KARACHI: While ending the role of officers working on a deputation in Sindh Technical and Vocational Training Authority (STEVTA), the Sindh government is likely to promote senior officers of administrative/operation branch, who have been waiting for their due promotions since long, to the next higher grade to further the performance of the authority, it is learned.
The STEVETA, which is mandated to streamline, upgrade, manage technical education and vocational training in the province in line with national and international job market requirements, has remained within the control of deputed officers since long and hampered authority’s performance badly.
Earlier, after a detailed discussion with the stakeholders, the Sindh government appointed a senior officer, Muzaffar Ali Bhutto, from the administrative division namely as authority’s new managing director (MD) that resulted in an extraordinary performance of the authority in the province, sources confided to Pakistan Today.
As the deputed officers governed the authority for a couple of years, a number of senior officials including Muzaffar Bhutto remained sidelined and their promotions were withheld for many years. However, all these officials knocked at the doors of the Sindh Services Tribunal which eventually decided the matter.
According to sources, the deputed officers, with the help of some elements in the government had resisted against the government’s decision to abstain teaching cadre employees from grabbing the top slots.
Interestingly, the officer working on a deputation has also approached the Supreme Court to get some space for the postings, however, their constitutional petition was dismissed by the apex court.
“Within few months of their postings, all the officials including Muzaffar Ali Bhutto and other outclassed in their performance and overall image of the STEVTA touched the highest peaks”, sources added.
Furthermore, sources claimed that the per year admission into the authority’s 251 institutes has jumped to a total of 20,180 students, which is higher than all the previous years.
The STEVTA, under the leadership of new managing-director Muzaffar Bhutto, has signed MoUs with Thar Foundation, Federation of Pakistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI), EFP and WEBCOP to strengthen and promote productive working relationship with business/industry for achieving the greater objective of decent employment for all TVET stakeholders.
Under the authority’s employment facilitation programme, the sources added that as many 45,000 STEVTA trainees have been provided with the best jobs in national and multinational companies with handsome salaries.
“The STEVTA also restored service-cum-production units, garments, printing and graphics units at Pak – Swedish Institute to impart on-job training to trainees so that they could support their families in a befitting manner”, sources said.
Talking to Pakistan Today, STEVTA MD Muzaffar Ali Bhutto said the representatives from public and private sector have jointly formed Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Advisory Forum that will contribute towards economic prosperity in the province.
According to the MD, the idea was discussed in detail in a meeting summoned by TVET Reform Support Programme being funded by the European Union and German and Norwegian governments.
“The TVET Advisory Forum – Sindh is expected to serve as a platform for the public and private stakeholders to advise and support the implementation of TVET reforms in the province”, Bhutto added.
“The reform programme is being implemented in partnership with the private and public sector organisations, including Sindh TVETA and other TVET bodies. The establishment of the advisory forum will help accelerate pace for the implementation of the National Vocational Qualifications Framework (NVQF) through various pathways”, the MD said.
In this regard, Bhutto said it has also been agreed that a separate secretariat of the advisory forum is formed comprising of private and public sector representatives. The establishment of this forum will help in a close coordination and be looking at the futuristic aspect of bringing technical and vocational skills in the mainstream market.
The forum through its joint secretariat will formulate technical working groups to support the implementation of TVET activities, the MD further added.