ISLAMABAD: A parliamentary panel was informed on Wednesday that National Vocational and Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC) has successfully trained over 600,000 individuals since its creation in 2006.
The National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Federal Education, Professional Training, National Heritage and Culture’s meeting was which held here with Dr Azimuddin Zahid Lakhvi in chair, was given a detailed briefing by the Executive Director NAVTTC, Muhammad Aamir Jan.
The executive director said that NAVTTC has certified 27,500 skilled workers through the TAKAMOL programme, facilitating their employment in Saudi Arabia.
The recognition of prior learning (RPL) initiative has skill-certified 57,500 individuals, further enhancing their professional prospects, he said, adding the development of 354 qualifications and the establishment of 550 smart labs reflects NAVTTC’s commitment to modernising and diversifying its training resources.
The apprenticeship programme has trained 2,000 youth, while the accreditation of 10 international and 756 national institutes underscores the quality and credibility of NAVTTC’s training programmes, he added.
In partnership with United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), he added the NAVTTC has trained 7,000 Afghan refugees and host citizens, demonstrating its dedication to inclusive education.
Additionally, the Matric Tech initiative has educated 800 students, and the Training of Trainers (ToT) programme has equipped 2,500 trainers including 500 master trainers, to deliver high-quality vocational education.
He said that the employment outcomes are also impressive, with 71 per cent of 85,000 hi-tech graduates, 67 per cent of 65,000 hi-end graduates and 65 per cent of 400,000 conventional graduates successfully secured employment.
The committee deferred the International Institute of Technology, Culture and Health Sciences Bill, 2024, the South City University Bill, 2024, the Nippon Institute of Advanced Sciences (NIAS) Bill, 2024 and the Pakistan Examination Board Bill, 2024.
The committee chairman emphasised the need for extending skill training opportunities to underserved populations in rural areas and to facilitate their integration into the job market.
The committee highlighted that Pakistani expatriates often face subpar working conditions, lower wages, and fewer opportunities compared to their counterparts from countries such as India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and the Philippines.
This situation has resulted in lower remittance inflows, which the committee urges should be addressed to enhance remittance levels to Pakistan, they added.
The committee members expressed reservations about the alignment between vocational training programs and actual job market integration, saying there is a perceived lack of satisfactory coherence between the training provided and successful employment outcomes.
The committee also said that NAVTTC needs to optimise its resource utilisation, ensuring that the budget allocated is effectively used and that the outcomes achieved commensurate with the financial investments.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024