A memorandum of understanding was inked between Shah Abdul Latif University and Sindh Youth Council, on the Salu Campus Khairpur on Friday. The purpose of this MoU is to create and maintain an effective working relationship between the SYC, represented by its Shikarpur Youth Development Centre (SYDC) and Salu-Shikarpur Campus.
The MoU will set the stage for SYC to launch its sustainable educational and career Counselling programme for youth, at Shikarpur Campus of SALU (SALU-SC). The MoU was signed by Dr G Raza Bhatti, Pro Vice Chancellor of SALU-SC, and Aijaz Abro (Aijaz Sindhi), SYC Chairman, while Dr Neelofer Shaikh, Salu Vice Chancellor was present to bless the occasion.
Aijaz Abro, a veteran management and development consultant from the United States of America, will help set up Department of Continuing Education in SALU-SC. This continuing education system will be the first ever in any university in Pakistan, and will be designed on the US based educational model. The SYDC will provide youth with short courses in job skills training that will enable them to compete for ground-floor jobs in the open market.
Duration of these courses will range from three days for workshops and seminars, to three months for certificate programmes. These courses will be offered free on scholarship basis from Oversees Sindhis and local philanthropists. Addressing the audience during the signing ceremony, Aijaz Abro praised Dr Bhatti's relentless efforts in making the SYDC a reality on the Shikarpur Campus of Salu.
He admitted that without Dr Bhatti's efforts and interest the signing of this MoU would not have been possible. The famous Sindhi bureaucrat and the first Sindhi Chief Secretary of Sindh, K B Rind congratulated SYC and Salu on this historic occasion. In his message, he said Shikarpur was his first district as Deputy Commissioner, and he considered Shikarpur his "home town". He offered his unconditional support and assistance in making this programme a success. K B Rind is also an Honorary Member of SYC.
"This massive unemployment, on one hand, has lowered the standard of living among the major portion of the population and significantly deteriorated the social fabric of this district on the other", he said. "The joblessness is contributing to increased criminal behaviour among the youth and making them vulnerable prey to extremism", he said, adding that overall situation of the City of Shikarpur, which once used to be the 'cradle of civilisation' in Sindh, is dipped in doom."
Speaking on the occasion, Salu Vice Chancellor Dr Neelofer Shaikh said, "Indeed youth of Shikarpur are facing many chronic problems that have contributed to deterioration of the social structure of this great city, but we are confident that this programme will make a positive contribution and bring a sustainable change among the youth of Shikarpur and adjoining areas". Dr Neelofer praised Dr Bhatti for his efforts in bringing this programme to Salu.-PR