AJK to become next education hub for nation: President Masood

UAE-based Ed-Tech company to build teachers training institute as well as modern college and university by year end

ISLAMABAD: Azad Jammu and Kashmir President Sardar Masood Khan has said that transforming the education sector according to the job market’s needs and requirements is the top priority of the AJK government.

"The government is determined to ensure innovative and quality education to improve the level of education in its institutions aiming to bring an educational revolution in Azad Kashmir," he added.

He remarked while talking to the United Arab Emirates-based Ed-Tech company Coded Minds’ Founder and President Omar Farooqui and Chief Operating Officer Amna Khaishgi, who called on him in Islamabad at the Jammu and Kashmir House on Wednesday.

“Five public universities are imparting modern education to students in the liberated territory… and focus has been laid on tailoring the academic syllabi as per demands of the ever evolving job market, so that after graduating, students do not face any difficulty in finding relevant jobs,” President Masood said.

For this purpose, he went on to say, our universities pay special attention towards establishing liaisons with the industry, corporate sector and financial corporations all over the country.

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Highlighting the growing tourism industry in the scenic region, he said that around 1.5 million tourists have been visiting Azad Kashmir every year. “The region with natural beauty, pleasant weather, majestic mountains and rivers has virtually turned the territory into a ‘paradise on earth’ for tourists.”

At the same time President Masood said: “Still, there is a huge potential for enhancing religious and archeological tourism owing to numerous unique and ancient historic forts, mosques and temples that exist in different parts of the valley. These sites can certainly attract a large number of tourists from home and abroad.”

While talking about the uplift schemes in the region, he said the state government has been fully focusing on the development of basic infrastructure to promote tourism.

Besides this, he added, there are wide prospects of energy generation because of abundant water resources and the government has devised a comprehensive strategy in this regard.

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The AJK president also said that under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) a Special Economic Zone will be established in Mirpur. ”Apart from these initiatives, all necessary steps are being taken to provide universal access to health facilities for the residents of the state as per the international standards.”

He added: "Steps are under consideration to introduce tele-health facilities in order to provide modern health services to the people of remote areas.”

Being a son of the soil, Omar Farooqui said, it is his dream to turn the liberated territory into a paradise in terms of education and to enable the young generation to join the race of modern technology.

He said that it was his endeavour to encourage public-private partnerships besides attracting local and foreign investors to work under a comprehensive plan to improve the standard of education, provide employment to the local people, and reduce the number of dropouts at all levels of education.

In her remarks on the session, Amna Khaishgi said that Coded Minds company intends to establish a modern Institute for teachers training with state-of-the-art educational technology in March as well as a full-fledged technology college and university in December this year.

President Masood while appreciating the spirit of the Ed-Tech company assured every kind of cooperation in this regard.