KARACHI, Feb 7: Not a single student had passed in the examinations of two disciplines in the Khairpur Technical Training Centre between 2007 and 2009, said Sindh Minister for Technical Education and Chairman of the Technical Training Authority (Stevta) Sadiq Memon during the Question Hour in the Sindh Assembly on Thursday.

He was replying to a question raised by Pakistan Muslim League-Functional MPA Nusrat Seher Abbasi. The question hour pertained to the Sindh Technical Education and Vocational Training Authority.

The minister said that six trainees had been enrolled in the refrigeration and air conditioning course and another 40 in the computer operator course, but none of them could pass their exams.

Responding to a supplementary question asked by the legislator regarding the availability of equipment and quality of instructors providing training owing to which none of the students could pass the examinations, the minister said that the required equipment was present and the teaching quality was good.

Replying to another question, he said that a total of 131 trainees were enrolled at the KTTC out of whom 83 passed showing a result of 63.3 per cent during the above-mentioned period.

Responding to a question asked by National People’s Party’s Arif Jatoi that if only training was provided to students or they were also provided jobs, the minister said that the training centres only provided quality training as after qualifying the successful candidates could easily avail employment opportunities in the open market.

Answering a question asked by PPP’s Saleem Khokhar regarding representation of public representatives in the Stevta board of governors, the minister said that two seats were reserved for members of the Sindh Assembly, but these were vacant since long time.

Replying to another question asked by him as to why MPAs had not been made the members, the minister said that though the Stevta had written to the Sindh Assembly to nominate two members on the board, but so far the assembly had not nominated anybody.

Responding to a question asked by Ms Abbasi regarding the number of training institutions specifically for disabled persons, the minister said that there were no separate institutes for disabled people working under the Stevta, however a one per cent quota was reserved in admissions in the technical, commercial and vocational institutions and a two per cent quota was reserved for them in recruitments.

Zareen Majeed of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, who was asking a question on behalf of her colleague Heer Soho in her absence, was not satisfied with the handling of the questions asked by legislators.

In her question, she referred to what she described as ‘deplorable’ condition of the Government Agro Technical School Razzaqabad.

Mr Memon said the school was functioning under the control of the directorate of schools education.

The school in question offered training in woodworking, electrical, household crafts, etc.