February 9, 2006	Thursday	Muharram 10, 1427

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ISLAMABAD, Feb 8: The government has set up National Vocational and Technical Commission (NAVTEC) at the federal level to regulate, coordinate and provide policy decisions for technical education and vocational training, it has been learnt.

The commission has been established to meet demand of skilled workforce in the wake of rapid economic growth the country is witnessing for the last few years. Under the policy decision taken with the establishment of the commission, a vocational school will be set up at each tehsil and industrial clusters wherever available in the country. Moreover, each district will also have a polytechnic institute, besides more technical colleges would be established at provincial level.

In addition to establishing new mono-technics/polytechnics at district level for boys and girls, efforts have been made for strengthening existing polytechnics by introducing emerging technologies. The education ministry has devised a comprehensive plan for vocational and technical education at elementary and secondary level schools.

Through Education Sector Reforms (ESR), the ministry has proposed a plan to broaden the base for technical and vocational education through introduction of technical stream at schools.

Under the plan technical education is being introduced in 1,100 secondary schools across the country in the first phase. Under this programme, selected trades with good employment prospects will be introduced in selected schools. For this purpose 17 trades have been identified and scheme of studies has been modified.

The curricula for 17 trades have already been approved and developed. Copies of the curricula and Teaching Learning Resources (TLRs) on CDs alongwith hard copies have already been provided to the provinces for duplication and distribution to schools for implementation of the programme.