KARACHI, July 29: The row between the ministry of textile industry and exporters’ bodies over the ownership of training institutes imparting vocational and technical education took a serious turn on Thursday following ministry’s insistence over an agreement for the same.The ministry about a year ago floated an idea about change in title and ownership of these vocational institutes. However, on facing tough resistance from textile associations, the ministry formed a sub-committee headed by Khalid Amin to resolve the issue.

The sub-committee of Textile Training Institute Management Board (TTIMB) was given the task to solicit suggestions from all textile trade bodies with regard to change in ownership of these training institutes.

The TTIMB held its first meeting on May 5, 2009 wherein a resolution was adopted by the heads of ten textile trade bodies demanding no change in title and ownership of the vocational and technical institutes.

A spokesman for textile bodies told Dawn that the resolution was passed on to the textile ministry but it remained silent for a year and did not offer reply or comment against the decision taken at the TTIMB meeting.

The resolution of the TTIMB sub-committee refused to change the status of the ownership of the institutes established through funding from the Export Development Fund (EDF) and demanded the status quo because there had been no problem in running them so far.

The heads of textile trade bodies also suggested to the government to put its energy towards betterment of conditions of export-oriented industry, exports, and remittances so that such vocational institutes run by the EDF fund could work smoothly to impart training and skills to the textile workforce.

The ministry on July 13, 2010 circulated a format of an agreement seeking change in ownership of these vocational training institutes.

Since all textile related matters in the past were handled by the ministry of commerce and the ministry of textile industry was created in 2004, all the textile subjects were handed over to the new setup.

Referring to the changed situation the letter from the ministry stated that after the creation of the ministry in 2004, the administrative control of all textile related EPB/EDF funded institutes has been vested in it under the rules of business, 1973.

One of the clauses of the agreement stipulates that the government has owned all physical and capital assets and property of these institutes acquired with the funding from EDF/PSDP.

This once again sent jitters amongst textile trade bodies and a meeting of TTIMB sub-committee was convened on Thursday. The meeting attended by heads of eight textile trade bodies again adopted a resolution seeking a status quo with regard to ownership of these vocational training institutes.
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