The president of the parents’ committee of the ‘Learn and Earn’ programme and their lawyer are currently in Japan to carry out their own investigation into the programme. The team went there upon the invitation from a Japanese Non-Governmental Organization.
The visit is aimed to study, verify and look into ways to help the Bhutanese students in Japan.
So far, the team met with over 200 Bhutanese students in nine different Japanese Language Schools.
But restrictions from the Japanese Language Schools and lack of support from Support for New Departure (SND) in organising meetings are the main challenges for the team.
SND based in Japan is the counterpart of Bhutan Employment Overseas (BEO). They were also restricted to cross-check money receipts and how well students were taught in the schools.
The team says they learnt that Bhutanese students were faced with multiple problems from the day they reached Japan. This they claim is because SND failed to guide students as promised by the BEO.
According to the team, most language schools failed to provide any help and guide students but in some schools, students were treated well.
“As of today, we did not hear schools seizing passports. But earlier, there were some reports but luckily Yumiko Kan from the NGO has helped them to get back their passports. It was seized mainly for failing to pay tuition fees,” Ngawang Tobgay, the Legal Officer of the Parents Committee, said.
The team confirmed that of over 200 students they met, more than 50 students decided to return to Bhutan. However, some students with financial support from parents have decided to join in vocational training institutes in Japan.
“One of the reasons of students wanting to return is even after paying, only 50 per cent is confirmed in getting a working visa. And if it is rejected, the amount is non-refundable. They are in a dilemma whether to return or to stay in Japan,” Ngawang Tobgay said.
One Bhutanese student after failing to comply with the Japanese immigration law was deported from Japan in December last year. The team also met with immigration officials to find ways to ensure the same problems do not happen in future.
One of the statements shared by the students to the team was that loan deferment would not be a beneficial solution.
The legal officer said an appropriate solution would be, ” if the government follows some of the employment schemes of the labour ministry where there is cost sharing between the government and company while employing youths.”
“If that scheme is applied for students who are in Japan, that would help to pay off their loan in an easier way. We discussed this scheme and found it appropriate and no illegal issues involved in it,” he said.
At present, there are more than 600 students in Japan under the programme excluding about 100 students who returned to the country last year.
