Equipping youth with modern knowledge: Pakistan's future linked with vocational education, says Shahbaz

Punjab Chief Minister, Shahbaz Sharif has said that future of Pakistan remained linked with vocational education and equipping the youth with modern knowledge and skills is essential for elimination of unemployment and rapid development of the country.
He dilated that solid measures had been taken for the promotion of vocational education while Technical Education and Vocational Training Authority (TEVTA) had been made a vibrant institution and given the target of producing 5,00,000 skilled workers annually in accordance with the market needs.
He said that skilled workforce and vocational training were directly linked with economy. He said that TEVTA had evolved a commendable roadmap for the promotion of vocational education and rapid progress should be made for its early implementation. He said that there was a need for concentrating on modern machinery, master trainers and teachers' training instead of brick and mortar. He directed that apprentice law should be strictly implemented in the province.
He was presiding over separate meetings regarding Technical Education and Vocational Training Authority (TEVTA), reviewing the performance of Punjab Small Industries Corporation (PSIC) and Skills Development Programme in Punjab at Chief Minister's Secretariat, here on Thursday.
Member National Assembly Abdul Majeed Khanakhel, Member Provincial Assembly Sanaullah Khan Mastikhel, Chairman Chief Minister's Special Initiatives Entity Harun Khawaja, Chief Secretary, Secretary Industries, Chairman Punjab Information Technology Board, Chairman TEVTA, MD Punjab Small Industries Corporation, experts and senior officers of the departments concerned were present in the meetings which lasted for more than six hours.
Addressing the meeting of TEVTA, the Chief Minister said that only those countries had progressed and prospered that equipped their youth with modern education. Giving example he said that Korea, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia and other countries had not only made rapid progress but were also earning huge foreign exchange by producing a skilled workforce.
Shahbaz Sharif said that in view of the importance of vocational education, Punjab government had reorganised and reactivated TEVTA and the strategy it had evolved for the promotion of vocational education was not only appreciable but had also kindled the hope that implementation of that programme would help young generation acquire latest skills and play its role for national progress and prosperity.
He directed that all possible measures should be adopted for the vocational training of maximum number of youth through vocational institutions of TEVTA. He said that vocational education in accordance with the market needs should be imparted to the youth so that they could immediately be adjusted in industrial institutions. Describing the briefing given by Chairman TEVTA regarding promotion of vocational education as comprehensive, the Chief Minister said that the programme was highly encouraging and it should be implemented expeditiously.
The CM said he also appreciated collaboration of TEVTA with international institutions regarding training programmes. Chairman TEVTA Saeed Alvi gave a detailed briefing regarding promotion of vocational education including ratio of utilisation of funds, revamping of infrastructure, implementation of various schemes, collaboration with international institutions for the improvement of vocational education, reformation of syllabi, achievement of objectives and the way forward.