Take the wheel: Women urged to drive to boost family income

TEVTA is offering courses for everyone above the age of 21

LAHORE: Young women, especially college and university students, should attend different driving courses being offered by the Technical Education and Vocational Training Authority (TEVTA). This was stated by TEVTA Chairman Irfan Qaiser Sheikh on Monday.

He said the authority was offering a driving course for everyone above the age of 21 and this was a golden opportunity for housewives to learn driving. He believed doing so could play an important role in boosting the monthly income of families. “If students enrol themselves in the course, it will be very beneficial for them,” he asserted.

“TEVTA will also start specialised car and scooter driving courses for women and this will be a landmark,” he said, adding women ride scooters and motorcycles in neighbouring countries. “This will be an important step towards Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif’s vision of the empowering women of Punjab.”

The chairman said that the short driving course, in collaboration with the City Traffic Police, would start from next month at three technical colleges of the city. “Around 6,000 people will be enrolled in this course where a Rs1,000 stipend will also be awarded to students,” he said.

The chairman stated anyone above the age of 21 could enrol in the course which would become most beneficial in light of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

He said CPEC was creating opportunities for the people of Pakistan and a student could earn between Rs60,000 and Rs80,000 per month.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 13^th, 2017.