Islamabad: A major transformation of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutes in Pakistan is underway, aiming to significantly enhance the nation’s socio-economic development, says a press release.
This was the key message at the National TVET Competition for Excellence held at the NAVTTC Centre of Excellence in Modern Technologies, an event dedicated to identifying Centers of Excellence in Balochistan, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, and Gilgit Baltistan.
The initiative, supported by the TVET Sector Support Programme, which is co-funded by the European Union and the Federal Republic of Germany, is being implemented by GIZ and the British Council in close collaboration with NAVTTC.
The transformation journey began with a call for proposals earlier this year, followed by a thorough scrutiny process and regional competitions. NAVTTC’s selection process included issuing letters to Chief Secretaries of EU-funded regions and widespread announcements on social and digital media, which attracted 184 applications. Despite the high interest, only 103 institutes provided verifiable evidence, leading to the formation of committees for scrutiny. This culminated in regional competitions, resulting in the shortlisting of the top 6 institutes from Gilgit-Baltistan, top 10 from Balochistan, and top 22 from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.
In this phase of the Programme, eight institutions will be transformed into Sector-Specific Centers of Excellence, and 45 TVET institutes will be enhanced into Model Institutes in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Balochistan. These institutes will feature modern labs, workshops, digitised systems, career counseling, job placement centers, business incubation, research and innovation facilities, and international linkages.
Speaking at the event, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Youth Affairs, Rana Mashood Ahmad Khan, praised the EU and Germany’s support for Pakistan’s TVET sector. He highlighted that these initiatives would empower the youth with enhanced skills, leading to better employment opportunities.
NAVTTC’s chairperson Gulmina Bilal Ahmed and ED NAVTTC Amir Jan also commended the competitive process, noting that it ensures transparency and sets higher standards for the TVET sector in the country.