Vocational technical training programmes: PM for accommodating youth of Mastung blast victims’ families

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nasirul Mulk has directed the administration to accommodate maximum number of youth from the victim families of Mastung blast in the existing vocational technical training programmes in order to enable them to earn livelihoods and provide financial support to their families.

The blast occurred last week that perished more than 150 people attending public meeting including Mir Siraj Raisani who was contesting for the provincial assembly of Balochistan. Most of the deceased were from poor families.

Prime Minister Nasirul Mulk who chaired a briefing on functions and performance of Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training at Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) on Tuesday appreciated the performance of the ministry. The premier while referring to the constitution directed to prepare a comprehensive and robust mechanism to provide free and compulsory education to all children of the age of five to sixteen years. The caretaker prime minister also directed the ministry to work out a comprehensive and robust mechanism so that Article 25-A of the Constitution could be implemented in letter and spirit.

Minister for Education & Professional Training Muhammad Yusuf Sheikh briefed the prime minister about mandate and the achievements of the ministry. The prime minister was informed that the National Education Policy 2018 has been finalised by the ministry. A National Curriculum Council has also been established for the purpose of standardisation of the curriculum across the country.

Similarly, the ministry has also developed a national curriculum framework which would serve as a model to bring uniformity in the curriculum. It was informed that a new curriculum has been developed by the ministry, at federal level, for grade Pre-1 to grade VIII. This new curriculum would be shared with the provinces helping them to revise and update their text books.

A detailed presentation was made on the role of National Vocational and Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC) headed by Zulfikar Ahmad Cheema towards skill development of the youth and the efforts being made for employing skilled labour in local as well as international market.

The prime minister appreciated the efforts of the Ministry of Education and Federal Training. He directed that maximum number of youth from the victim families of Mastung blast be accommodated in the existing training programmes of NAVTTC in order to enable them to earn livelihoods and provide financial support to their families.