Punjab signs two technical education agreements

LAHORE: Two memoranda of understanding (MoUs) were signed between the Punjab government and the City and Guilds International, UK, on Monday for cooperation to promote technical education in the province.

One of the MoU was signed by Technical Education and Vocational Training Authority (TEVTA) chairman Saeed Alvi and City and Guilds head of International operations John Dunch McGee.

The other MoU was signed by the Punjab Vocational Training Council (PVTC) chairman Faisal Ijaz and British Council Lahore director Darrin Vardon.

Under the agreements, City and Guilds International and British Council will offer cooperation in teachers’ training, establishment of a centre of excellence, modernising the syllabi and capacity-building of the vocational institutes.

Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif said that the economic future of the country was linked to technical education. He said that the promotion of vocational education was imperative for rapid progress and development of any country.

The CM said that TEVTA and PVTC were vibrant institutions where modern syllabi was being taught to produce a skilled workforce.

He said that the agreement between the Punjab government and City and Guilds International was a milestone.

Alvi said that under the agreement students of polytechnics will get the opportunity to appear for the City and Guilds International Vocational Qualifications theory examinations and will be assessed for practical work.

He said that the City and Guilds qualifications will be introduced in the fields of telecommunications, construction, quantity surveying, mechanical, electronics, electrical, automobile, refrigeration/air conditioning, machining and computer aided design in 24 TEVTA polytechnics.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 12^th, 2010.