Hala El-Said, Minister of Planning and Economic Development said on Saturday that unemployment indicators for the fourth quarter of 2019 showed a decrease in the unemployment rate to 8% compared to 8.9% in Q4 of the previous year.
El-Said pointed to a number of positive results that were achieved during the fourth quarter of 2019, including the increase in the size of the workforce to reach about 28.9 million inpiduals compared to 28.4 million inpiduals for the comparative quarter of 2018, with an increase of 1.9%, in addition to high rates of participation in economic activity for the first time in three years, to record about 43.1% of the total workforce, with an increase in the female contribution to 16.4% compared to 15.1%, and the male percentage of this rate is 68.1%.
She added that the rural workforce recorded a rate higher than its urban counterpart by about 4.8 million inpiduals, as the number of rural workers recorded 15.5 million workers, compared to 11.1 million workers in urban areas, which led to a significant decrease in the unemployment rate in the countryside to reach 5.4% compared to 7.5% For the same quarter of 2018.
The minister explained that despite the relatively high rate of unemployment among the unemployed, this percentage started to witness a significant decrease, expecting the continuation of the decline rate in that category, especially as a result of the development witnessed by the education system and the establishment of more colleges that keep pace with the ongoing labor market developments such as technological colleges and societal, technical schools linked to work in factories to change the composition of graduates who need the labor market, explaining that three technology universities were opened during the current academic year in New Cairo, Beni Suef and Quesna.
She added that the two categories (30 to 39, 40 to 49 years) acquired the highest contribution rates in economic activity, each amounting to 60.3%.
She pointed out that the activities of agriculture and fishing, wholesale and retail trade, followed by the activity of household service personnel, they are The most important economic activities that attracted the largest percentage of those entering the labor market or those converting from other activities for the year 2019.
El Said said that the manufacturing industry is the most accommodating sector for new entrants to the labor market, reflecting the efforts made during previous periods, stressing that the jobs generated from this sector are characterized by an increase in productivity and sustainability, compared to jobs generated from other productive sectors, as well as the contribution of this type More jobs in sustainable growth, achieving overall and sectoral development goals.
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