PESHAWAR Nov 13: Chief Minister Ameer Haider Hoti on Tuesday said more resources had been allocated to promote technical education to meet market demands.

He said the government was committed to ensuring that the coming generations had prosperous, secure and strong Pakistan. He said importance of technical education and training was vital for eradicating unemployment.

The chief minister was addressing a prize distribution ceremony organised by the Board of Technical Education, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, in collaboration with Technical and Vocational Education and Training and GIZ Reform Support Programme, at the CM House on Tuesday, according to a handout.

Mr Hoti said Rs2.82 billion had been allocated for technical education in the province this year.

Gold medals and certificates were conferred on toppers in diploma of associate engineering, commerce and business administration held between 2006 and 2012. Provincial Minister for Technical Education Mehmood Zeb, Secretary Industry Fazal Karim Khattak, VC UET Imtiaz Gilani, Chairman, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Board of Technical Education, Prof Nasir Ali Mohammad Zai, principals of different technical institutes, teachers, students and large number of parents were also present.

The CM termed technically qualified and trained people as guarantors of economic development and prosperity and said this important sector had been ignored in the past. He said the government had initiated special programmes for generalising technical education and enabling trained youth to earn their livelihood that included provision of interest free loans under Hunarmand Rozgar Scheme and free training to youth in prominent institutes.

He said a few years back mere Rs200 to Rs300 million annually was allocated for the technical sector but the present government had allocated Rs2.82 billion to technical education for benefiting from greater available opportunities at national and international level. He said parents could not admit their children in quality technical institutes due to heavy financial burden, adding the government introduced scholarships for equipping such students with modern training. He maintained that 1,500 youth were taking training in best institutes of the country at government expense.

He said selection process of the trainees had been kept free from any sort of political influence and merit had been ensured.

The chief minister said the toppers of technical board could also benefit from Stori Da Pakhtunkhwa scheme in continuing their studies.

Mr Hoti said needs of the technical board regarding staff and other problems would be met.  He announced honourarium for board’s employees. He congratulated gold medalists and their parents and teachers.

Later, the chief minister conferred gold medals on 86 position holders in different technologies.