Convocation address: Encourage students not to drop out, says governor

Rafiq Rajwana encourages new universities to come up to high standards

FAISALABAD: “Quality education is an important imperative to meet the challenges of the 21st century. The government is cognisant of the dearth of research facilities and will establish several new universities and higher education centres to meet the demand for higher education,” Governor Rafiq Rajwana said on Monday.

He was addressing the 6th convocation of the Government College University Faisalabad (GCUF).

The governor said that the government was committed to ensuring quality education. He said raising education standards was a top priority for Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif.

“The education sector has been neglected in the past due to poor planning,” governor said. “We want to change this. A number of reforms in the education sector have been introduced to improve the system.”

The governor said universities were being set up in far flung areas to make education accessible in rural areas.

“Even though the government is supportive of new educational ventures, it has zero tolerance for poor standards,” he said.

“New universities must come up to high standards,” he said.

He said universities should focus on career-development and promote research.

The governor also expressed concern about dropouts from high schools.

“Teachers and parents should create an encouraging environment to motivate to pursue higher education,” he said.

“Every child has the right to education,” he said. He said thousands of children were out of school because they were earning livelihood for their households.

“Families should be aware that the more you invest in your child’s future, the greater the chances are economic mobility,” he said.

The governor said Faisalabad was an important industrial hub.

“It the responsibility of big businesses and philanthropists to support and promote education in Faisalabad,” he said. “This is an investment in manpower.”

Later, the governor distributed medals and degrees among the graduates.

Speech disrupted by sloganeering

Several students and graduates chanted slogans during the governor’s address.

A spokesman for the GCUF said the convocation had been organised at its new campus on Jhang Road. He said the governor had been invited as chief guest to distribute degrees and medals among 16,016 graduates.

As many as two dozen students were barred entry in the hall for being late. After a heated argument, the students chanted slogans against the security personnel and the GCUF administration. They also chanted Go Nawaz Go next to the hall. Some of the students in the hall also picked up the chant. The protesting students were later allowed in.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 1^st, 2015.