LAHORE: The Technical Education and Vocational Training Authority (Tevta) during the last five years established 72 new institutes across the province and trained 18,125 male and female students.

The Tevta spokesman said on Tuesday the new institutions had multiplied the number of qualified and trained manpower needed by the industry. He said the authority had also launched three-month vocational training courses for the prisoners in Lahore and Multan jails as a pilot project while the same project would be launched in other jails of the province. He said vocational training courses were also being offered at 30 select seminaries and 11,534 seminary students had got vocational training in 12 trades.

The spokesman said Tevta, with the technical and financial assistance and collaboration of China, had upgraded the Light Engineering Service Centre at Gujranwala and Cutlery Centre at Wazirabad while Leather Service Centre at Kasur, Hosiery and Finishing Training Centre at Faisalabad and Wool Centre at Jhang had been rehabilitated. Moreover, Metal Industries Development Centre at Sialkot, Centre for Agriculture Machinery Industries at Mian Channu and Institute of Leather Technology at Gujranwala had also been upgraded, he said.

The spokesman said the GIZ, a German organisation, gave Rs140million fund to Tevta for the promotion of tunnel farming, home appliances and solar panel training at its institutes.

Committee: Punjab Governor Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar has constituted a five-member search committee for the selection of vice chancellors of public sector universities in the province.

The committee headed by Syed Babar Ali comprises Punjab Chief Secretary Sohail Amir Mirza, Dr Zafar Iqbal Qureshi, Dr Ayesha Ghouse and Punjab Higher Education Secretary Abdullah Khan Sumbal.

Five public sector universities’ vice chancellors are completing their four-year terms later this year. Islamia University Bahawalpur VC Prof Dr Muhammad Mukhtar completed his term on Tuesday.

The Punjab government also plans on advertising posts of three new women’s universities in the province.

Resolution: The Punjab University unanimously passed a resolution against Israel’s continued attack on Gaza and condemned brutalities of the Israeli army.

A meeting of all heads of departments, including deans, principals, directors and chairpersons of various institutions and administrative officers, chaired by Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Mujahid Kamran called upon Islamic countries to play their role in stopping Israeli atrocities against Palestinians and especially urged the Pakistan government to strengthen Pakistan militarily and technologically.

The meeting was also informed about various measures taken to help IDPs. The meeting also reviewed security arrangements of Punjab University and heads of institutions were directed to adopt standard operating procedures to deal with any emergency and install fire extinguishers at sensitive places.

Published in Dawn, July 23rd, 2014