Muzaffarabad: Chairman Azad Jammu and Kashmir Technical Education and Vocational Training Authority (AJK-TEVTA), Chaudhry Muhammad Farid, highlighted the importance of technical education in the modern world, emphasizing its role in promoting socio-economic development. He praised the initiatives of Prime Minister Azad Kashmir Chaudhry Anwar-ul-Haq’s “Skillful Kashmir Vision” and the directives of Minister of Government Technical Education and Vocational Training Authority Sardar Amir Altaf, aimed at promoting technical education in the region.
Chairman Farid stated that technical institutions throughout Azad Kashmir are being encouraged to provide practical training to students, enabling them not only to support their families but also to play a key role in the overall development of the state. Recognizing the global issue of unemployment, he emphasized the importance of expanding technical education to address this challenge.
Under the leadership of Prime Minister Chaudhry Anwar-ul-Haq and Minister Sardar Amir Altaf, new technical education centers are being established across Azad Kashmir. These centers will be equipped with modern machinery, and efforts will be made to showcase the products manufactured by these centers and to market them nationally.
During his visit to Mirpur, Chairman Farid inaugurated an exhibition featuring various technical institutions’ products and organized workshops on auto-mobile repair, TEVTA Qualified Technicians Center, Technical Vocational Education and Training Awareness Walk, and a one-day awareness session on the promotion of technical education and training.
Prominent figures present at the event included Regional Director of Namal University Colonel (Retired) Tahir Najib Raja, District Council Chairman Raja Naveed Akhtar Goga, former President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industries Faisal Manzoor, TEVTA Director Anam Asif, Principal Raja Shakil Ahmed Khan, and representatives from various organizations and educational institutions.
Chairman Farid emphasized the establishment of skill development centers to empower youth and provide them with opportunities for dignified employment. He also highlighted efforts to provide employment opportunities for women and announced courses in beauty, stitching, handicrafts, graphic designing, digital marketing, e-commerce, cyber security, and other IT skills for both youth and women.
He mentioned the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) program, which allows individuals without formal certification to obtain government-approved certificates by passing a test, thus enabling them to enter the workforce. Chairman Farid distributed certificates to institutions that excelled in the exhibition, commending their achievements.