*Punjab University and Virtual University collaborate with German varsity to launch training programme for teachers of vocational and technical education
Two Pakistani and one German university on Wednesday launched the Bachelor of Education (B.Ed) in Technical Education, which is a pre-service study programme to train a new generation of teachers imparting technical and vocational education and training (TVET). This type of study programme for the TVET sector is being implemented for the first time in Pakistan.
The one-year post graduate study programme is a venture of the University of the Punjab, Virtual University of Pakistan and Technical University of Kaiserslautern – one of the leading German universities for TVET teacher study programmes.
The introduction of this new study programme is part of a comprehensive reform spearheaded by the National Vocational and Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC) through TVET Reform Support Programme, which is co-funded by the European Union, the Embassy of the Kingdom of Netherlands, the Royal Norwegian Embassy and the Federal Republic of Germany and is being implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH.
The new study programme was launched at a ceremony held at University of the Punjab, where the varsity’s Vice Chancellor Dr Mujahid Kamran formally launched the programme. Virtual University Rector Professor Dr Naveed Malik, NAVTTC Director General Muhammad Yahya, TVET Reform Support Programme Coordinator Hans Bruns, Economic Cooperation and Development German Embassy First Secretary Almut Knop and a large number of government officials and academicians were also present.
Speaking on the occasion, the NAVTTC DG highlighted the role of NAVTTC in setting standards for skill training in Pakistan.
“NAVTTC is implementing a comprehensive reform in the TVET sector through National Skills Strategy (NSS), which is the main document of the NAVTTC. This strategy is being implemented with the generous support of EU, Dutch, Norwegian and German governments,” he said.
He added that the implementation of reform under NSS will help to change the traditional methodology of technical education and vocational training to competency-based training.