National News

ISLAMABAD, (APP): South Korea would provide the technical
assistance to boost the Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET)
sector in Pakistan.
This was stated by South Korean Minister Counselor, Kim Jim Wook,
in a meeting with Executive Director National Vocational and Technical
Training Commission (NAVTTC), Zulfiqar Ahmad Cheema, here on Monday.
The main purpose of this meeting was to promote the linkages and
partnership in technical and vocational sector between Pakistan and South
Korea, said a press release here.
Zulfiqar Cheema briefed the Minister on the milestone achieved by
NAVTTC in brining a paradigm shift in TVET delivery in Pakistan.
He explained the role of NAVTTC as an apex body at the national
level mandated to regulate and framing the policies and providing directions
to all stakeholders of Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET)
sector in the country.
He stressed that Pakistan and Korea share friendly ties and it would
benefit NAVTTC to learn from the experience and quality of vocational
training standards of Korea.
Zulfiqar Cheema said that we are facing certain challenges to attract
young people towards technical and vocational education as the general
perception of people is still focused on acquiring conventional education.
To counter this dilemma and to change the mind set of young people,
NAVTTC arranged skill competitions throughout the country which not only
added to their honor and prestige but also many graduates were offered jobs
on the spot.
Cheema further added that NAVTTC is engaged in utilizing the
untapped potential of youth in the right direction so that they become
productive citizens and contribute towards socio-economic development of the
country.
He emphasized that technical and vocational education is the gateway
to country’s peace and progress. He said, our top priority is to build state of the art institutes of international standard and to have top quality instructors for technical training.
He also offered to upgrade National Training Bureau into a state of
the art vocational university. It was also mutually agreed that with the
assistance of KOICA (Korean International Cooperation Agency), steps would
be taken to upgrade the labs and equipment in the technical and vocational
institutes of the country.
Asmat Nawaz, Joint Secretary Economic Affairs Division was also
present in the meeting.