Pakistan TVET REFORM Support Programme Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Reform support Programme
Sept 13, 2012
LAHORE: Speakers at a seminar here on Thursday stressed the need for active role of the industry for delivery of vocational and technical training in Pakistan.
This was the crux of a day-long national seminar entitled “Public Private Partnership for Vocational Training” organized by Punjab Vocational Training Council (PVTC) in collaboration of TVET Reform Support Programme/GIZ.
TVET Reform Support Programme is a five year initiative launched in 2011 to support Pakistan modernize its Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) with financial assistance from the European Union, the Kingdom of Netherlands and Federal Republic of Germany.
Pakistan’s former Finance Minister, and Vice Chancellor of Beaconhouse National University Dr. Sirtaj Aziz Khan was the keynote speaker, while Chairman PVTC Fasail Ijaz Khan, Coordinator TVET Reform Support Programme Dr. Ute Hoffmann, leading industrialists, employers and government officials from all over Pakistan participated in the seminar.
The objective of the seminar was to showcase some of the existing successful models of Public Private Partnership, involving the industries in Punjab, and explore the avenues for their replication across Pakistan. PVTC has been going into ventures with leading industries by using their infrastructure to produce skilled workers since 1998. In the seminar, a short documentary was also played on projects, being run through industries.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Sirtaj Aziz Khan said; Pakistan has immense potential in shape of its increasing youth population. The youth can turn around the economy only when they possess skills, which are globally competitive and increase opportunities for employability. He said; the public sector infrastructure to impart vocational and technical training is limited, thus it is the industry and private sector that has to take the lead role in revamping the existing delivery system.
PVTC Chairman Fasial Ijaz Khan informed the participants that PVTC has been actively engaging the industry for imparting technical and vocational training. Currently PVTC is running a number of projects with leading Punjab based industrial units and these models can be replicated across Pakistan.
Coordinator TVET Reform Support Programme Dr. Ute Hoffmann said; private sector is considered to be instrumental for promotion and delivery of vocational training all over the world, mainly because the public sector cannot meet the demand on its own. Practical training under real working conditions achieves the best skills development results.
In the seminar participants discussed the possibilities for replication of the PVTC models in other provinces.
