Jang Economic Session: Need-based syllabi to help resolve jobs issue: experts

LAHORE: The Punjab government is establishing the Punjab Skill Development Authority (PSDA) to improve and expand the quality of vocational and technical education through which curriculum would be altered in accordance with the modern needs and requirements which will pave the way for better job opportunities for vocational educated people.
These views were expressed by the experts in the Jang Economic Session on ‘what steps are required for the promotion of vocational and technical education’. The panellists were Sajid Naseer, Almas Hayder, Huzaima Bukhari, Tamkeen Aftab, Hamid Malhi, Sohail Lashari and Rehmatullah Javeed while the session was hosted by Sikindar Lodhi.
Punjab Vocational Training Council (PVTC) Managing Director Sajid Naseer said that education with objectivity is needed to be promoted to resolve the jobs issues and vocational education can help resolve these issues of poverty and unemployment. He said the PSDA is being established for vocational educational reforms. He said more than 80 percent students did not continue education after matriculation in Pakistan so if vocational education is not promoted for job creation, then law and order will be out of control and crime rate will increase. He called for making the informal institutes formal and mobile training institutes. He believed that until education is correlated with local culture, youths will not be benefited from it.
Almas Hayder said that 13 percent education budget in Ayub regime was being spent on vocational education, so industry progressed at that time while now only three to four percent was being spent on it, which resulted in shortage of required skilled manpower. He said industrialisation was not moving towards high value addition products. He believed that anyone can work individually after vocational training but technical education was useless without provision of jobs in factories and industries. He called for separating the regulator from vocational education so that public private sectors jointly work to move forward.
Huzaima Bukhari said urbanisation is on the rise due to non- provision of job opportunities in rural areas. She called for improving the quality of vocational education and focussing on modern tools instead of books. She said Pakistan needed knowledge-based industry. She said employment opportunities can be improved by developing ties between industries and vocational institutions.
Tamkeen Aftab said if vocational education is foussed then it will benefit the nation while non-productive budget expenditures cause many problems. She called for vocational education at every stage besides providing jobs to skilled people. She stressed the need for changing parents mind besides upgrading curriculum.
Hamid Malhi said lack of coordination and cooperation among vocational institutions posed a question mark on the success of CPEC projects. He called for skill development and job opportunities for local labour in the CPEC projects. He suggested focussing on agriculture and livestock for the promotion of vocational education.
Sohail Lashari said that importance of vocational education increased after second world war but Pakistan is far behind in the sector. He called for focussing on agriculture technology besides technical education. He also suggested ethical education of the society and ensuring jobs for vocational educated youth.
Rehmatullah Javeed said that curriculum of vocational education should be need-based for which consultation with industry and trade is crucial for making new syllabus. He said modern machinery, equipment and tools are required besides training of modern technology in vocational institutions. He called for focussing on Tevta and Punjab Vocational Training Council (PVTC) like institution for promotion of vocational education.