arias in
Rohrmoser yesterday.
Arias has been
incapacitated this past
week, twisting an ankle,
and on doctor's advice
to rest, decided to hold
his cabinet meeting at
home, where in reality
he has greeted visiting
dignitaries and
celebrities like Mel
Gibson, rather than at
Casa Presidencial.
"The country is facing a
problem, about how the
greatest number of
people, especially the
young so that they can
learn English and the
importance of how to
meet the needs of the
companies that would
like to come to the
country to invest and
the need for qualified
personnel and especially
that they can speak
English", said the
ministro de la
presidencia, Rodrigo
Arias.
Minister Arias
emphasized the case of
Hewlett Packard that
began operations in
Costa Rica with only 160
employees that spoke
English fluently and now
employees 5.000 and is
still in need of 2.000
more.
"The country is facing a
serious problem because
we do not have the
quantity of young people
that can speak the
foreign language", said
minister Arias.
Given the problem, the
government will be
supporting the efforts
of the Ministerio de
Educación Pública (MEP)
and the Instituto
Nacional de Aprendizaje
(INA) - national
appreniceship institute
- to offer more English
programs.
The sceond
vice-president, Kevin
Casa, has been given the
job coordinating the
efforts of the group and
is to report within 15
days with a proposal to
face the problem and
measures to be taken by
the government to meet
the demands of business.
For his part, the
minister of education,
Leonardo Garnier, said
that his ministry has
been working on the
problem. along with the
INA and the foreign
trade ministry.
Minister Garnier said he
recognizes that teaching
English has to be
strengthened in the
colleges in the medium
and long term with the
objective of ensuring
that the young are ready
to meet the job
opportunities.
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