Uniform certification regime: NAVTTC launches level 1-5 qualifications under NVQF

National Vocational & Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC) on Tuesday launched level 1-5 qualifications under National Vocational Qualification Framework (NVQF)-a key component for establishing a uniform national system of vocational training, curriculum, and implementation of competency-based training and assessment (CBT&A).
The NVQF will support implementation of the national goals expressed in the National Skill Strategy (NSS) and the national TVET policy. The main purpose of NVQF is to improve the quality of outcomes, increase the quality of skills and provide sufficient knowledge that meets the needs of industry.
The NVQF integrates formal, in-formal and non-formal achievements which results into increased accessibility to the recognition of skills. Participants from all over the country including provincial TEVTAs, qualification awarding bodies (QABs), training providers, and industrialists took part in the daylong conference.
"The NVQF is one of the key elements of TVET system and development of level-5 qualification today is yet another step closer to our commitment to culmination of 'Skills For All' strategy," said Federal Minister for Education and Professional Training Shafqat Mehmood while addressing the launching ceremony of NVQF, organised by NAVTTC here on Tuesday.
Mahmood emphasised the need for such a certification regime in the field of technical education, which is accepted and recognised without having any issue. He said the government is working to bring all the certifications up to the mark in terms of high standard and accredited by the federal government. The minister said only those certifications will be recognised which are accredited by the federal government.
"We are focussed on developing a uniform certification regime which is recognised and accepted both at the local and international levels," he said. "We are also going to develop an accreditation regime through a federal directive under which only those certificates will be accepted which are issued by the accredited institutions," he added.
The minister said that negotiations with various international institutions are under way so that Pakistani certifications are recognised internationally and enable its skilled labour abroad to secure jobs as per their qualifications. "We are also working in close collaboration with provincial governments to train our youth in the industry-relevant trades," he added.
The minister emphasised that women empowerment takes high priority in the government's agenda for Skills for All strategy and TVET will play a significant role in bringing them into the mainstream economy. He complimented the chairman and the executive director of NAVTTC for accomplishing another key milestone towards TVET reform agenda.
Standardisation of qualifications at national and international level performs pivotal role in reforming TVET sector and NAVTTC has achieved an important milestone through development of national vocational qualifications compatible with the international standards and requirements in 25 most important trades including high-tech fields like robotics, artificial intelligence (AI), mechatronics and automation.
"Development of level 1-5 qualifications is a giant leap forward towards TVET reforms of the country," said Chairman NAVTTC Syed Javed Hassan while addressing the ceremony.
Developing right courses according to the competency standards will transform the TVET landscape of the country, he added.
Executive Director NAVTTC Dr Nasir Khan said that NVQF will play a significant role in bringing a paradigm shift from time-bound learning to outcome-based learning. He gave a brief presentation on the role of NVQF and a way forward to boost the TVET sector of Pakistan. Up-scaling of NVQF and mainstreaming of competency-based training (CBT) approach is an integral part of the new National Skills for All Strategy, says Dr Khan while highlighting the importance of NVQF.
Ambassador of Germany Bernhard Schlagheck and Ambassador of Norway Kjelle Gunnar Eriksen said that the implementation of NVQF will help the government upscale the implementation of National Skills Strategy. Deputy Head of Mission at the European Union Delegation to Pakistan, Anne Marshal said that the standardisation of the TVET sector through implementation of NVQF will pave way for a better TVET system in the country.