NAVTTC Enrolls 12000 Students In Free Online Courses To Cope With COVID-19: ED

National Vocational and Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC) in its efforts to cope with the circumstances imposed by COVID-19, had enrolled more than 12,000 students in free online courses to make the best of students time during the pandemic

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 4th Aug, 2020 ) :National Vocational and Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC) in its efforts to cope with the circumstances imposed by COVID-19, had enrolled more than 12,000 students in free online courses to make the best of students time during the pandemic.

"The scope of the courses was being further enhanced to bring in more and more courses for a greater number of youth as by July 2020, about 2,000 students had graduated from these online courses" said Executive Director NAVTTC Dr Nasir Khan on Tuesday.

In an exclusive talk with APP, he said that these free online courses were arranged by NAVTTC, with international certification in a bid to give high priority to un-addressed areas and challenges being faced by TVET sector.

To equip 120 million youth especially to the out of school children with technical skills, Dr Nasir said, NAVTTC had developed specially designed online courses in accordance with National Vocational Quality Framework (NVQF).

He said in that regard, online teachers training had also been started under which latest techniques were disseminated to the teachers at their door step.

Unfortunately, a number of training programmes had to be suspended in the wake of closure of training institutes due to COVID-19. However, training will resume as soon the institutes re-open and suspended training courses of the youth will be completed, he added.

Referring some of the key initiatives taken by NAVTTC during last two years, Dr Nasir said the students were enrolled in most demanded driven High-TECH skills in the job market such as Robotics, Cloud Computing, internet of things, Cyber security, Mechatronics, Block chain technology etc.

He said that in that regard, more than 550 training institutes were engaged across the country for imparting training in both high-tech and conventional technologies.

To upgrade the existing training facilities and bring Pakistan's TVET training at par with the international standards, Seven (07) Centers of Excellence were being established across the country by NAVTTC to practice best TVET models in Pakistan, he mentioned.

In addition to this, ED NAVTTC informed that laboratories and workshops of more than 70 TVET institutes were upgraded with latest machinery and equipment, adding, training and capacity building of TVET trainers and managers has also been given its due importance. Both in-country and foreign training programmes had been arranged for training and capacity building of TVET trainers and mangers, he added.

To a query, Dr Nasir Khan said that NAVTTC devised a comprehensive programme in the shape of Prime Minister's Hunarmand Pakistan Program on the recommendations of the Prime Minister's Task Force on education and Professional Training.

It is worth mentioning here that with these reform initiatives, TVET sector in Pakistan is fast becoming a modern, demand-driven and responsive to the technological needs of modern industry. Skilled workforce produced by Pakistani TVET institutes is now capable to compete with skilled workforce of any other country in the international market in skills, tenacity, versatility and competence.