ISLAMABAD – Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) has showedkeen desire to start more projects in the area of technical education andvocational training in Pakistan. TIKA had already undertaken about 148projects in Pakistan in various sectors focusing on education, health,skills development, employment generation and women empowerment, ExecutiveDirector National Vocational and Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC) DrNasir Khan told APP on Sunday.
In an exclusive talk, he said that during the recent visit of Pakistanidelegation to TIKA Headquarter, both sides were agreed to enhance furtherbilateral relations in different sectors especially in education.
Emphasizing the outcomes of recent visit of Pakistani delegation to Turkey,he said that Pakistan and Turkey had also explored further opportunitiesfor collaboration in education, technical training, culture and tourismsector.
The Pakistani delegation was consisting of Minister for Education ShafqatMahmood, Parliamentary Secretary for Education Wajiha Akram, Chairman andExecutive Director NAVTTC Syed Javed Hasan, Dr Nasir Khan and otherofficials of the Ministry.
Pakistan, he said, was keen to learn from the Turkish experiences in thefield of technical education, vocational training, tourism and hospitality.He said efforts were underway to impart quality education to Pakistaniyouth as per the requirements and needs of the society. While revisingPakistan curriculum, we can learn from the Turkish experience ofintegrating religious and modern education, he added.
To further enhance the already existing bilateral cooperation in educationand vocational training, we had held meetings with Turkish counterparts inthe education, culture, and tourism, he said.
Dr Nasir Khan said that Pakistan Government’s efforts in handing overPak-Turk Schools to Maarif Foundation of Turkey were also appreciated bythe Turkish minister for education.
He said that efforts were underway to make Pakistan’s education systemresponsive and relevant to market needs, adding Turkish support will betaken in that regard.
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The Pakistan delegation also visited various institutions in Ankara toobserve technical education and vocational training facilities in Turkeyand to share experience and expertise, he added.
The Pakistani delegation visited Directorate General of TechnicalEducation, followed by a visit to Altindag Iskitler Technical High Schooland Altindag Ataturk Technical High School Ankara, Dr Nasir informed.
He said that a meeting between Shafqat Mahmood, Federal Minister forEducation, Professional Training and National Heritage and Dr. Serdar Çam,Deputy Minister for Culture and Tourism of Turkey in Ankara where bothsides gave final shape to the project for establishing a modern and stateof the art Centre of Excellence in Hospitality and Tourism in Islamabad.
He said that during the visit to Turkey, the Pakistani delegation briefedthe Turkish dignitary about potential of tourism sector of Pakistan. Hesaid that domestic tourism in Pakistan reached its peak during current yearbut stressed on the need for more efforts to attract more foreign tourists.Turkey assured its full support to Pakistan in the development of Tourismindustry.
“We briefed the Turkish counterparts that Pakistan was establishingNational Skills University in Islamabad and the proposed Centre ofExcellence in Hospitality and Tourism Management will part of it as itscampus”.
He remarked that Pakistan Government was revising national educationcurriculum in order to make it relevant to market needs. This will includetechnical education and vocational training as a priority area, he added.
