Socioeconomic development: Speaker for utilising potential of 150 millions young people

ISLAMABAD: Speaker National Assembly Asad Qaiser has said that 150 million young people are Pakistan's greatest asset and utilising this potential appropriately would help achieve socio-economic development of the country.

The Speaker expressed these views, while addressing the International Virtual Conference on Pakistan-United Kingdom Education Gateway through video link on Tuesday in Islamabad.

He said that the aforesaid objective could only be realised through providing access to high-quality education and skill development in the country.

Addressing the conference, the Speaker said that the government was fully committed to the cause and aims to generate an educated workforce, build empathy and tolerance, and rapidly improve Pakistan's positioning in the global market.

He said that a substantial allocation of Rs 160 million had been made as an investment in our youth's development through the Knowledge Economy.

He commended the tremendous work done by the British High Commission and the British Council Pakistan in collaboration with the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan in building opportunities for the advancement of higher education, research and development.

Appreciating the launch of GREAT awards and British Council STEM schemes this year, adding to the number of awards for Pakistani students, the Speaker said that it would largely impact the education and skills development in Pakistan.

He expressed gratitude towards the joint team executing this brilliant 9-million-pound project - the British council and the HEC.

"Your work deeply impresses me, and I feel proud of the achievements of the Pak-UK Education Gateway and its rapid response to uncertain times of 2020," he added.

Sharing his work experience with British Council education team while he was speaker provincial Assembly, Asad Qaiser said that the British Council team kept the connection alive and made the KP government able to scale up the work around schools, skills, universities, governance and capacity building of senior leaders in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

He said that British Council's support to skills sector development was a great support for skill for all, around accreditation of Technical and Vocational Education and Training institutes and apprenticeships.

He said that he was sure that these programmes will help create pathways between the higher education and skills sector, and ultimately benefit our young talent which we are proud of.

The Speaker said that Pakistani students would greatly benefit by enhanced number of scholarships for Pakistan this year by the UK government and British Council.

He said that launch of new research links between Pakistan and UK universities was also a commendable effort by the British council.

He said that it is in area which is very important in making this world better by involving science and research for solving our problems of today and tomorrow.

Concluding his address, the Speaker said that he felt proud and optimistic that the upcoming journey of this project, and what many feats it will achieve to enable the youth of this country. He extended his unwavering support, and said I hope to see us all flourish in the outcomes of the Pak-UK Education Gateway.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020