PESHAWAR, Sept 7: The NWFP Governor, Syed Iftikhar Hussain Shah, has expressed grave concern over the continuing self-finance scheme in public sector universities in the province and asked the vice-chancellors to abandon the scheme in their respective institutions.

Since a formal decision had already been taken to abandon the self-finance scheme in the public sector universities, no justification existed to continue it, he said. The public sector universities in the province have published advertisements seeking further admissions through self-finance schemes.

In the vice-chancellors conference held recently under the chairmanship of the governor, it was decided to wind up the scheme and make all the admissions in the public sector universities purely on merit.

Similarly it has also been decided by the HEC to extend financial assistance to the universities to sponsor the recruitment of additional staff as well as provide equipment to run evening classes.

Four billion rupees are also being provided to every new university for its infrastructure as well as faculty development whereas three billion rupees have been earmarked for the Peshawar University, the Gomal University, the NWFP University of Agriculture and the NWFP University of Engineering & Technology for this purpose.

Keeping these facts in mind the governor has directed the vice-chancellors to wind up the self-finance scheme and make admissions on merit in their respective institutions.