PESHAWAR, Sept 13: Vocational training should aim at producing such manpower which is best suited to the requirements of the local labour market.

This was stated by NWFP Governor Syed Iftikhar Hussain Shah on Friday at an award distribution ceremony organized by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation. He stressed the need for developing an efficient vocational system at all levels.

The awards were given to the boys and girls skilled in different trades.

The governor expressed concern that the system of technical education did not meet the demands of employers. However, he pointed out that certain steps were being taken by the government for making technical education viable.

He elaborated that the directorates of technical education and manpower and training, which earlier operated separately, had been merged to work as one entity as Technical Education and Vocational Training Agency.

The governor said that the establishment of an Advance Technical Training Centre at Peshawar had almost been completed at a cost of Rs161.34 million. The centre is expected to start functioning shortly, he added.