Saturday, August 26, 2006
javascript:; http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/print.asp?page=2006\08\26\story_26-8-2006_pg5_13
Govt to set up 100 technical educational institutions
* The aim is to produce one million skilled workforce annually by 2010
ISLAMABAD: The government is to set up 100 technical education and vocational training institutions on fast track basis to supplement the National Vocational and Technical Education Commissionââ¬â¢s (NAVTEC) comprehensive programme to produce one million appropriately skilled workforce annually by 2010.
This initiative would also help the government to meet the requirements of the skilled workforce of the export-oriented industries, which are at present facing an acute shortage of sk1illed workers to enhance production of exportable products, a government official told the Daily Times on Friday.
The official also informed that a high-level meeting held recently decided that the ministry of finance, ministry of labour and manpower and ministry of industries and production will jointly finalize modalities for the setting up of these 100 institutes on fast track basis. The ministry of finance will also study the policies adopted by other countries, especially Malaysia, to finance training activities through interventions such as tax incentives.
The World Trade Organizationââ¬â¢s proposed trade in services agreement would also provide opportunities to developing countries, including Pakistan, to export skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled workers to developed countries, especially European countries. Those countries would be able to benefit from this agreement that would have enough facilities to train their workforce according to their national requirements as well as the international demand, the official said.
A meeting presided over by Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz was informed that now there is a widening gap between industry and training institutes as a result of the inability of training institutes to keep up with new technologies. Also, there is an imbalance between supply and demand of skilled workers and the government will initiate short, medium and long term training programmes to produce high quality skilled manpower in priority areas.
NAVTEC will be an apex body for formulating policy and providing support and regulatory framework. NAVTEC is to take immediate steps to identify local and global demands and initiate need-based training programmes to bridge the skill gap for local consumption, as well as for oversees employment.
The meeting directed to provide cluster-focused training and particularly focus on the fields of nursing and paramedics, construction industry, hospitality sector, transport sector and telephone operators as there is a great demand for high quality workers in these fields.
NAVTEC was also directed to maintain gender balance, ensure the quality of training programmes, hire experts both from local and foreign markets as trainers, use the facilities of existing public and private sector institutions and strengthen the capacity of existing public sector institutions.
The meeting also agreed to a suggestion made by NAVTEC that special cells be created at the offices of chief ministers to coordinate the skills development training.
In phase-I NAVTEC will develop databases of existing facilities and work focus. Their five-year implementation programme includes development of skillsââ¬â¢ standards, curriculum development and course design, public-private partnership projects, public sector expansion, developing performance assessment parameters, international linkages and effective monitoring and evaluation. sajid chaudhry
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006\08\26\story_26-8-2006_pg5_13
javascript:; http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/print.asp?page=2006\08\26\story_26-8-2006_pg5_13
Govt to set up 100 technical educational institutions
* The aim is to produce one million skilled workforce annually by 2010
ISLAMABAD: The government is to set up 100 technical education and vocational training institutions on fast track basis to supplement the National Vocational and Technical Education Commissionââ¬â¢s (NAVTEC) comprehensive programme to produce one million appropriately skilled workforce annually by 2010.
This initiative would also help the government to meet the requirements of the skilled workforce of the export-oriented industries, which are at present facing an acute shortage of sk1illed workers to enhance production of exportable products, a government official told the Daily Times on Friday.
The official also informed that a high-level meeting held recently decided that the ministry of finance, ministry of labour and manpower and ministry of industries and production will jointly finalize modalities for the setting up of these 100 institutes on fast track basis. The ministry of finance will also study the policies adopted by other countries, especially Malaysia, to finance training activities through interventions such as tax incentives.
The World Trade Organizationââ¬â¢s proposed trade in services agreement would also provide opportunities to developing countries, including Pakistan, to export skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled workers to developed countries, especially European countries. Those countries would be able to benefit from this agreement that would have enough facilities to train their workforce according to their national requirements as well as the international demand, the official said.
A meeting presided over by Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz was informed that now there is a widening gap between industry and training institutes as a result of the inability of training institutes to keep up with new technologies. Also, there is an imbalance between supply and demand of skilled workers and the government will initiate short, medium and long term training programmes to produce high quality skilled manpower in priority areas.
NAVTEC will be an apex body for formulating policy and providing support and regulatory framework. NAVTEC is to take immediate steps to identify local and global demands and initiate need-based training programmes to bridge the skill gap for local consumption, as well as for oversees employment.
The meeting directed to provide cluster-focused training and particularly focus on the fields of nursing and paramedics, construction industry, hospitality sector, transport sector and telephone operators as there is a great demand for high quality workers in these fields.
NAVTEC was also directed to maintain gender balance, ensure the quality of training programmes, hire experts both from local and foreign markets as trainers, use the facilities of existing public and private sector institutions and strengthen the capacity of existing public sector institutions.
The meeting also agreed to a suggestion made by NAVTEC that special cells be created at the offices of chief ministers to coordinate the skills development training.
In phase-I NAVTEC will develop databases of existing facilities and work focus. Their five-year implementation programme includes development of skillsââ¬â¢ standards, curriculum development and course design, public-private partnership projects, public sector expansion, developing performance assessment parameters, international linkages and effective monitoring and evaluation. sajid chaudhry
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006\08\26\story_26-8-2006_pg5_13
