Efforts Underway For Pakistan's Vocational Training Courses Recognition In Western Countries: NAVTTC

The National Assembly's Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development (OPHRD) was informed on Friday that concerted efforts were being made to ensure recognition of Pakistan's vocational training courses in the European and western countries

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 9th Apr, 2021 ) :The National Assembly's Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development (OPHRD) was informed on Friday that concerted efforts were being made to ensure recognition of Pakistan's vocational training courses in the European and western countries.

The move was meant to create auspicious job opportunities for the country's skilled manpower abroad, which would eventually improve the country's economy with more remittances, the National Vocational & Technical Training Commission's (NAVTTC) officials told the committee meeting, chaired by Sheikh Fayyaz ud Din.

The meeting was also attended by multiple Members of National Assembly including Shahid Ahmad, Sajid Khan, Haji Imtiaz Ahmed Choudhary, Atta Ullah, Sobia Kamal Khan, Tashfeen Safdar, Syed Javed Husnain, Zahra Wadood Fatemi, Syed Abrar Ali Shah and Dr Mahreen Razzaq Bhutto, and officials of the ministries of OPHRD and interior and its attached departments.

The committee was told that the Pakistani training courses were acceptable in the gulf countries, where more than 90 per cent of the skilled workforce went for multiple job opportunities.

For European and other western countries, the NAVTTC had initiated the process of mutual recognition of qualifications with a number of countries such as Germany, Australia, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Finland and Singapore, the NAVTTC official apprised the forum.

The panel was informed that the NAVTTC was the apex public sector organization, which works under the Ministry of Federal education and Professional Training, and responsible for policy making, standardization, regulation, coordination and international collaboration in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) sector of Pakistan.

The NAVTTC officials said the commission was also responsible for formulation and execution of nationwide youth skill training programmes.

At federal level, it was spearheading implementation of the government's reforms agenda in that sector in collaboration with the provincial TVETAs, its regional offices as well as numerous other public and private sector national and international organization and development agencies.

The NA body inquired about spending of its yearly budget amounting to Rs9.8 billion and non-utilization or overlapping of some part from the budget grant.

The committee sought detailed briefing over the matter at its next meeting which was likely to be held at NAVTTC office.

On the occasion, the federal secretary for the OPHRD ministry briefed the committee on monitoring policy of community welfare attaches (CWAs).

He said the ministry was mandated to make efforts to enhance the export of manpower and welfare of overseas Pakistanis abroad.

In order to achieve the objective, role of the CWAs was vital and needed to be more strengthened through proper monitoring and regular performance evaluation, he added.

The Ministry of Interior's official briefed the committee about the country's dual nationality agreements with foreign countries.

He said the government of Pakistan had notified 12 European countries with which Pakistan had dual nationality arrangements. It included France, Italy, Belgium, Iceland, Finland, Switzerland, Netherlands, Sweden, Ireland, Denmark, Germany and Norway.

Dual nationality arrangements with other European countries including Portugal, Czech Republic and Luxemburg were under process, he added.

The committee unanimously approved the bill namely "The Employees Old-Age benefits (Amendments) (Government Bill), 2020".