While deploring lack of political will to increase higher education enrolment in the country, Professor Dr M Masoom Yasinzai, Vice Chancellor (VC), Quaid-e-Azam University (QAU) said that there must be continuity of policies, despite change of governments to achieve the objective.
"Out of 55 million youth only one million get higher educations in universities, which need to be increased by 50 percent, VC said, while addressing a function organised by PSF to celebrate World Science Day (WSD) on Tuesday. He further said that Pakistan has to wake up and devote everything for educating youth for economic prosperity. Dr Yasinzai urged the media and other department's concerned to give due importance to science as no nation could make its presence felt among the comity of nations without progress in this field. He called upon the students to excel in science if they want to see Pakistan as a developed country and to compete with the world.
Our youth is our biggest treasure and we need to put them on right track so that they could play their role in socio-economic development, the QAU VC said. Talking about scientific achievements, he said science has played a great role in changing our life by providing us a number of services.
Dr Yasinzai also talked about dual use of science. He said, "we must educate youth what is useful and what is dangerous". He said next industrial revolution will be of nano-technology and it will be the era of survival of the fittest.
Addressing on this occasion, PSF Chairman Dr Manzoor H Soomro said, the WSD is observed all over the world on November 10 to mark the breath taking achievements of man in science and technology and PSF observes this day every year in a befitting manner, but this year due to Eidul Azha holidays in Pakistan the PSF celebrated this day on November 22 so that maximum number of people and students could actively participate in it.
Dr Soomro said PSF was actively engaged in popularisation of science in the country through different means, including science caravan exhibitions in schools and colleges across the country. He said the purpose of World Science Day is to renew the commitment to science for peace and development and to stress the reasonable use of science for the benefit of society as postulated by the World Conference on Science in 1999. He said Unesco during the General Conference at its 31st session (2001) had proclaimed November 10 each year as "World Science Day for Peace and Development".
Kozue Kay Nagata, Director/ Representative Unesco talked about different challenges posed by climatic changes, biodiversity loss and natural disasters. Dr KK Nagata said natural resources should be managed for sustainability of biodiversity. She said the region Asia is blessed with plenty of natural resources and there was a need to properly exploit and utilise them. She said Unesco intends to expand natural sciences programme in Pakistan. Dr Nagata sought PSF collaboration in this regard.