The federal government on Wednesday launched National Talent Farming Scheme (STFS) with initial funding of Rs 1.5 billion to groom students from middle class to become future scientists. Addressing the launching ceremony and orientation session of STFS, Federal Minister for Science and Technology Rana Tanveer Hussain said that science and technology sector development needs hefty allocation of budget for Research & Development (R&D) as without it national targets could not be achieved. Prioritizing the science and technology sector will bring progressive future prospects for the country, he added.
Ahsan Iqbal, Minister for Planning, Development and Reforms, Fazal Abbass Maken, Secretary, Ministry of Science and Technology, Professor Dr Muhammad Ashraf, Chairman Pakistan Science Foundation and STFS Project Manager Hasnat Ahmed Qureshi were also present. The ceremony was attended by the first batch of STFS 300 students, STFS Management, and Heads of S&T organisations.
The minister said that the construction of National Science School building and allied facilities will begin soon, as after hectic efforts of the federal government, the Punjab government has offered land free of cost. Although there was a budget allocation for cost of land in fiscal year 2015-16, the Chief Minister Punjab, due to personal intervention, has provided the land free of cost, he added.
The minister further said that most important aspect of STFS is the establishment of the "National Science School" which will be a boarding school having facilities on the pattern of Cadet Colleges for the continuous support and grooming of the capable students having aptitude towards science education. After the establishment of the "National Science School" the selection of the students will be made on regular basis from 8th Class which presently is being done after Matriculation. Ahsan Iqbal said that since inception of this scheme he had been associated with it as it is part of Pakistan Vision 2025.
He said that in today's modern world, when the entire world is converting into a global village, every country is indulging itself in the never ending race of inventions and innovations by investing more and more towards capacity building of its individuals.
The countries with huge natural resources have been compelled to go at secondary positions by the drivers of the new world, which are equipped with skilled and scientific human capital, he said, adding that is why the term of "knowledge based economy" has been coined, he added. Fazal Abbas Maken said the extraordinary development in science and technology during the last two centuries has made the science education a necessity and with technology evolving every minute, there is a dire need to develop skilled manpower to cope up with the latest trends.
He said in this backdrop, the initiative of STFS is a step in the right direction. "This scheme is an endeavour to popularise science among the young generation, to motivate them to adapt science as their career and to invite the students towards "Learning by Doing" instead of "Rote Learning", the Federal Secretary said.
Fazal Abbas Maken said this initiative of the government as part of Vision 2025 is also in consonance with the National Science, Technology and Innovation Policy (ST&I) which presents a roadmap of aims and objectives under the areas of socio-economic development, human resource development, R&D infrastructure, and promotion of ST&I in the society.
PSF Chairman Professor Dr Muhammad Ashraf said that knowledge based economy was need of the hour while education in general and scientific education in particular were drivers of such economies. Dr Ashraf said that number of researchers in Pakistan as compared to other countries is very low, which is main reason that the country is lagging behind in the field of S&T as compared to other countries. He said that only four percent girls and seven percent boys' schools have fully equipped labs. He said this project will help in improving the R&D needs by producing quality researchers.