The National Vocational and Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC) and International Labour Organization (ILO) joined hands to explore mitigating strategy for technical and vocational training during the Covid-19.
The NAVTTC, Pakistan’s apex body in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), is taking strategic steps to address the severe setback to the TVET sector of the country and devise a joint multi-dimensional plan to continue imparting technical and vocational training to the country’s youth in the Covid-19 pandemic situation.
In view of the evolving situation, the NAVTTC in collaboration with the ILO arranged the first ever International Dialogue on a mitigating strategy for the TVET in the emerging COVID-19 scenario, which was attended by 62 key technical experts from around the globe including the European Union, South Africa, New Zealand, Colombo Plan Staff College, provincial TEVTAs, Bureau of Emigration and Overseas Employment, and the Pakistan Workers Federation etc.
While addressing the webinar session arranged at NAVTTC HQS, Country Director ILO Ingrid Christensen emphasized the need of redesigning and reshaping TVET sector to cope with the changing scenario.
Gabriel Borddao, Skills Specialist, ILO gave a detailed presentation on how different countries are dealing with COVID-19 in TVET.
Chairman NAVTTC Syed Javed Hasan said, “Among other sectors, technical education and vocational sector is also badly hit by the pandemic and we need to devise a clear strategy to efficiently and effectively minimize, mitigate and manage the adverse effects being faced by the skill sector of not only just Pakistan but the world”.
The chairman said, “It’s a blessing in disguise that our young generation is tech-savvy, so we must take advantage of it and offer them with the best e-campus learning opportunities that would not only help them make the most of their free time but also help them grow professionally, so that they are ready for the job market once the country moves towards normalization”.
The Executive Director NAVTTC, Dr Nasir Khan, said “We have to explore hidden opportunities in adversities and I believe this situation has presented us with opportunity to explore alternate solutions to the challenges that we are facing. It calls for all TVET experts from around the globe to come together and devise a collaborative International Post Covid-19 Response system”
