Punjab University to present national education policy soon

VC says higher education is linked with socioeconomic growth of country

LAHORE: The Punjab University is preparing a national education policy which will soon be presented to the government of Pakistan, said Vice Chancellor Dr Niaz Ahmed Akhtar.

He was addressing the first national conference at ISCS auditorium on Friday. The topic was ‘Education Policy and Development 2019' and ‘Education for Social Justice and Quality System' was
the theme.

The vice chancellor said the university administration and faculty members were also preparing economic, trade, environment, science and technology policies for the development of the country. Higher education was linked with socioeconomic growth and universities must play their role in uplifting the country, he added.

Speaking on the occasion, Punjab Higher Education Commission former chairman Dr Nizammudin said there is a need to establish specialised universities and community colleges to produce skilled graduates according to the demands of government and industry.

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He added the government and industry should present their requirements for graduates in various fields. "We have been successful in increasing access to higher education, but we are still facing challenges in ensuring relevance and quality."

Dr Nizammuddin went on to say that appropriate instruments, programmes and funding would help achieve excellence in the higher education sector. "We need to introduce reforms in curriculum and structure and ensure the autonomy of higher education institutions."

Dr Akhtar said that technology was rapidly changing in the world and this was an era of knowledge-based economies. "Just like the National Action Plan, we must impose emergency in the field of higher education," he said. The Vc added  that maximum funding should be provided to higher education so it could compete with universities in developed countries.

Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) former vice chancellor Dr Shahid Siddiqui said that the only difference between developed and developing countries was knowledge. "Knowledge is directly connected to power and politics. Through power, we control bodies and through knowledge, we control minds. The latter is more important."

Published in The Express Tribune, January 26^th, 2019.