QUETTA    -    The Government of Balochistan through the Balochistan Public Private Partnership Au­thority (BPPPA) and the Balochistan Technical Education and Vocational Training Authority (BTEVTA) signed its first Public-Private Part­nership (PPP) agreement, said a press release issued by the CM Secretariat on Wednesday. 

The agreement was signed with Taaleem Foundation in association with The Hunar Foundation and Management and Develop­ment Centre at Balochistan House, Islam­abad, and was attended by Mr Abdul Aziz Uqaili, Chief Secretary Balochistan as the Chief Guest. The signing ceremony was at­tended by key stakeholders, including rep­resentatives from the BPPPA, BTEVTA, Ta­aleem Foundation, The Hunar Foundation, and Management and Development Centre. During his address, Abdul Aziz Uqaili praised the partnership as a significant step towards improving the skills and employability of the youth in Balochistan. He emphasised the im­portance of public-private partnerships in promoting economic development and im­proving the lives of people in the province.

The concession agreement aims to boost technical education and vocational training in Balochistan, with a focus on 22 trades (including 5 trades for female trainees) and major trades, including Construction, Min­ing, Digital literacy, Entrepreneurship, Ag­riculture/livestock, and Alternate energy (Solar and Electric Vehicles). The agreement will enable over 4,000 students to receive industry linkages, national and interna­tional certification, and dual diploma pro­grammes with Chinese institutes through Tang Pakistan. Students will also benefit from on-job training and certification, per­formance-based stipends, and competency-based training, leading to better employ­ability and self-employment opportunities.

The signing ceremony was a significant milestone for Balochistan’s public-private partnership initiatives and highlighted the importance of collaboration in promoting economic development and improving the lives of people in the province.

“We are thrilled to have signed this PPP agreement with Taaleem Foundation, The Hunar Foundation, and Management and Development Centre. This partnership will provide high-quality technical education and vocational training to the people of Balochistan, and contribute to the economic development of the province,” said Mr Tariq Qamar, Secretary Labour and Manpower, Government of Balochistan.

“Today’s agreement is an important mile­stone in the development of the public-private partnership framework in the province. We are excited to commence our PPP projects model with education by signing the conces­sion agreement with Taaleem Foundation, The Hunar Foundation, and Management De­velopment Centre. This project will serve to prepare skilled human resource who will con­tribute towards the economic development of the province,” said Dr Faisal Khan, CEO BPPPA.

“We are delighted to be part of this landmark public-private partnership in Balochistan, which will revolutionise technical education and vocational training in the province. Our partnership with BPPPA, BTEVTA, and other stakeholders will provide high-quality train­ing, industry linkages, and certification to stu­dents, enabling them to excel in their careers and contribute to the economic development of the province,” said Dr Zafar Iqbal Qadir, Chairman Taaleem Foundation (TF) on behalf of TF, The Hunar Foundation and MDC.