Higher education: Women promised equal opportunity

Education minister addresses Islamia College for Women’s convocation.

LAHORE:

Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has approved the establishment of a new hostel for the students of Islamia College for Women, said Education Minister Rana Mashhood Ahmed Khan on Saturday. Khan was addressing the 58th convocation of the Islamia College for Women on Cooper Road.

The funds will be provided in the annual development programme for the year 2014-15, Khan informed.

The minister also said that some 36 world-acclaimed universities will come to Pakistan next month to establish ‘sub-campuses’ at the knowledge park in Lahore

Khan said the government was focusing on education to empower youth. “We are providing a level playing field for boys and girls to acquire higher education on merit. An overwhelming majority of highly qualified women, however, do not join the workforce after marriage,” he added.

The minister stressed that the country could greatly benefit from educated women. He said the government had set a 33 percent quota for female candidates in all public sector jobs. He said this would enhance the GDP and economic growth rate.

Khan lauded the role of the Islamia College for Women, which was established in 1939. He said it had been a ray of hope for aspiring young women who had been deprived of higher education at the time. The institution spread the light of learning without discriminating on the basis of creed, race or religion, he added. He termed it a matter of pride that many students of the college had participated in the Pakistan Movement.

Principal Farzana Shaheen presented the college’s annual report. She said the institution was one of three colleges, out of 102 in the country, to be awarded a W category in ranking by the HEC.

The college is the only one among girls’ colleges to be in this category. As many as 294 students were awarded degrees and eight were given gold medals for obtaining top positions.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 6^th, 2014.