ISLAMABAD - National Vocational and Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC) is working on a plan to establish five Centres of Excellence (COEs) with collaboration of the partner donor organizations, one at Islamabad and one each in the four provinces. These COEs will be equipped with modern technologies and will also cater to the needs of teacher’s training, research and private sector engagement, an official of NAVTTC informed while talking to APP. The official said the NAVTTC was also establishing two COEs each in National Training Bureau (NTB) and National Skills University (National Institute of Scientific and Technical Education-NISTE) in Islamabad. PC-1 for establishing these COEs has been approved; however, funding allocations to start the projects has not yet been made by the planning commission. Another COE for hospitality and construction is being established at the National Skill University with collaboration of the Turkish Development Agency, TIKA, the official said.

To meet the growing needs for Heavy Machinery Operators (HMOs) in both the domestic and international job markets, PC-1 has been approved for establishing technical training facilities in the 13 districts of the country.

However, funding allocation to start the project is still awaited.

These districts are Gilgit, Peshawar, Dera Ismail Khan, Mansehra, Gujranwala, Faisalabad, Multan, Bahawalpur, Quetta , Gwadar, Sukkur, Hyderabad and Karachi, the official said.

National Vocational and Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC) is the apex organization for policy making, regulation, coordination, and standardization of the technical and vocational education and training (TVET) sector in Pakistan.

Though the commission does not own vocational and technical training institutes of its own, it has established numerous sector specific Centres of Excellence (COEs) across the country for the promotion of technical and vocational training.

These COEs are now operated by their respective federal or provincial departments.

Some of the NAVTTC CEOs established in Multan, Lahore, Nowshera, Karachi, Mansehra and Peshawar are fully functional and catering the needs of the students in term of providing them skill-based and technical education.