May 9: A Rural Development Training Centre has been opened in Zhemgang.

The centre was built with assistance from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation to help school leavers help enhance skills and knowledge on agriculture production and rural development.

The centre was opened by the Agriculture Secretary Sherub Gyeltshen and the former member of Swiss Federal Council and President of the Confederation of Switzerland Ms. Ruth Dreifuss.

The Director of the Rural Development Training Centre said the centre will help enhance skills and knowledge on agriculture production and rural development. It will also help create employment opportunities by providing apprenticeship training for school leavers.

The Agriculture Secretary Sherub Gyeltshen said with an increasing number of students graduating from schools every year, finding jobs is becoming extremely competitive. He said the centre has been established looking at the needs of the rural population.

Also speaking at the function, the former member of the Swiss Federal Council and the President of the Confederation of Switzerland Ms. Ruth Dreifuss said the centre will help solve the problem of unemployment.

Currently there are 26 trainees at the institute. They are learning vegetable production and livestock rearing.

The centre has five academic blocks, a farm and staff quarters. Dzongkhag officials, Rabdey monks, sector heads and farmers attended the inauguration ceremony.