Libya's General National Congress (GNC) approved a plan last month to train 30,000 young citizens in various disciplines.
The GNC spokesperson confirmed the news April 16th, adding that the legislative body was working to allocate a separate budget for the project.
In addition to steps adopted in the government's plan, the scheme would send 18,000 young people abroad at a rate of 5,000 per year to receive education in various disciplines within the ambitious national project.
For his part, interim Prime Minister Ali Zidan said in an April 17th press conference that the issue of accommodating the rebels and their support was a priority for the government.
He said the support would be through education and rehabilitation, which would provide them with a brighter future, adding, "If we do not understand young people then we will be losers at all levels."
The chairman of veterans' affairs commission, Mustafa el-Sagizli, explained that a three-pronged approach had been prepared to rehabilitate young people and provide them with job opportunities.
The first key area is both higher and vocational education. This programme will be run by the Ministry of Labour and Rehabilitation. El-Sagizli pointed out that there was still illiteracy among young people.
The second area is economic empowerment to establish small and medium-sized projects in collaboration with the economy ministry. Forty two per cent of young people are seeking these opportunities.
The third area regards military and security levels for those former revolutionaries who wish to join these two institutions if the conditions and criteria are met.
El-Sagizli stressed that a number of rehabilitation and training programmes were already carried out by the commission. It dispatched 100 rebel field commanders to Kosovo to view its experience in building its security and military institutions and its methods of integration and building state institutions. There is also another project to train 300 young revolutionaries at the Dubai School of Government. Sixty of them were sent as a first step.
For his part, Libyan Interior Minister Ashour Shuwail pointed out that the process of integrating former revolutionaries into the ministry was proceeding at a fast pace. Rebels were totally integrated in cities, including the eastern towns of al-Qubbah, al-Bayda, Shahhat, Marj, and Ajdabiya.
The number of thwar who submitted applications to join exceeded 50,000, according to the minister.
Prime Minister Zidan announced that the Libyan government planned to establish a National Guard to support the army and police. The National Guard will consist of rebels who join individually and will be under the supervision of the defence ministry and the head of the army chief of staff.
Zidan explained that this guard did not represent any political, ideological or religious movement. It will be established to accommodate all rebels who took up arms during the war of liberation and want to transition from civilian life to military life.
"It is open to anyone provided that they join individually after meeting all medical requirements," the prime minister said. He explained that the guard would protect forests, roads, oil installations and service projects located in the desert and vital facilities located outside the cities.
Salem el-Hadi, an employee with the fighters' commission in Tripoli, said no date was set yet for sending veterans abroad. "We are currently looking for study options abroad but priority will be given to the wounded and amputees. Four battalions of applicants from the capital will be included," he said.
He explained that the enrolment takes place after a personal interview. A training course for four days is organised in the form of daily religious and political lectures in addition to determining English proficiency.
For those wishing to study abroad, priority will be given to fighters who served at the front during the war of liberation of Libya.
"We are now on a pathway leading to state-building," he added.
© Magharebia.com 2013
