The 17th meeting of the board of directors of Frontier Education Foundation (FEF) has approved Rs 6 million for awarding scholarships to students of the NWFP during 2004-05.
The meeting was held under the chairmanship of NWFP Governor Lieutenant General Syed Iftikhar Hussain Shah (Retd) here on Wednesday.
The meeting also approved annual budget of Rs 44.68 million of the foundation for 2004-05.
The meeting while appreciating the performance of FEF colleges in the recently held intermediate as well as degree level examinations also approved a proposal to give cash awards to the top three position holders of each FEF college and a cash award of Rs 50,000 to those FEF colleges who would achieve 100 percent results without detaining any respective student in any of the intermediate and degree level examinations.
Similarly, the meeting also approved the establishment of a new degree college at Pahar Pur in D.I. Khan with which the total number of FEF colleges in the province would reach 15.
Besides, the meeting also approved purchase of land for the construction of new buildings of FEF Degree College Sarai Naurang in District Lakki Marwat and FEF Academy at Kohat.
The meeting after detailed review of the achievements of FEF degree colleges also approved launching of masters classes in FEF degree colleges Haripur and Hayatabad, Peshawar.
To another proposal, it was also stressed to make information technology part of syllabus of the degree programme, which had already been converted into four years programme. On a point, the meeting also allowed the FEF Academy, Kohat to offer courses in management subjects, particularly in the fields of education and health.
Speaking on the occasion, the governor said that since demand for higher education is very much there, the foundation should continue its efforts to further expand the network of its institutions.
However, he said, the principle of self-sustainability should be kept in mind without effecting any additional burden on the students.
As far as performance is concerned, he said, there should be no compromise on quality in all respects and these institutions must set standards from their achievements for others.
He also said that visionary approach should be adopted for further strengthening of these colleges and they should be given more authority to deal with their day-to-day requirements, particularly strengthening and upgradation of their laboratories and libraries.
Iftikhar said that the respective principals should be made accountable in all respects in this connection. Appreciating the disciplinary actions taken against a principal of one of the colleges, the governor said that this practice should continue in future too.
Simultaneously, he said, possibility should also be explored to extend maximum benefits to the students.
Earlier, FEF Managing Director Syed Mazhar Ali Shah briefed the meeting about the salient features of the achievements of the organisation and its future plan of action.
He also informed the participants that two students; one each of FEF colleges Bannu and Chakdarra have secured top positions in their respective boards in the recently held intermediate examinations, whereas eight others in different boards have also achieved distinctions.
He said that as the students of the colleges have been coming to limelight, therefore, the foundation should also consider concrete measures to encourage both the students and respective teachers.
As far as FEF Academy is concerned, he said, it has conducted almost 10 courses of different nature both for male and female teachers and it is continuing its efforts to further streamline it's performance. Representatives of provincial education and planning and development departments also attended the meeting.