MoU signed on technical, vocational education

Islamabad

A signing ceremony of memorandum of understandings (MoUs) among three selected private schools; namely Jehlum Valley Pioneer Public School, Ghari Dubatta, Muzaffarabad, Sir Syed Model School and College, Hattiyan Bala, and Pine Hills School and College, Kundal Shahi, Neelum Valley from AJK and NEF was held in the ministry.

The signing ceremony of MoUs among three selected private schools form Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) namely; Al Farabi Islamic School and College, Nilore, Al Firdaus School, Bara Kahu and Sultan Foundation, Chak Shahzad and National Education Foundation (NEF) have already been done in July 2016.

Minister of State floated the idea of the provision of vocational education in private schools of federally administrated areas (AJK, Gilgit-Baltistan, FATA and ICT) along with the formal education from class 6th onwards in the 18th meeting of board of governors. The dearth and the need of technical education in the country compelled the minister to direct NEF and NAVTTC to start this pilot project. In compliance with the direction NEF entered into public private partnership with 12 private schools (3 from each area).

Currently, NEF is sponsoring 200 students from class 6th to class 9th at AL Farabi School, and paying Rs750 per child from class 6th to class 8th and Rs1050 per child for class 9th as a fee. Curriculum for class 6th has been drafted while curriculum for class 7th and class 8th is near its completion. Course include in the curriculum are electrical, mobile repairing, welding, AC and refrigeration, and plumbing for boys. And stitching, fashion designing, beautician, and embroidery for girls.

Under this project following provisions are included; provision of free vocational and formal education from class 6th to class 8th, provision of Rs800 per month per child to the school on account of fee by NEF, provision of free books, provision of partial expenditure for establishment of workshops, quarterly monitoring by NEF and third party validation etc. NEF can give maximum amount of Rs22 lacs to a school under this project and that school would also have to invest an equal amount, as it is a public private partnership project.

Talking about the importance of technical and vocational education, Minister of State shared his views with the participants and also took their feedback, especially from the members of those schools who have started the project in ICT, namely; the pioneer school in ICT, AL Farabi School.  Ceremony was attended by the NEF MD Qaiser Majeed and other officials of ministry and NEF.