NAVTTC starts training on certification of institutions

The National Vocational and Technical Training Commission’ (NAVTTC) here Monday started five day “In-country training programme on accreditation and certification of TVET institutions”. The training has been arranged in collaboration with the Asia Pacific Accreditation and the Certification Commission (APACC) of Colombo Plan Staff College (CPSC) Manila through TVET Reform Support Programme.
The training has been organized till June 29 at National Institute of Science and Technical Education (NISTE).
Speaking on the occasion, Chairman NAVTTC Muhammad Mumtaz Akhtar Kahloon said the programme has been designed to sensitize the local TVET institutions to quality assurance in training and to build their capacity in qualifying as per accepted international standards of accreditation and certification processing. The government has set skill development as one of its priority area and this programme will be a way forward for sustained socio-economic development. The Medium Term Development Framework (2008-2013) anticipates a strong demand for skilled workers and sets an annual training target of 950,000 trainees, 700,000 of which are expected to attend courses in public sector training institutes and 250,000 in private institutes, he said.
NAVTTC has been exploring collaborative arrangements for Accreditation and Certificate Commission, which is sheltered under Manila based Colombo Plan Staff College for Technical Education for accreditation of local TVET institutions. This programme aims at imparting necessary skills to the relevant experts of technical and vocational training institutions with potential for APACC accreditation and at the same time seeks to resume work on the unfinished agenda of accreditation of the identified TVET instituted in Pakistan.
Tariq Shafi Chak, Executive Director NAVTTC, said the main function of the accreditation system is to assure respect of minimum standards in TVET delivery.
The accreditation serves the dual purpose of regular evaluation and monitoring for quality assurance and grant of credence to the institutes.
“An effective accreditation system may make weak performers disappear form the market while at the same time, credibility and visibility of successfully accredited providers may be strengthened,” he said.
The NAVTTC has hired the services of two foreign experts of Accreditation and Certification on Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET). TVET experts from all provinces including Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Islamabad are among the participants of the training programme.
The main contents of the program are; concepts and philosophies of Accreditation and Certification, Regional Accreditation and Certification; A response to Global trends, innovative approaches for TVET quality and excellence and achieving sustainability in TVET through quality programs.
This in-country training programme is designed for directors, administrators, principals, managers and senior faculty engineering colleges and polytechnic and senior officials in TVET institutions in the country. The participants will be awarded certificates pertaining to their training.