November 18, 2003	Tuesday	Ramazan 22, 1424

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ISLAMABAD, Nov 17: President Gen Pervez Musharraf on Monday urged the Higher Education Commission (HEC) to take measures for increasing enrolment of university students from the existing 2.6 per cent to four per cent in the next three years.

He was talking to the HEC chairman, Dr Attaur Rehman, who called on the president to apprise him about the major programmes undertaken by the commission for promoting higher education in the country in the recent past.

The present enrolment in higher education sector in the age group of 17 to 23 years was noted to be only 2.6 per cent whereas in the advanced countries it was between 40 to 70 per cent, and even in developing countries it touched 30 per cent.

The president desired that the measures might be initiated to enhance it from 2.6 to four per cent which would mean a 50 per cent increase during the next three years along with a significant improvement in the quality.

During the meeting, it was also decided that a high-level committee should be constituted including chancellors of all public-sector universities, the president, four provincial governors and president of Azad Kashmir.

The committee would meet on regularly basis to keep abreast of the developments in higher education and to provide necessary guidance and oversee development programmes of the universities in line with national development so that higher education might act as an engine for rapid economic and social development of the country.

The president being appreciative of the last one year’s performance of the commission advised that much more was needed to be done to bring the higher education sector in the country on the par with international standards. In this regard he urged all concerned to put in their best efforts and also assured his full support in administrative and financial aspects.

During the presentation, the HEC chairman informed the president about the commission’s programmes which included major initiatives taken for faculty development through different scholarship programmes, including indigenous and foreign scholarship programmes, creation of technological infrastructure, improvement in curricula and examination system and linkages being developed with the industry.

He said full use of all resources available be considered including distance learning which includes satellite technology to achieve this objective.