ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: Pakistan and Belarus would initiate joint ventures to promote technical and vocational education among the students at colleges and universities level.
This was decided by Minister of State for Education, Training and Standards in Higher Education Engr Muhammad Baligh Ur Rehman and members of Belarus delegation in a meeting held here Friday.
They also discussed possible cooperation between NAVTTC (National Vocational and Technical Training Commission) Pakistan and RIPO (Republican Institute for Vocational Training) Belarus regarding technical and vocational education.
Establishment of Vocational and Technical Centers of excellence, providing demand driven and future oriented skills for different sectors in Pakistan were part of the discussion.
Moreover organizing skill show competitions for the youth in Pakistan, training of VET trainers and managers and short term courses for skilled labors in Pakistan were also discussed in meeting.
An invitation was extended by the Belarus to Pakistan to get acquainted with the Belarusian VET system and the participation in the International Education Forum including National Championship world skills Belarus 2016, and VET Conference etc.
Talking about the cooperation between Pakistan and Belarus, Baligh said that an agreement of mutual cooperation between the education ministries of the both countries was signed on May 29, 2015 followed by a MOU signed between the two countries regarding higher education in August 2015.
The first meeting of the joint Belarus-Pakistan Commission on trade and economic cooperation was held in August 2015, in which Belarusian side proposed to establish the centre for vocational education in Pakistan.
A protocol agreement of mutual cooperation in the field of education was also signed in November 2015.
Minister of State talked about the current educational situation in Pakistan along with the ongoing projects taken by the ministry.
Belarusian delegation shared the experience of their visit to Pakistan and thanked the ministry of federal education for their warm welcome and facilitation.
The meeting was also attended by the Secretary, Additional Secretary, Joint Education Advisor and other officials of the ministry.
While the delegation of Belarus included Mr. Arkadz Shkliar (Rector, Republican Institute for Vocational Education), Mr. Andrei Ermolovich (Ambassador of Republic of Belarus), Mr. valery Halubouski (Vice Rector, Republican Institute for Vocational Education), Ms Olga Dekhtiarenko (Head of Department for comparative Research and International Cooperation in VET), and Mr. Kirill Deryabin (1st Secretary, Embassy of Republic of Belarus).
