High-end driving courses to be incorporated in training institutes for drivers

By August this year, the Department of Human Resources under Labor ministry will phase out Light Vehicle training from Samthang Technical Training Institute (Automobile Engineering) in Wangduephodrang.

According to Chief Program Officer Karma, many private light vehicle driving training institutes are coming up across the country and ministry’s mandate is to upgrade private sector.

Though the ministry is dropping the training, it will soon be incorporating a new High-end driving course including training for ambulance, pilot and VVIP vehicles.

Till date, the institute has been providing regular driving lessons only. But the new course will teach drivers first aid services and protocol formalities as well.

“By 2013 this course can definitely come into effect,” said the Chief Planning Officer. “Presently, we are working on forming standards and preparing a curriculum for the course,” he added.

The course will take in both pre-service and in-service candidates.

At the moment there are five established private driving institutes and two will be set up in Paro and Bumthang by Ganjung driving training Institute which is already established in Wangduephodrang and Thimphu.

Some of the private institutes are Kezang driving institute in Thimphu, Rewang driving institute in Paro, Karma driving institute in Gedu and USD driving institute in Gelephu, Phuentsholing and Thimphu. Soon Samtse will have a private driving institute, too.

Samthang Technical Training Institute has already collaborated with Gammon India Hydropower Construction Company to train youth on heavy truck driving.