KARACHI: Varsities told to help in developing resources
KARACHI, July 16: Sindh Governor Mohammedmian Soomro has called upon universities to work for creating harmony in society and bringing betterment in the standard of living of the common man.
He was addressing vice-chancellors of the public sector universities of Sindh at the Governor’s House on Tuesday.
Mr Soomro stressed the need for increasing the role of universities in connection with construction of low-cost houses, use of solar energy and wind power, treatment of brackish water and its use for various purposes, besides improving facilities in the rural areas.
In this regard, he appreciated Karachi University’s programme of holding a seminar on poverty alleviation and hoped that practical steps would be taken based on its recommendations.
Mr Soomro said the objective of universities should not be the issuance of degrees and certificates only, but they should also present practical proposals for production of better manpower and solution to problems.
The governor stressed the importance of ensuring academic and research environment in universities and asked the VCs to overcome all bottlenecks in this way without yielding to pressures.
Asking the vice-chancellors to ensure maintenance of discipline on the campuses, the governor stated that unwanted elements and political and non-academic activities cannot be tolerated in educational institutions.
He asked them to work after taking their respective senates and syndicates into confidence and ensure the enforcement of discipline among teachers and students.
The meeting was told that on the directive of the governor an accounting system, based on transparent and modern tools, had been introduced in all universities from July 1.
The governor emphasised the need for bringing quality improvement in the colleges affiliated with the universities and called for their regular inspection. He said attendance of teachers and students should be ensured and in case the performance of any college was found unsatisfactory, its affiliation should be cancelled.
He said careless and negligent staff of the educational institutions should be cautioned that if they failed to mend themselves, disciplinary action would be initiated against them and they would be replaced by capable and talented staff.
Mr Soomro also directed the Agriculture University to play its due role for bringing improvement in the agriculture sector. He said those passing out from agriculture university should not be the group of job seekers, but they should get themselves involved in using the modern methods in agriculture and in having self-employment.
He directed that an effective system of awarding the capable, hardworking and talented students and teachers be evolved.
The meeting also discussed the matter for improving curriculum of regular and external students.
It took strict notice of private tuition practice by teachers of government institutions and it was made clear that government employees cannot do any other work except their assigned duties without prior permission.
In this regard, need was stressed for devising a system to bring the teachers under a sort of discipline so that educational standard did not decline.—APP
