Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has given approval for the establishment of a provincial higher education commission.
He also gave approval for an information technology university to be set up at the Knowledge Park to be set up in Lahore. Free educational facilities would be provided to the poor students of the university.
He gave the approval at a meeting at the chief minister’s secretariat. Several proposals on promotion of higher education in the province also were considered in the meeting.
Sharif said the government wanted to ensure quality of higher education in the province.
He said a provincial higher education commission would play a strong role in managing higher education facilities in the province.
He said universities were important for promoting research and innovation. The chief minister said facilities at universities should be updated to meet the demands of the time.
He said comprehensive strategy should be evolved for meet the shortage of PhD scholars at the universities.
He said the government would provide the necessary resources for improving the standard of education at universities.
He constituted a committee to set up another university at Knowledge Park and sought its recommendations by mid-April.
Sharif said that no negligence or laxity would be tolerated in education programmes.
Education Minister Rana Mashhood Ahmed Khan, MPA Ayesha Ghaus Pasha, the additional chief secretary and the planning and development board chairman were also present.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 23rd, 2014.