LAHORE, Dec 26: Punjab Governor Lt-Gen Khalid Maqbool (retired) said on Wednesday the government was taking radical measures to upgrade the standard of institutions imparting training in science and information technology.

Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the newly established Punjab University College of Information Technology at the university’s Old Campus, the governor said there was a dire need for developing uniform syllabi that met international standards.

He said the government was also taking measures to use information technology to improve the standards of medical and engineering education.

He said the government was recruiting better qualified teachers for primary and high schools. He said primary schoolteachers would now be recruited on contract basis in Pay Scale 16 and high schoolteachers in PS-17.

Later, talking to college students, the governor said the government was considering use of computer experts to root out corruption. He said a Rs250 million software was being developed to computerize land revenue and tax record and the first information reports.

He said that there was a need to realistically assess the demand for computer experts. The governor said the standard of education at the university should be improved to attract foreign students.

Earlier, the PU vice-chancellor, Lt-Gen Arshad Mahmood (retired), said the university had laid about six kilometres of fibre optic cable to provide quicker internet facility on the campus. He said the university had also provided 400 computers in its three laboraties and the PUCIT class rooms.

The VC said that the university had also set up a software development house, which was currently preparing a software for its examination branch.

Dr Majid Naeem, the PUCIT principal, briefed the governor about the programmes of study.

The governor also visited the laboratories and classrooms of the college.