Produce job creators, education minister tells universities

Shafqat Mehmood urges varsities to push country towards a knowledge-based economy

ISLAMABAD: Universities should send out job ‘creators’ in the practical world rather than ‘job seekers’, said Federal Minister for Education and Professional Training Shafqat Mehmood.

He called on universities to create skilled youth who can directly contribute towards creating jobs and knowledge economy for Pakistan.

The minister said that broadening the tax net was essential for the government to be able to provide its citizens basic services of education and health.

Government is committed to deploying locally-developed and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) based methodologies for improving school access, teachers training and overall quality of school education, he said at the inauguration of the Annual Thesis Exhibition 2019 organised by the Department of Architecture and Design at the Islamabad Campus of COMSATS University Islamabad (CUI) on Friday.

He also appreciated the fact that CUI is a world ranked university with focus on ICTs which the government would like to use in deploying mass literacy programmes.

CUI Rector Prof Raheel Qamar elaborated upon the need for promoting liberal arts along with technology education and called on the government to support technology-based student start-ups for creating a knowledge economy base in Pakistan.

“Science and Technology Minister Fawad Chaudry has given us the task of digitising the parliament and CUI will play its due role as a national service,” said Prof Qamar while talking to media persons.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 6^th, 2019.