Punjab Governor Lieutenant General Khalid Maqbool (Retd) has said that President Pervez Musharraf and Chairman Higher Education Commission, Dr Atta ur Rehman are the main driving forces and instrumental in country's educational reforms.
He was addressing at the 6th convocation of Fatima Jinnah Women University (FJWU) to confer degrees on the graduates of academic year 2006 here on Saturday. The Governor said, "All the viable changes which the country has been experiencing in education sector are the result of President's vision for a prosperous and progressive Pakistan."
Enumerating the steps taken by the Punjab government for the promotion of education sector, Khalid Maqbool said, Punjab government was playing vital role by taking all initiatives for making universities real hubs of knowledge.
"Linkages with the world leading universities are being established, market and technology oriented programme would be introduced shortly and infrastructure improvement has been given top priority," he said. The governor said that six main universities in Punjab had been given plots and 11 more campuses would soon become full-fledged universities.
Universities have sensitive obligations as they had to serve the society, the governor underlined the prime objective of higher educational institutes. He urged the students of FJWU to promote a sense of responsibility and nurture an urge to rise up to the occasions as country's economy was expanding with vigorous confidence.
Chairman HEC, Dr Atta ur Rehman in his speech stressed the need for unleashing the talent as the country's youth holds the basic potential. Changes were taking place around the world beyond description, he said and asked the students "not to trot the trodden path instead they should carve the new one."
He briefed the participants about the steps taken by HEC for the promotion of higher education in the country. Vice Chancellor Professor Dr Najma Najam, in her welcome speech gave details about the achievements made by FJWU. The Governor gave away gold medals to fourteen Masters and Undergraduate (sessions 2002-06) students.
Those who were conferred gold medals included Sana Akram, Faiza Gul Abbasi, Shehla Shams, Sidra Akram, Amna Ijaz Rafi, Shahana Shakir, Zia Fatima, Nousheen Ali, Rabia Ejaz, Saima Islam, Hafsa Ayaz Qureshi, Saima Sarfraz, Hina Siddique and Sumaira Tasneem. While, sixteen others were awarded with 'Roll of Honours'.