TEVTA seeks US help to teach English

Chairman says he wants to create opportunities for students in American industries

LAHORE: Technical Education and Vocational Training Authority (TEVTA) Chairman Irfan Qaiser Sheikh hopes to extend cooperation with the United States in the livestock, agriculture and English language sectors.

He said this while speaking to US Consul General in Lahore, Elizabeth Kennedy Trudeau at the TEVTA Secretariat on Wednesday. US Consul General Political and Economic Section Chief Ann L Mason and TEVTA officials were also present on the occasion.

Irfan Qaiser Sheikh explained that TEVTA needed expertise and master trainers from US. “We want training opportunities for our students in American industries,” he added.

He said TEVTA wanted to start an English language course, in collaboration with the US, for 1,000 students. “Therefore, US Consul General Lahore’s support is required as it would benefit the youth of Punjab to become the real power of our country,” he added. “The number of students in the English language course would be increased in the coming years,” the chairman continued.

He said the youth were the future builders of the country and there was a dire need to teach them foreign languages. Qaiser said TEVTA’s Chinese language course was already running successfully. “Last month, an organisation had shown interest to start a Turkish language course with TEVTA, he said.

Qaiser said TEVTA had increased the number of apprenticeship for its students from 3,000 to 71,000. In the next four years, these numbers would be increased to 200,000, he said.

In apprenticeship, a student was provided up to Rs7,000, besides training in the industry, followed by a job offer.

Irfan said TEVTA had also constituted Pakistan’s only Blue Pottery Institute in Multan. He further informed the US Consul General that TEVTA had already been working in collaboration with Japan and Turkey in several fields.

US Consul General Elezabeth Kennedy observed that the US was also interested in working with TEVTA as it would strengthen relations with Pakistan. She added America would also work with Turkish, Japanese and German organisations in Pakistan to increase quality.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 31^st, 2017.