Islamabad (Web Desk): Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said that Pakistan’s youth are a powerful national asset and that a broad-based initiative has been rolled out to tap their abilities in a meaningful way.
He made these remarks while leading a review session in Islamabad on the country’s newly developed vocational training framework.
During the meeting, PM Shehbaz expressed satisfaction over the latest performance of the National Vocational and Technical Training Commission and asked officials to set fresh and more challenging goals for technical and skills-based education.
He also directed that the Apprenticeship Act be enforced in letter and spirit.
The prime minister welcomed the move to provide internationally recognised certificates to Pakistani workers, saying it would strengthen their position in the global job market.
PM Shehbaz directed the ministries of foreign affairs and overseas Pakistanis to move quickly on steps aimed at opening more employment avenues for skilled Pakistanis, especially in Gulf countries.
He further ordered the introduction of a biometric attendance system for both students and trainers in all NAVTTC-linked institutions.
Stressing the need to reach a wider population, he said the programme should be expanded through partnerships with provincial bodies so more people can benefit from these training opportunities.
PM Shehbaz reiterated that offering young people training and globally accepted certification in skills that are in high demand worldwide remains one of the government’s foremost priorities.
He also directed that strict action, including the suspension of affiliation, be taken against those NAVTTC-associated institutes whose performance falls short.
In addition, he called for complete digitalisation of the NAVTTC setup and for online monitoring tools to be made more effective.
The meeting was briefed that NAVTTC has successfully met all training targets set by the prime minister.
Officials added that independent third-party checks are being carried out to ensure quality, including biometric attendance of trainees and maintaining high standards for instructors.
Participants were also informed that the country’s first skill-based bond has been launched under NAVTTC, allowing private sector funding to be linked with actual training results.
The briefing concluded with the update that more than 10,000 people have already benefited from pilot projects in industry-focused training, while 2,600 new institutions have been brought on board.