Pakistan has a key objective: it is keen to prepare more young people for the labour market. So since 2011 it has been reforming its technical and vocational education and training (TVET) provision. AIZ is supporting the country with various training measures and competence analyses.
Background
Pakistan’s Government has been reforming its technical and vocational education and training (TVET) system since 2011. The training provided has hitherto often failed to meet labour market demands. Training quality is now to be improved and basic and further training programmes tailored to the needs of the labour market with the introduction of modular training in line with a competency based training (CBT) approach. This calls for measures to train trainers and provide expertise. GIZ and its academy, AIZ, are assisting with reforms through the TVET Reform Support Programme on behalf of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.
The role of AIZ
AIZ analyses which competences Pakistani teachers and instructors need in order to train highly effective skilled workers. It then provides relevant upgrading courses using modern training methods, both in Pakistan and Germany. The Academy also uses study trips to Germany to introduce Pakistani decision-makers from public and private institutions and representatives of the country’s industry to the German dual training system.
Results
The initial phase of the training reform was completed in 2016. During this period, 880 managers and experts completed a management training course, and 100 leading instructors undertook a training-of-trainers (ToT) course. They have now passed on their pedagogical knowledge to a further 8,500 teachers in Pakistan. The second phase of the reform was launched in 2017.
‘The training in Germany was excellent. It was very helpful to learn about the dual training system there. And we learned many new techniques. We already had theoretical knowledge about TIG welding, for example, but no practical experience. We subsequently introduced TIG welding at our institute, developed a training plan and training materials and trained up other lecturers,’ explains Nisar Ahmad, a vocational school teacher from Karachi, who attended a follow-up workshop to the six-week training-of-trainers course in Germany.