Prepare a generation with a vision

Muhammad Ali Jinnah University (MAJU) has been playing a pivotal role in catering human resources development necessary for country's economic uplift, said Dr Abdul Wahab, Vice Chancellor of the university.
In an interview with Business Recorder, he said that the parent organisation of the MAJU, Punjab Group of Colleges, has over 50 colleges, 2 campuses of MAJU, one in Islamabad and other in Karachi. The university, he said grants Rs 7 million scholarships every year.
He said that the university's Karachi campus provides free education upto class 3 which would be enhanced upto class 10. He dismissed the impression that the University's fee structure was exorbitant saying that MAJU has been charging half the fee, Rs 35,000 per semester, as compare to the other institution, charging Rs 70,000.
Karachi campus of the MAJU was established in 1988 only with 300 students, now the campus houses 3,000 students in three faculties, business, computers and telecommunication.
Giving details, he said that the university was established with a vision to prepare a force of human resources, which is the biggest need of the country to cater its needs. We are striving to prepare a force of professional experts to serve the country in different fields.
Unfortunately, he said that a majority of the institutions are producing degree holders but not professionals that could steer the country in all fields. This is the reason why we lag behind in all spheres of life.
Wahab said that objective of the education is to bring about change in an individual and society but unfortunately the prevalent education is devoid to meet both the needs. There is need to revamp the whole education system to meet the needs besides holding weekly or monthly seminars to be attended by all the stakeholders of education sector to evolve a mechanism addressing the deficiencies.
To a question, he said that the basic responsibility lies with the government because it plays a major role in bringing about change. This is unfortunate that in the absence of democratic traditions, successive rulers used all their energies to maintain their rules instead of focussing on issues concerning the people.
About the challenges in education sector, he said girls' enrolment particularly in rural areas needed urgent attentions and the Punjab Group of Colleges was expanding its network in rural areas. Colleges have already been established in Rahim Yar Khan and other areas of rural Punjab.
He said that the philanthropists have to come forward in education sector so that the free education be introduced at larger scale, prepare a generation with a vision and moral value to steer the country among the comity of nations.
He deplored that the outdated textbooks, teachers and examination system are some of the main causes of deteriorating education standard particularly in science subjects.
The textbook and teaching system, in most of educational institutions could not generate interest among students in sciences and the teachers were not given due respect both in terms of finance and social status. As a result, the qualified persons could not be attracted.
Another drawback according to Wahab, is lack of latest equipment in most of the institutions.
He said that MAJU with qualified and professional teachers and latest laboratory equipment was imparting quality education and an ideology so that students could become useful citizens.
(An interview with Dr Abdul Wahab, Vice Chancellor Muhammad Ali Jinnah University, by Zaheer Abbasi.)