Outgoing students: ‘Persevere and be persistent throughout your lives’

More than 154 students receive postgraduate degrees at the Government College of Home Economics convocation.

LAHORE:

“Never forget your roots. Never be scared of failure and never give up,” said Governor Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar while addressing the students who received their degrees at the 44th annual convocation of the Government College of Home Economics (CHE) on Tuesday.

The students graduated in food and nutrition, textile and clothing, art and design, human development and family studies and housing home management and interior design.

Success alone should not be the goal in one’s life,” Sarwar, the chief guest, said.

He said it was not just wealth, power and official titles that determined an individual’s success, “but how useful he or she is to the society.”

He advised the graduates to persevere and be persistent throughout their lives.

Sarwar said he had always felt overwhelmed by the talent of Pakistani women. He assured the CHE of the government’s full support in continuing the good work.

Fifteen students were awarded MPhill degrees in home economics in addition to 154 students who received MSc degrees in five disciplines.  Another four students were awarded diploma certificates at the convocation.

Gold medals were awarded to Rahma Sadiq and Memoona Khalid for securing the top position in MSc and MPhil batches of 2011 respectively.

Fatima Irfan and Faiza Iftikhar were awarded the Roll of Honour for securing top positions in postgraduate diplomas in dietetics and institutional management in the batches of 2011.

Seven students were awarded special awards and gold medals for distinction in five disciplines. Another 12 students, enrolled in the BS home economics batch of 2012, were awarded certificates for securing top three positions in there batches.

The governor also presented nine MPhill students awards for securing top three positions in their batches.

Faiza Nasar, an MPhil graduate with majors in human development and family studies, said she was interested in speech therapy and family counselling. “I hope I can take it up professionally,” she said.

Sana Malik, another graduate, said a country could not progress if its women were not part of the mainstream economy.“We, at this college try to prepare our graduates to take up these challenges when they step out,” Principal Sami Kalsoom said.

She said the college had competent and diverse curricula in five major disciplines in home economics, adding that these had been reframed recently in accordance with the Higher Education Commission guidelines.

Introducing programmes in MPhil that led up to PhD, she said the success rate in the college’s master’s programme had been 100 per cent.

She thanked the Punjab government for releasing Rs40 million for the college. She said the funds had been needed for up-grading facilities and for the provision of computer and sewing labs.

She also requested for another Rs7 million for repair and maintenance of the college’s building. Kalsoom also requested the provincial government to award five annual postgraduate scholarships to students.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 25^th, 2013.