Opinion-makers urged to sensitize masses on TVET

KARACHI, 11 April, 2013: Speakers at the seminar have urged the opinion makers including the media to create awareness about technical and vocational education and training (TVET) and help the youth to create their own destinies by attaining employee bale skills.

This was the crux of a one day seminar on Media Sensitization which was organized by Sindh Technical Education and Vocational Training Authority in collaboration with GIZ-TVET Reform Support Program, co funded by the European Union, the Embassy of Kingdom of Netherlands and Federal Republic of Germany. Media persons from both electronic and print media participated in the seminar, which was conducted to create awareness about the activities and initiatives taken by STEVTA for the promotion and development of technical and vocational education in Sindh.

Director STEVTA Syed Nazar Ali opened the session and informed the audiences about the initiatives of STEVTA for the betterment of the technical education system in Sindh. He said due to social and cultural issues, technical education in Pakistan is not preferred by the youth as well as their parents. He said the media can play an instrumental role in undermining the negative perception towards this stream of education and help the young generation to shape their better future. He was grateful to TVET Reform Support Programme supporting the seminar at national level for the awareness raising on TVET system in Pakistan.

Raja Saad Khan, National Deputy Coordinator GIZ-TVET Reform Support Programme/GIZ gave the background of the TVET reform initiatives in all over Pakistan. He discussed about the issues prevailing in Pakistan regarding the status of technical and vocational education. He said that media can play a pivotal role in creating awareness to the bureaucrats and public. Mr. Masroor Ahmed Shaikh, Director Academics and Training STEVTA gave a presentation about the initiatives taken by STEVTA during last six years. STEVTA has 265 institutes all over the province. The programs which they offer include B.Tech, Post DAE Diploma, DCOM, DIT, Vocational Diplomas and short courses, he said.

He told the audiences that STEVTA has taken many major initiatives such as curriculum up-gradation through German experts, institutional infrastructural development, and faculty development through Technical Trainings at National Institute of Science of Technical Education (NISTE) etc. which will go a long way in improving the Learning Environment at their institutions. He said the STEVTA is trying to develop qualitative workforce that should meet local and international labor market needs by ensuring excellence in training.

The session was then followed by the questions and answers session from the audiences. Media gave valuable outputs and suggestions for the promotion of technical education in the province.