A major milestone in the employable skills development of youth of Pakistan was achieved here on Tuesday with the signing of agreements to upgrade the selected model Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) schools into four Centres of Excellence (CoEs) in Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).
With provisions of modern equipments, improved curricula and trained teachers these CoEs will be offering standard skills training education to youth as per job market.
Setting up the CoEs in Pakistan is acknowledged as a traditional programme under EU’s Global Gate way venture in which EU uses public as well as private fund all over the world.
Supported by European Union and the Federal Republic of Germany and in partnership with GIZ and the British Council together with NAVTTC, it forms a part of a larger approach towards the development of the sector with a focused consultation on youth employment in TVET sector.
The sign was performed in the presence of the Secretary Education, Minister for Federal Education and Professions Training Mohyuddin Ahmad Wani, the EU Deputy Ambassador, Philipp Oliver Gross, NAVTTC, the TVET sector support programme and provincial governments of Balochistan, KP and Gilgit Baltistan.
Mohammed Amir Jan, Executive Director of NAVTTC, and Dr. MansoorZaibKhan, the Head of the TVET Sector Support Programme, both inked the agreements on behalf of the project and each province.
Speaking at the occasion, Deputy Head of Mission of the EU Delegation to Pakistan, Philipp Oliver Gross said that it was high time to improve the standard of the TVET to dispute youth IT unemployment particularly women IT unemployed. “I believe Pakistan’s young people are its biggest strength,” he said. It took some time to reach such a state; however, young women should have the opportunity to reach their full potential. The EU has policy in TVET for inclusive and sustainable development. We have seen some great improvements in this type of sector already.” He also described the detail role of CoE in establishing the model for the modern TVET systems in the regions of KP, GB and Balochistan.
Speaking on the occasion Secretary of Education Mohyuddin Ahmad Wani thanked the European Union and Germany for supporting the TVET sector in Pakistan. “These initiatives will enable our youth to produce competencies for better employment opportunities so that the country would be benefited,” he added.
These new CoEs will support professional development of teachers, research on effective practise, development of new ideas and creation of business incubation. New support mechanisms will connect training with the needs of the economy, offering contemporary technologies within important sectors. The COEs to be established at GB, KP and Balochistan will address the gaps in the institutional capacities of TVET institutes and will act as beacons for the TVET sector.
The current speech of Mohammed Amir Jan, Executive Director of NAVTTC further underlined this initiative.