Some 1,812 graduates were awarded degrees in their respective disciplines at convocation of NED University of Engineering and Technology held at varsity campus here on Saturday. High achievers were also awarded gold medals and merit certificates. Speaking to the gathering, chief guest Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah congratulated the graduates, saying the emergency he had declared in the education department had set some clear directions which were bound to improve the quality of education in the public sector.
"I have held a number of meetings for introducing reforms in education right from primary to higher education," he said and added the proposed reforms include improvement of textbooks, proper and professional trainings of teachers, more efficient and transparent mechanism of teachers' recruitment, performance-based promotions, increments and incentives for best teachers and warding of inefficient teachers and improvement of class room environment where students can receive education.
He said he had constituted a committee to suggest the reforms and then leading educationists of prominent private sector educational institutes would be involved to work out a detailed 10-year education reform programme for which support of civil society, parents and teachers would be taken into confidence for it implementation.
Presenting the annual report for the year 2017, Vice Chancellor NED Dr Sharosh Lodhi said NED had been educating young people to become qualified engineers, architects, planners, computer scientists and professionals in other fields since the past nine decades. "This Vital corps of professionals is perhaps one of the most outstanding human resources trained to serve the nation. Let me inform this distinguished audience that this university shall be celebrating its centenary of existence and outstanding performance in the year 2021. It was initially founded in 1921 as Prince of Wales Engineering College at a time when the British colonial administration was in need of civil engineers to participate in the construction of Sukkur Barrage. The institution was renamed as NED Engineering College in 1924 in recognition of significant donation made by the heirs of Nadirshaw Edulji Dinshaw. Ever Since that landmark event, these graduates have contributed their energies in most desired exercises of nation building."
He also congratulated the first graduating batch of BS in Computational Finance, Industrial Chemistry and Applied Physics, a unique discipline introduced in NED about four years ago.
Dr Lodhi informed that NED was a public sector university. "It extends quality education in all those who satisfy stringently laid down criteria of admissions. It welcomes students from all strata of the society who obtain merit and believe in hard work. By keeping a very modest fee structure, we make all our efforts to reach out to meritorious and talented young people".