08 February 2004	Sunday	16 Zilhaj 1424

ISLAMABAD, Feb 7: As many as 22 teachers of public-sector universities/degree-awarding institutions would be awarded 'Best Teachers Award' for the year 2002, said an official statement.

The university teachers who have qualified for the awards are Dr Asghari Maqsood, professor, Department of Physics, QAU; Dr Mohammad Ali, Department of Zoology and Prof Dr Rubina Tareen, Department of Urdu, Bahauddin Zakaria University, Multan; Prof Abdul Razzaq Ghumman, Dean, Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering, UET, Taxila; Dr M. Waheed Akhtar, Institute of Bio- Chemistry and Bio-Technology and Dr Munawar Sultana Mirza, Institute of Education and Research, University of the Punjab, Lahore; Dr Ikramul Haq, Department of Botany, G.C. University, Lahore; Dr Nasir Majid Mirza, PIEAS, Islamabad; Dr Abdul Rehman, professor, Department of Architecture, UET, Lahore; Dr Mohammad Ashraf, Department of Botany and Dr Mohammad Ashfaq, Department of Entomology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad; Dr Mohammad Umar Dahot, Institute of Bio-technology & Genetic Engineering, University of Sindh, Jamshoro; Dr Yasmeen Faiz Kazi, Department of Microbiology and Dr Mohammad Yousuf Khushk, Deparment of Urdu, SALU, Khairpur; Dr Abdul Karim Baloch, Department of Electronics and Dr Bakhshal Khan Lashari, Institute of Irrigation & Drainage Engineering, MUET, Jamshoro; Dr Mohammad Khan Lohar, Department of Entomology, SAU; Dr Nazimuddin Qureshi, Department of Industrial & Manufacturing Engineering and Dr Sarosh Hashmat Lodhi, Department of Civil Engineering, NED UET, Karachi; Prof Abdul Sattar Memon, Dept of Surgery, LUMHS, Jamshoro; Dr Qazi Masood Ahmed, IBA, Karachi and Dr M.A.Q. Jahangir Durrani, Department of Civil Engineering, UET, Peshawar.

The best university teachers awards programme was launched by the HEC for improvement of quality of education and to increase external and internal efficiency of university education.

It envisages to upgrade quality of research through staff development and provision of better facilities. The programme has been conceived to provide monetary as well as self-esteemed incentives to teachers of universities and degree-awarding institutions through awards and certificates.

In this way, the recognition of the contributions made by them at the national level would act as a catalyst for others to enhance their efforts in the fields of teaching and research.

It is expected that a changed atmosphere arising as a result of this scheme will help in lifting the standards of education and research in our institutions of higher education.

Under the scheme each teacher would be awarded Rs40,000 each and in total 250 teachers would be facilitated through this award programme.

The programme also intends to provide incentives to improve the quality and output of university teachers and to recognize their efforts for promotion of higher education in the country.