LAHORE:Chairman Higher Education Commission Dr. Mukhtar Ahmad called on Chief Minister Punjab Chaudhry Parvez Elahi and former federal minister Moonis Elahi at the Chief Minister’s Office and discussed measures for the promotion of higher education in the province.
The CM maintained that exposing youth to skills-based technology was the need of the hour. New universities would be set up to promote skills-based technology; he said and added that the introduction of a uniform pay scale for university teachers was being reviewed and the pay scale would be linked with performance. Free advanced courses were being conducted for the youth in collaboration with Microsoft. “We can compete with the world only by adopting new and modern trends in the field,” he noted.
The chief minister said that technology was changing every moment in the world, and “We also have to adapt higher education to modern requirements.” In this regard, the Punjab government would extend full support to HEC to improve governance in universities. To correct the affairs of the universities, it was necessary to end
ad-hocism, he maintained. A lot of work was needed in terms of research in universities. The stipends for students to get higher education would be increased.
The CM said that new recruitments had been approved to meet the shortage of teachers. Recruitments in higher education would be made on merit. Talented and professional teachers were the need of the hour, he added. “Specialized disciplines for industrial product development will also be introduced in universities,” he concluded.
Secretary Higher Education was also present.