Local levels made aware on youth empowerment through TVET

Kathmandu- People’s representatives from seven local levels of Bagmati Province have been made aware of youth empowerment through technical and vocational education and training (TVET).

Organizing an interaction with mayors and deputy mayors from seven municipalities, the Shankharapur Polytechnic Institute of Sankhu, Kathmandu instructed how the local levels could play role to create jobs and foster entrepreneurship, especially among youths. Adoption of TVET with collaboration of local levels for better employability was underscored in the programme.

The local levels, as the government close to the people, were urged to take ownership of the TVET sector and augment accountability for its development by engaging youths, instructors and related institutions. On the occasion TVET expert and Member Secretary of the Council for Technical Education and Vocational Training (CTEVT), engineer Mahesh Bhattarai, opined that local governments are better placed to identify local market needs to produce competent human resources.

Collaboration between CTEVT and local governments is essential to meet the demands of the local job market, he underlined. Similarly, Principal at Shankharapur Polytechnic Institute, Anil Muni Bajracharya, provided orientation to the participants on the benefits of local government’s ownership of TVET. Enhancement of quality life of youths has direct relations to local government’s ownership of TVET.

The TVET equips youths with essential skills and knowledge so that they would be capable to create employments, augment entrepreneurships and contribute to revenue generation as well, he reminded. Mayor of Gokarneshwor municipality, Dipak Risal, expressed concern over unemployment in his municipality and emphasized the TVET value which links education to employment.

He expressed eagerness to collaborate with Shankharapur Polytechnic Institute for a scholarship programme in Diploma Engineering for the residents of Gokarneshwor municipality. Likewise, Secretary of Ministry of Social Development in Bagmati Province government, Dr Bhishma Kumar Bhusal, viewed investment in human capital through TVET is crucial for long-term returns. Local governments can bridge the gap of unemployment by investing in the TVET sector, he suggested.

Mayor of Shankharapur municipality, Ramesh Napit, expressed commitment to fostering TVET sector by taking its ownership to boost employment in his municipality. Deputy Mayor of Shankharapur municipality, Samita Shrestha, also viewed that her municipality was ready to support TVET sector. In the programme held on March 29, the participants showed collective commitment to work towards empowerment of youths through TVET where local governments could take a lead to this regard.