"The only sustainable way of improving livelihoods and well-being of underserved communities in the country is by providing them access to quality education. "We at Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL) are proud to establish a higher education facility for the benefit of our stakeholder local communities," said MD & CEO Syed Wamiq Bokhari at the inauguration of the Virtual University (VU) campus in Sui, Dera Bugti presided over by Balochistan Home Minister Sarfaraz Bugti.
With an input of about Rs 20 million by the company plus a commitment to fund operational costs, the VU campus is equipped with an advanced computer lab comprising 32 systems and an 8-MB fibre optic value-added network to provide online courses leading to a bachelors, masters and doctorate in a host of disciplines, including information technology, management and liberal arts.
VU will be managed by Taaleem Foundation, a local civil society organization working in the education sector. Wamiq Bokhari also announced 100 scholarships for students of Balochistan Public School (BPS) during his visit to Sui. The scholarships, the annual cost of which is Rs 2.3 million, will enable 10 deserving girls and boys each from grade 1 up to 10 to study free of cost.
The company has been supporting BPS since its inception in 2007. Initially, an amount of Rs 14 million was given for renovation of the school building and hostel, followed in 2009 by a similar financial commitment for over 70 scholarships for secondary students for a period five years. Later, Wamiq Bokhari also visited Sui Model School and Girls College (SM&GC) and inaugurated the newly refurbished science lab used by secondary and college students. PPL's maiden CSR project, SM&GC was established as a primary school in 1957.-PR