Future of Pakistan is linked to promotion of technical education : Shahbaz Sharif

Lahore: Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif has said that future of Pakistan is linked to promotion of technical education. He said that youth will have to be equipped with technical education for moving speedily towards destiny of progress and prosperity. He said that preparation of skilled work force is need of the hour for meeting the needs of industry. He said that an agreement has been signed with Pakistan Air Force for the training of teachers of TEVTA, under which, Air Force instructors have trained first batch of 500 TEVTA teachers.

He said that collaboration of Punjab government and Pakistan Air Force augers well in the training of teachers and promotion of technical education. He said that political and military leadership and all sections of society have to work jointly for achieving the goal of progress and prosperity by steering the country out of difficulties and programme of training of TEVTA teachers with the help of Air Force reflects this collaboration. There is a need to work with unity for the development of the country, he added.

He expressed these views while addressing the ceremony of distribution of certificates among TEVTA teachers trained with the cooperation of Pakistan Air Force at Model Town, today. Vice Chief of Air Staff Pak Air Force, Air Marshal Saeed Ahmed Khan, Deputy Chief of Air Staff (training) Air Marshal Farooq Habib, Air Commodore Sajid Mehmood Awan, MPA Zaeem Hussain Qadri, Chairman TEVTA Irfan Ahmed Sheikh, instructors of Pakistan Air Force, TEVTA authorities, intellectuals and columnists were present on the occasion.

The Chief Minister said that today is an important day in the history of the province when process of imparting training to TEVTA teachers with the cooperation of institution of Pakistan Air Force has been completed. He said that agreement of training of teachers between Pakistan Air Force and TEVTA is an excellent step and thanked head of Pak Air Force Air Chief Marshal Sohail Awan, Vice Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Saeed M Khan, Deputy Chief Air Staff (training, Air Marshal Farooq Habib and their colleagues and paid tributes to them.

He said that major portion of population of Pakistan comprises youth and we want to change this challenge into opportunity. By equipping the youth with modern knowledge, their energies and capabilities will have to be utilized for the development of the country, he added. He said that we have to take all out steps for equipping the youth with modern knowledge.

The Chief Minister said that there is a great need of trained workforce in gulf states, Middle East and other countries and by improving our standard of technical education, we can put our share in it. He said that exports can be increased through improving the standard of our products. He said that problems of poverty and unemployment can be controlled through promotion of technical education.

Shahbaz Sharif said that the country can be put on the road to progress and prosperity through promotion of technical education. He said that Pakistan was achieved after numerous sacrifices and it can be made a strong country through collective efforts. He said that the dream of Quaid and Iqbal regarding welfare state has still not materialized which will have to be materialized. He said that if we pledge to change the destiny of Pakistan no force of the world can stop our way.

The Chief Minister said that army especially Air Force extended great cooperation during flood of 2010. He said that the role of Pak Army with regard to help of sisters and brethren and provision of relief to them can never be forgotten. He said that Chairman TEVTA has revived TEVTA. He said that if every institution is reactivated, Pakistan will emerge as a powerful country of the world.

He thanked Pakistan Air Force, Chairman TEVTA, Industries Department and other institutions for forwarding training programme of TEVTA and ensured implementation of development strategy and vision of Punjab government. Chairman TEVTA Irfan Ahmed Sheikh highlighted training programmes of TEVTA and said that training programme of TEVTA teachers is reflective of the vision of Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif.

He said that with the cooperation of national and international institutions, TEVTA is providing modern training to its teachers and is determined to achieve the targets fixed under development strategy 2018 and added that target of making five lakh 18 thousand girls and boys skillful will be achieved by 2018. He said that agreements have been made with 15 different industries for preparing skilled workforce according to industrial needs.

He said that under agreement with Pakistan Air Force, TEVTA has provided training to newly recruited 500 teachers and principals of TEVTA for their capacity building. He said that TEVTA has introduced modern courses with the cooperation of public and private institutions for making technical education more effective.

Addressing the ceremony, Vice Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Saeed M Khan said that training of TEVTA teachers is an important step of Punjab government regarding national development. He said that expressing confidence in Air Force, Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif has provided an opportunity to it to take part in process of national construction for which he is thankful to him. He said that Pakistan Air Force is ready to cooperate TEVTA and Punjab government for promotion of technical education in future as well.

The Chief Minister distributed certificates among teachers who completed their training while Chairman TEVTA Irfan Ahmed Sheikh gave shields to Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif and officers of Pakistan Air Force.