Minister reviews proposed Punjab Skill Policy 2021-26

LAHORE, Punjab Minister for Industries and Commerce Mian Aslam Iqbal chaired a meeting to review the proposed Punjab Skill Policy 2021-26 at TEVTA (Technical Education and Vocational Training Authority) secretariat, here on Tuesday.

TEVTA Chairman Ali Salman Siddique gave a detailed briefing on the first proposed skill policy.

The provincial minister said that the government was introducing the first skill policy, and he had constituted a committee, headed by Secretary Industries and Commerce Department to finalise the policy in consultation with the stakeholders within a week.

Mian Aslam added, “Technical education has now gained special importance all over the world. So we will have to take steps to attract people to it.”

The provincial minister said that under the skill policy, establishment of 17 centres of excellence, a provincial skill council, a special technology zone at TEVTA Secretariat, and an innovation hub are part of the plan.

Mian Aslam Iqbal said that liaison with employers and agencies of different countries would be made effective for consumption of skilled manpower.

The provincial minister ordered for making rules and regulations of the Apprenticeship Act and said that performance audit of ongoing technical education programmes should be conducted in collaboration with the World Bank, besides improving the credibility of examination of technical education and making the examination system more effective.

Mian Aslam said that certification process should be made easy so that the skilled workers did not face any difficulty abroad.

TEVTA Chairman Ali Salman Siddique said that the first phase of skill mapping would be completed in September with the participation of urban unit. He asserted that the first skill policy of the province has been formulated as per the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan.

Secretary Industries and Commerce Wasif Khurshid, DG Punjab Skill Development Authority, Chairman Punjab Board of Technical Education experts and officers concerned attended the meeting.