Pakistan: Higher education to get priority in AJK: Masood

Pakistan/August 29, 2017/ Source: http://pakobserver.net

Sardar Masood Khan, President AJK chaired a joint meeting of Vice Chancellors of AJK Public Sector Universities, Chairman Higher Education Commission, Dr. Mukhtar Ahmad and senior officials of HEC at his office here in Islamabad. Dr. Mukhtar praised the AJK government for prioritizing higher education and emphasized the importance of a knowledge based economy.

President AJK acknowledged the Chairman HEC for taking special interest in promoting higher education in AJK. The President said that, “The difference between a developed and a undeveloped country is the knowledge base and the preference their Government gave to education especially higher education”. Chairman HEC highlighted the importance of research in universities in order to raise the academic worth of the students studying in various universities throughout the country. Dr. Mukhtar said it was commendable that 9 out 10 districts with in AJK had a University or a sub-campus to cater to the general public.

The Chairman informed that in order to fill the gap of qualified students, HEC has allocated 111 scholarships for AJK Universities among which 28 PhD scholars have completed their doctorate and over 431 merit based scholarships were filled by students of AJK in the previous years. Infrastructure and up gradation of various universities in AJK was prioritized in the HEC agenda and under 23 various projects a sum of Rs.5.4 billion was distributed to the Universities.

During the meeting it was decided that a sub-campus of University of Poonch at Forward Kahota, District Haveli will be established to cater to the local populace. Chairman HEC said that all sub-campuses must acquire an NOC from HEC in order to avail the full support of HEC in their academic and financial spheres. The President recommended for introducing further disciplines at MongSabz Ali Khan sub-campus of University of Poonch, It was proposed that a committee comprising of two VCs, Secretary to the Azad Government and HEC representative maybe constituted to report on the matter which will assess the on ground situation and regularization of the campus.

The report in this regard along with recommendations will be submitted for further deliberations in one month of the committees’ constitution. The President also desired that all inductions and recruitments at the Universities must be made on merit and faculty of the highest qualification be inducted.

The Chairman HEC while hearing various issues of the VCs presented his recommendations that strict security measures may be adopted to ensure a conducive environment and also asserted the need for extra-curricular activities at the Universities. The President also reiterated the need for Technical Skill Development Institute at Sudhanoti District for which the assistance of TEVTA and NAVTTC may be also sought.—PR

Source:

http://pakobserver.net/higher-education-get-priority-ajk-masood/