Fauji Foundation (FF) and Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry (FCCI) have agreed in principle to set up a modern and state-of-the-art Technical Education Institution in Faisalabad. Meanwhile, a focal person has been nominated by FF while FCCI has constituted a 3-member committee to finalise the draft of the concept paper of proposed college within a week.
In this connection, Major General Naseer Ali Khan of FF visited FCCI and discussed various ways and means to absorb passed out students of the technical and vocational training institute of FF in local industry.
Introduce himself and FF, Major General Naseer Ali said that Fauji Foundation was established in 1954 with seed money of 18 million and now this foundation has become one of the biggest industrial groups of Pakistan.
Regarding different projects of the FF, he said that Pakistan is currently facing critical issue of quality education and the FF is imparting traditional as well as technical education not only to the retired soldiers and their families but also to a large number of civilians.
"FF has 140 schools and colleges with 20,000 enrollments", he said and added that these institutions have shown best results. He said that 5,000 students of FF Schools appeared in matriculation examination and its result remained 100%. He further told that out of these 80 percent students were placed in A and A+ category. Similarly, 1500 students from 21 colleges appeared in intermediate examination and their pass percentage was 99.9 percent with dominating majority of A and A+ category.
Continuing, Major General Naseer Ali told that FF educational institution are also focusing on the psychological, social, physical and emotional training of students so that we could produce a balanced youth who could face emerging challenges with prudence, commitment and dedication.
About technical education, he told that it has two separate branches including vocational and technical education. "The vocational training is exclusively for females while technical training is being imparted to the young boys", he told and added that Faisalabad has FF educational institutions which are headed by officer of Colonel or Lieutenant Colonel Rank. He further told that many FF educational institutions are in deficit but they happily bear it in legal interests of nation as it is actually investment in our future generation.
Responding to a question, he said that Punjab Government is spending Rs 400 billion on 54,000 schools across the province but they have little quality impact on our overall education system. He further said the Foundation University has been established in Islamabad with enrollment of 15,000 students. "We intend to establish a campus of this university in Faisalabad which will focus on education of market driven subject", he added. He requested FCCI to cooperate with FF by providing jobs to the passed out students of the FF.
Regarding employment of retired Fauji Jawans as only gun men or security guards, he told that FF was now contemplating to introduce six months technical training course before their retirement. "It will help them to start their own jobs instead of running after jobs", he remarked.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2019