Project description

Title: Supporting technical and vocational education and training (TVET) reform
Commissioned by: German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)
Country: Pakistan
Lead executing agency: National Vocational & Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC)
Overall term: 2011 to 2016

Context

Pakistan’s population is growing at an alarming rate. This means the workforce is expanding faster than the economy, which cannot absorb the increased number of young people. At the same time, there is inadequate capacity for the delivery of TVET services to provide them with professional skills. There are only approximately 315,000 places available in the formal TVET sector, while the number of new entrants to the labour market is around 950,000. Fewer than six per cent of young people have acquired technical skills through the TVET system, and only 2.5 % have received on-the-job training. As a result, the level of competence in the Pakistani workforce is too low for the country’s enterprises to be suitably productive and competitive. Overall national economic growth is therefore lower than it could be.

Objective

Equitable access to, and the relevance and quality of technical vocational education and training (TVET) in Pakistan have improved.

Approach

GIZ’s involvement in the TVET sector of Pakistan is collectively funded by the European Union, the Kingdom of Netherlands and the Federal Republic of Germany. The programme is intended to increase the responsiveness of the sector, both to the labour market and to social needs. For the current situation to improve, the quality and relevance of education and training must improve, access to it must increase and it should become more equitable. The GIZ programme is divided into three components in order to help it achieve these objectives.

Component I aims to improve governance in the TVET sector and enhance institutional structures. It will also develop an effective coordination mechanism for the activities of stakeholders at federal and provincial levels. The National Skills Strategy will be translated into national and provincial implementation plans. These will serve as instruments for tangible and coordinated TVET development. This component also includes the development of a quality assurance system, which will help to ensure the good quality of the education and training provided.

Component II is helping to ensure the relevance and quality of TVET in Pakistan. In this respect, the main areas of cooperation will be the National Qualifications Framework and in-service and pre-service teacher training. This will include fast-track teacher training courses for technical trainers and instructors who are already working.

Component III also contributes to the increased relevance of TVET by encouraging the greater use of labour market data for decision making related to TVET sector development. The Fund for Innovative Training (FIT) has been established to support new approaches and increase access to training among vulnerable groups. The Fund will focus on projects bringing improvements in four specific areas: 1) green skills, 2) empowerment of women, youth and marginalised groups, 3) involvement of enterprises, and 4) entrepreneurship. These projects will help make the TVET system more flexible and more responsive to the needs of people in areas with low coverage.

Further information

• National Skills Strategy
  http://www.navtec.gov.pk/...