Technical Education in Pakistan

Technical Education in Pakistan

Poverty and Education has a strong co-relation with each other. When there is poverty, there certainly would be illiteracy and less awareness about the importance of Education. Now to eliminate poverty and uplift a society, Nations across the world emphasize on Education. Developing spends an attractive part of their GDP on Education. In Pakistan 64% of the population is younger than 30 years of age, on the other hand 29% of the population is between 15 to 29 years. The option is ours, either we can train them to be our assets and engines of economic growth and industrial development or let them to be the liabilities on themselves, their families or other exploiters.

All the provincial Governments take Technical Education seriously and are trying to improve the system of Technical Education in Pakistan.

After Matric, a candidate has the option to go for general education or to opt for Technical Education. Technical Education in Pakistan is governed by TEVTAs or Technical Education & Vocation Training Authorities in all provinces. Within the framework of Technical Education System, we have different streams. The first is diploma level or known as Diploma of Associate Engineering, where students are admitted after matriculation. There are different areas of diploma Education in Pakistan. A student can chose Electrical, Civil, Mechanical, Architecture, Electronics etc. technology upon the aptitude and tendencies of the candidate. Then we have a vocational training system, which is run in the Vocational & Training centers as an integral part of the whole system of Technical Education with the names of Government Vocational Training Centers. In these Centers, the students get hands on practice in the chosen trade. Prospective candidates, are those who left education incomplete due to certain reasons, or who may have matriculation or middle and then opted for job due to weak financial background of the family. In vocational stream, students are offered training like Plumbing, Electrician, Surveying, Diploma of Information Technology and other such skills. The aim is that candidate may learn the trade in a systematic way and would sharpen his/her skills in his/her chosen area of job. Similarly we have another system of degree awarding Colleges who offer Bachelor of Technology or B. Tech in Engineering areas such as Electrical, Mechanical, Civil etc. After completion, the candidate become an Engineering Technologist graduate with equivalency to Bachelor Degree. B. Tech is offered by the Colleges of Technologies with an affiliation of Engineering or newly established Technical Universities.

The fee structure in these institutes throughout the country is very nominal and within the affordability limit of the lower and lower middle class of society.

We have all the human resources in the form of trainers/ instructors/ or teaching faculty. We do have the required infrastructure in the form of building for these Technical Schools in Pakistan and in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as well. But the harsh reality is that we do not produce human resource /Technologists & Technicians who should be well fit in the national and international job market.
There are certain limitations in our systems, for example any Technical Education learning require a strong Industry-Academia linkages. We have a limited no of industries in Pakistan and in KP in specific. Therefore it is suggested that the Government of the day should focus attention on the available industries and should make it compulsory for these Industries to provide practical training opportunity to the trainees of Government Technical Schools.

Government can give a relief in taxation to such Industries, where students of Government Colleges are provided with training opportunity.

It is also needed that the technology/training machines and equipment within our Technical Institutes be updated.

We have a youth, and the countries in Europe are mostly old age population. The Industries there, are in need of a trained youth. Countries like Germany, Netherland, and European Union are constantly helping to renovate our Technical Education System. We just need to streamline our system and focus on the modern day requirements of Industries in developing and developed countries.

Our youth can become a valuable source of foreign exchange and can play a vital role in the economic prosperity of the Country.

By: Iqbal Munir

About the Author:

The Author is Assistant Professor in Government College of Technology Mingora Swat Technical Education KP. He is a professional writer and registered member of Writers Club Pakistan and his detailed profile is available in Writers Directory.

“The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely of the author. These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of writersclubpk.com and its staff members”