Governor stresses on prudent approach to promote higher education
News Issue Date: 01.02.2008
Governor Owais Ahmed Ghani has said that education is a very powerful instrument to bring a positive change in socio-economic life of the people, and it is because of this fact that huge investments are being made in this sector over the past few years.
Addressing faculty members during his visit to the university on Friday 1st February 2008, the Governor said, from now onwards we must adopt a prudent approach for promotion of higher education.
While stressing the importance of merit, the governor said elementary education is a right of every child, however, higher education is a matter of merit.
He stressed upon the university administration to inculcate moral and ethical values among students, alongside professionalism and discipline. There must be an efficient system of management in the universities, not only to effectively deal with the administrative and financial aspects, but to ensure quality education to youth also.
Highlighting the importance of a congenial educational atmosphere at campuses, the governor said, we must protect the rights of those students at every cost who join the institutions to seek education and have the desire to get knowledge.
The institutions should not be used as a place for politics, rather pursuit of knowledge should be our only objective;, he remarked. Referring to the role of teachers, the governor said, you are the frontline soldiers in the struggle to promote education, especially in the fields of science and technology, and you must be fully aware of your obligations.
The nation, he remarked, is faced with a number of challenges, and the institutions like NWFP University of Engineering and Technology can contribute significantly in enabling it to meet them.
The governor also freely exchanged views with the teachers, and while responding to their points, said that Institute of Continuing Engineering Education is being established at Hayatabad as a subsidiary institution of the University which on completion would be available to engineers, desirous to have on job training to update their knowledge.
The governor also appreciated the proposal to involve the University in carrying out research study of the indigenous resources, especially the mineral wealth of the province as well as FATA, with the aim to encourage industrialization and provide job opportunities to the youth.
Appreciating the academic as well as infrastructural development of the University during past few years, the governor said it was indeed praise worthy.
Earlier, the Vice Chancellor of the University, Syed Imtiaz Hussain Gilani, while welcoming the chancellor on behalf of faculty members presented an overview of the development that had taken place on the campus over the past four years.
The governor was told that a number of development activities are in different stages of implementation at a total cost of Rs8772 billion. Out of these, five projects had already been completed.
Ongoing projects, include the establishment of Jalozai Campus of the University near Peshawar. To meet the future requirements of the faculty members at the Jalozai Campus, the governor was told that out of a total of 200 faculty members to be sent abroad for higher studies, 25 would be leaving to join various world class institutions this year. The ongoing projects, it was said, also include the strengthening of Abbottabad, Bannu and Mardan campuses, where apart from the infrastructural develoment, latest educational and research facilities are also being provided.
Later, the Governor went to Mechanical and the Earthquake Engineering Centre, where he was briefed about the latest research facilities being provided to the researchers.
The DEAN and the heads of different departments were also present on the occasion.
