Public schools to offer vocational training

LAHORE: THE Punjab government has decided to introduce vocational training courses in selected schools of the province in a bid to train schoolchildren in employable skills.The plan envisages imparting vocational training to students of Class 6 and above by providing them with hands-on experience in electronics, woodwork and plumbing etc. In institutions for girls, courses in stitching and dress designing would be offered.At present, technical education and vocational training courses are being offered only at institutions running under the administrative control of the Technical Education & Vocational Training Authority (TEVTA) and the Punjab Vocational Training Council (PVTC).Senior officials of the Punjab Schools Education Department told The News that representatives of the department and the TEVTA were meeting to discuss the launch of vocational training in public sector schools. They said in the first phase, the programme would be launched in 100 schools in each district of the province and this programme would be extended with the passage of time.They said the TEVTA had agreed in principle that it would train schoolteachers. They said the initiative was being taken on special directions of Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif.They said funding issues were being discussed these days and according to estimates, Rs 100,000 would be allocated for each school to ensure availability of necessary equipment needed to launch the programme.A senior official of the department requesting anonymity said the basic idea behind the initiative was to impart vocational training to students in addition to general education so that in case if a student fails to continue general education, he/she might be able to have employable skills needed for technical jobs.Talking to The News, Schools Education Department Secretary Nadeem Ashraf said efforts would be made to introduce vocational training courses in maximum schools from new academic session starting from March 2009.He said special classes of vocational training would be organised in schools and students of Class 6 and above would be offered these courses. He said the department had set a target to introduce vocational courses in 3,500 schools across the province by 2010 academic session.