Minister stresses skills education for growth

Minister for Industries, Production, and National Food Security, Rana Tanveer Hussain, has emphasised the importance of skills education and vocational training alongside higher education to foster economic development and social prosperity in Pakistan, as per a statement released on Wednesday. His comments were made during a ceremony held to unveil commemorative postage stamps marking the golden jubilee of Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU).

The minister highlighted that skill training would enable graduates to secure dignified employment upon completing their education, stressing that integrating 2.5 million out-of-school children into the educational system is crucial for the country’s growth. “Education is essential for economic growth and social prosperity,” he stated.

Hussain praised AIOU’s significant contributions to advancing education in Pakistan and reiterated the government’s commitment to providing the necessary resources for promoting quality education.

During the event, Dr Nasir Mahmood, AIOU’s Vice Chancellor, highlighted the significance of the university’s golden jubilee, attributing its establishment to Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, according to the statement. He also highlighted the recent declaration of an education emergency by the prime minister and outlined AIOU’s potential role in this initiative. Mahmood detailed a plan involving 200,000 registered teachers with AIOU, each responsible for a group of 30 children, aiming to educate five million children over the next five years.