PESHAWAR, Sept 16: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government on Monday launched first-ever Management Information System (MIS) report on technical and vocational education and training (Tvet), showing 28 per cent increase in the number of institutes during last five years.

However, the report says that the challenges ahead are deficiency of teaching staff, lack of proper trained staff, filling of vacant positions and lack of in-service trainings. And as compared to urban areas, rural areas are facing much more difficulties to access Tvet interventions.

The MIS report was launched by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Pervez Khattak, last week, while its findings were disseminated on Monday at a ceremony organised by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Technical Education and Vocational Training Agency (KP-Tevta) here.

KP-Tevta has prepared the report with the technical assistance of Tvet Reform Support Programme, which is co-funded by the European Union, the Embassy of the Netherlands and Germany, and being implemented in Pakistan by GIZ.

MPA Abdul Karim Khan, chief minister's advisor on technical education, was the chief guest.

Secretary industries and technical education Sajid Khan Jadoon, director general technical education Prof Shakeel Ahmed, national deputy coordinator of Tvet’s reform support programme Raja Saad Khan, industrialists and experts on technical education were also in attendance.

As per the report, the number of Tvet institutes has registered an increase of 28 per cent in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa since 2007 with commerce and management sciences as the most-flourished sectors having 32 per cent growth rate.

Besides, 53 per cent expansion was occurred in the facilities dedicated for women, compared to the only 21 per cent increase in institutes for men.

Though, the number of Tvet increased, the enrolment increase was not encouraging at only 4 per cent.

However, female enrolment went up by 18 per cent in commerce education.

According to the report, civil technology topped the list of trainee enrolment in 2012 at 5,257 students followed by electrical technology with 4,695 and mechanical technology 2,785 students, respectively.

The report said that dressmaking, food, auto farm and petroleum technology courses remained low in demand.

The report says that there are only 23 women institutes out of 97 in rural areas, which only offer traditional courses, having very low utilisation.

According to the report, in 2011-12, 47.42 per cent students were enroled in technology and polytechnic institutes, 40.71 per cent in commerce and 11.86 per cent in vocational institutes, respectively.

Speaking on the occasion, advisor to chief minister on technical education, MPA Abdul Karim Khan said the MIS report was a good source of getting information for further planning.

He added that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government was committed to promoting the technical education to arrest the burgeoning growth of unemployment.

“The report would go a long way in addressing the issues relating to equipping the youth with employable skills,” he said.—APP