Bahrain's unrelenting efforts to slash unemployment and create jobs for university graduates have paid off.

The rate of unemployment has dropped from 15 per cent to 4 per cent over the past years, said a report in the Gulf Daily News (GDN), our sister publication.

The updated figures were released yesterday at the weekly Cabinet meeting chaired by His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa.

The government has managed to reduce unemployment substantially despite the increasing number of jobseekers entering the labour market.

The session followed up government initiatives to provide jobs for citizens.

According to updated figures, 1,199 university graduates have found jobs in the public and private sectors - out of a total of 1,912.

HRH the Premier gave directives for the remaining to be placed in the public and private sectors.

The session decided to extend the scheme aimed at employing jobless university graduates until December.

The Cabinet gave the Labour Ministry additional time after listening to an explanation from Labour Minister Jameel Humaidan.

It heard the ministry had already succeeded in training and securing employment for 1,199 graduates in the private and public sectors.

However, it was unable to meet the deadline of December 31 for all of them due to a lack of suitable jobs in the fields of humanities, social sciences and applied geography.

Minister of State for Information Affairs and official government spokeswoman Sameera Rajab told a press conference yesterday that the government was keen to clear the list.

"It has proven success over the past year with the employment of 1,199 graduates in both the private and public sectors, but there are others who still remain and their situation needs to be addressed, as more time is required to deal with their problems," she said.

"The government has no intention to scrap the three specialisations from Bahrain University due to their importance, but is working to ensure graduates from the three fields are found suitable jobs.

"With further training and rehabilitation we are able to give those graduates necessary appeal."

Meanwhile, the Cabinet yesterday accepted a memorandum presented by Humaidan on the ministry's achievements last year.

It outlines efforts to support economic and social development, to protect both the Bahraini and expatriate workforce and to keep unemployment low.

It also sheds light on the ministry's work to provide a qualified Bahraini workforce, to promote an atmosphere of trust between employers and employees as well as to support social dialogue.

Two other key projects aimed at employing 10,000 and improving salaries for Bahrainis were also on the agenda.

The Civil Service Bureau was assigned to study the situation of temporary university employees in government departments and then offer them permanent jobs, taking into account their specialities and allocated funds.

The Cabinet approved allocation of houses to many divorcees, widows and unmarried women.

The ministers also condemned deadly bombings that hit Egypt. - TradeArabia News Service