Daily Times

KARACHI: Twenty years ago, Syed Abdullah Shah, the then chief minister, and father of current chief minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, inaugurated a technical training college for women in Sherpao Colony to prop up skilled workers for industries of Landhi Industrial Area.

Unfortunately, the huge building built for this purpose has been serving as a residential project. The college rooms are being rented and the local traders have been using its compound for their business and residential purposes. With efforts of the then Provincial labour minister Khwaja Muhammad Awan, Abdullah Shah inaugurated the Technical Women College (WTTC) in 1996 near Star Ground in Sherpao Colony. However, after its inauguration, the PPP government was dismissed, and the college did not even start and no educational staff has been appointed even after twenty years.

Although, PPP came into the power twice after that, formed federal and provincial and governments, but the PPP government has forgotten WTTC forever. There are around 50 class rooms in the main building excluding offices for its staff; however, some of internal migrant workers from other Areas of Pakistan are residing in various rooms of secluded building of the college.

In addition, those migrant workers, who are residing inside the college, some of them are working like selling of fruits, beans, kid’s toys, sugarbeets (shakarqandi) etc on handcarts in the streets of Sherpao colony and nearby area. They have also put their goods of business in the college’s ground and these workers usually prepare selling items in the premises of college’s ground, while they also set fire to bake Multani Matti and Shakarqandi.

Workers residing in the college told Daily Times, that they are paying a monthly rent of amount Rs 500 per room, but they did not disclose the name of rent collector.

Drug addicts can also be seen in the empty rooms of the college, but there is no one to stop these illegal activities, however, a social activist, Arshad Kundi is struggling for the restoration of college and to vacate it from unauthorized persons.

Arshad Kundi told Daily Times that the PPP government has established Sindh Technical Education Vocational Authority ( STEVTA ), which is running under the supervision of Chief Minister Sindh Sayed Murad Ali Shah. The CM is also the chairman of STEVTA, while Member of Provincial Assembly (MPA) and Member of Standing Committee on Industries and Commerce, Shahid Abdul Salam Thahim, is the Vice Chairman of STEVTA.

Although, social activists of Sherpao colony have tried many times to be partially start WTTC but their efforts have gone stray and negligence of the concerned authorities have dragged the college into brink of collapse, he added.

Niaz Yousafzai , Secretary General of Awami National Party(ANP) district Malir, told that there are more than 3 million industrial workers who are residing in Landhi Industrial Area, and out of them around 1million workers are women, however, majority of these workers are un-skilled, which has affected their earning and production of companies, he added that if government stimulates training activities in the college the skilled female industrial workers will be able to run their houses.

He further said that un-skilled female workers are seeking from the CM Sindh that he would reactivate WTTC, which was inaugurated by his father, Abdullah shah

It is pertinent to mention here that it is the responsibility of STEVTA to organize, regulate, develop and control technical, vocational, industrial and commercial education of both public and private sectors in the province, since 2007. While the Sindh Board of Technical Education (SBTE), which was established under the Sindh Ordinance No. XVI of 1970 , is the Authority, to conduct examinations for candidates and issue certificates, diplomas and degrees to successful students.