‘Polytechnic institute to be made a centre of excellence’

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Education and Professional Training Shafqat Mahmood visited Government Polytechnic Institute for Women on Wednesday and announced its transformation into a state-of-the-art centre of excellence.

Chairman of the National Vocational and Technical Training Commission Syed Javed Hassan welcomed the minister, while a detailed presentation on the institute was given by NAVTTC Executive Director Dr. Nasir Khan.

The minister appreciated the NAVTTC’s efforts to improve infrastructure of the institute and impart quality skills to the women from less-developed areas.

He said women made more than half of the country’s population, so they should be provided with opportunities to contribute to national development, which was possible through launching marketable skill development programmes for them.

The minister said efforts must be made to transform GPIW into a state of the art centre of excellence and assured full support for this

He called for the formation of the alumni network of the students who have completed their trainings to maintain the data of their employment as the main focus of the training programs is to enable the women to get employed in national and international job markets. The minister also visited various labs of the institute and assured full support for their up-gradation according to the challenges of emerging technologies and international standards.

Earlier, the minister was told that enrolment of students in GPIW has been enhanced from 200 to more than 600 candidates and most of the candidates hail from remote areas such as Gilgit, Chitral, Bahawalpur, Kohat etc. Moreover they are provided free of cost hostel facility within the institute.

The GPIW is providing trainings facilities to Pakistani female students in demand driven and emerging technologies such as cyber security, graphic designing, Microsoft office applications, industrial stitching etc. Further, he was informed that NAVTTC is planning for the international accreditation of the institute and is establishing the Job Placement and Recognition of Prior Learning Centre in the institute.