KOHAT, Dec 20: NWFP Governor Khalilur Rehman on Tuesday said the government wanted to overhaul the system of education and help teachers and students to keep up with the latest developments taking place in the field of science.

Speaking at the first convocation of the Kohat University of Science and Technology, the governor said the “overall performance of students in co-curricular activities, their mental fitness, intelligence and vision to do something extraordinary for the benefit of mankind” was the true barometer of education.

The governor said the president and the prime minister had already announced a gradual increase in allocations for education in an effort to bring the present standard on a par with developed countries.

He congratulated the students on the completion of their bachelor and masters courses and praised the efforts of the administration through which 40 per cent of the passing out students had already been employed in the public and private sector organisations.

The governor also praised the 2020 vision document prepared by the Kohat University of Science and Technology in which goals had been set to make it a premier institution of the region.

He awarded degrees to 148 students and 13 gold medals to those who topped their faculties. The degrees were awarded to the students of MBA, MCS, M.Ed., Bed and MIT on completion of their courses.

The vice chancellor in his welcome address said that he had demanded Rs460 million from the Higher Education Commission for the introduction of two more faculties of communication and wireless technology and biotechnology and genetic engineering.

He expressed the hope that the HEC would consider its request for Rs9 billion in an effort to achieve the goals set out in the 2020 vision document and build necessary buildings and laboratories.