K-P launches skills programme for youth

PESHAWAR:

To boost economic growth in the merged tribal districts, the provincial government has initiated a Special Emphasis Programme to provide the youth with vocational training.

The Special Emphasis Programme (SEP) was launched in Peshawar on Wednesday by the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Industries, Commerce and Technical Education Department during a workshop.

The initiative is being funded under the Accelerated Implementation Programme (AIP) for the merged tribal districts (MTDS) and will be based on vocational training for youth. It will match grants to enterprises to spur economic growth in the merged areas.

Participants of the workshop were further informed that the current unemployment rate in the merged areas was a meagre 11 per cent with a labour force participation of 40 per cent. The female labour force participation stood at a mere three per cent.

Even as the SEP focuses on vocational training, the department noted that currently, an approximate 3,000 students are enrolled in various technical and vocational training institutes within the merged tribal districts.

The SEP, however, aims to elevate the role of the K-P Technical Education and Vocational Training Authority (KP-TEVTA) to that of a moderator and facilitator, while giving the implementation role to service providers from the private sector.

K-P Industries Secretary Javed Marwat, who made the announcement, said that human development will also be undertaken on priority along with infrastructure uplift.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 15^th, 2020.