KOHAT, Jan 3: The Zanana Hospital building has been converted into a third degree college for women to overcome the shortage of seats in the existing two colleges where admissions will start from the coming academic year when all the arrangements will be completed in February.

This was announced by the NWFP minister for information and education, Syed Imtiaz Hussain Gilani and district Nazim Kohat, Engineer Malik Asad, who visited the vacated Zanana hospital building to review the arrangements being made in this regard on Wednesday.

They were accompanied by the concerned officers of both health and education departments. They went around each and every room and hall and directed the concerned staff for making the required alterations and renovations. They also directed that provision of library, hall and laboratories be made in the said college where sufficient covered area exists.

The decision to open a third degree college for women in Kohat was made last year by the government in view of the shortage of seats in the existing colleges which cater to a vast area — Hangu, Thall, Kurram Agency, Darra Adam Khel, Waziristan agencies and Karak. The local people preferred the Kohat college for women because it was the only high education institution which had a full-fledge hostel facility. The federal college for women however had no such facility where only five per cent quota had been fixed for the civilians.

According to the principal of the first degree college for women between 150 to 180 girl students could not get admission in the college because it was already full to its capacity. Similarly, four students had to share a hostel room meant for two only which affected their studies and caused water shortage in the summer besides creating cooking problems.

Meanwhile, a meeting was held under the chairmanship of district Nazim, Engineer Malik Asad, which was also attended by education minister on Wednesday.

The minister discussed the affairs of education in detail and it was decided that a government school in the district should be totally made English medium as a model on the lines of the one opened in Abbottabad.

The meeting also discussed proper utilization of the special funds of Rs7.6 million to be released by the government soon to meet the urgent requirements of education sector in the district.

The meeting also discussed the proposed developmental schemes, shortage of staff and monitoring of different institutions in the district. The district councillors and concerned Nazims also put up their proposals in the meeting in this regard.