Modern era challenges: Professional education, skilled manpower imperative: UAF VC

Professional education and skilled manpower are imperative to fight the challenges of modern era and to compete with the rest of world.
This was stated by University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF) Vice Chancellor (VC) Dr Zafar Iqbal Randhawa while talking to delegation of the National Agricultural Education Accreditation Council (NAEAC). The team was headed by NAEAC Chairman Dr Ishtiaq A Rajwana while other members included former Dean University of Agriculture Peshawar Dr Alamzeb, Food Science Director GCUF Dr Umair Arsahd Bajwa, Director NAEAC Nouman Siddique and other notables.
Dr Zafar Iqbal said that there is a need to narrow down the teachers-students ratio in the educational institutions as it was widening and deteriorating the quality of education. He said that teachers had to put a special focus on the students' effective communication skills that will pave a way to excel in life. He said that teachers' contact with students was vital for students' personality and professional grooming.
He said that mushroomed growth in the different sector of life had caused problems. He also urged the HEC to look into enrolments of PhDs, keeping employment needs in view.
Dr Ishtiaq A Rajwana said modernisation of agriculture production systems and supply chain into high value agriculture products is fundamental for accelerated agriculture growth, sustainable food security, and reduction of rural poverty. Modern agriculture has become increasingly knowledge-based and technology driven.
He said that the NAEAC's mandate is to implement a comprehensive programme of accreditation of agriculture education degree programmes based on policies, procedures, and criteria setup by HEC to assure high quality and standard of education.
Dr Alamzeb said that the quality education was prerequisite to make the development in every sphere of life. Later, they visited Faculty of Food, Nutrition and Home Sciences, UAF and held a meeting with Dean Food Sciences Dr Masood Sadiq Butt and National Institute of Food Sciences and Technology Director General Dr Tahir Zahoor.
Dean Food Sciences Dr Masood Sadiq Butt said that they were offering nine degree programmes in their faculty. He said that they were having the qualified and experienced teaching staff and state-of-the-the-art infrastructure. National Institute of Food Sciences and Technology Director General Dr Tahir Zahoor said that UAF is one of the world's top ranked university in the agricultural sciences, whereas the UAF has produced as many as 90,000 students so far.